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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JULY 17: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels looks on during his at bat during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 17, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JULY 17: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels looks on during his at bat during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 17, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Despite having introduced the pitch clock rule and beginning extra innings with a batter on first base, the MLB is continuing to make changes to their rules under the pretext of making the game more athletic and commercial. Fans were not happy when the pitch clock was implemented, and fans aren’t happy even now when the “double-hook” rule is being introduced in the Atlantic League.
The “double-hook” regulation for designated hitters permits teams to employ the DH position for the entirety of the game, provided that the starting pitcher throws a minimum of five innings. If they don’t meet this requirement, the team forfeits the DH position, and the pitcher must bat for the remainder of the game. This rule was also utilized in the previous season of the Atlantic League.
Fans are tired of the MLB constantly tinkering with potential rule changes
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The Atlantic League became an MLB Partner League in 2019. In this partnership, the league assists the major leagues in experimenting with proposed new regulations. However, it is worth noting that not all the tested rules and regulations from the Atlantic League make it to the majors.
MLB is also experimenting with a "Double-Hook" DH rule in the Atlantic League, where a team loses its DH if the starting pitcher fails to complete at least five innings pic.twitter.com/sIJNiUddvh
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 18, 2023
Morgan Sword, MLB’s Vice President of Baseball Operations, in a statement, said, “We thank the Atlantic League for their continued partnership. In recent years, the ALPB’s experimental rules have aimed to emphasize athleticism, improved pace of play and other means of giving fans the game they want to see.”
Fans who strongly value the traditional essence of the sport were opposed to the rule of having a pitcher bat and expressed their discontent with having to watch it.
This is how fans reacted:
No more changes
— Dan Rourke (@DanAlanRourke) April 18, 2023
It sucks that the people who run baseball actually hate baseball
— Teran Johnson (@TeranJSports) April 18, 2023
Just keeps getting better. What’s next, ghost runners and throwing the ball at base runners to get them out?
— Glenn Willey (@gwilleynews) April 18, 2023
Not far off from it being Savannah Banana Ball.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) April 18, 2023
I think it’s time to experiment with playing a season with no experimental rule changes
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) April 18, 2023
This rule would eliminate openers & BP games, that's the thrust of it.
It would also screw over teams whose SP has a bad day. They either punt their lineup early or leave their SP in there to (hopefully) gut through 5 IP to keep their DH for any chance of a comeback.
— Rafa (@thesageRR3) April 18, 2023
“And that’s strikeout number 3 for the clean up spot tonight and you know what that means folks! One of you will be randomly selected to be shot execution style at home plate following tonight’s game! Section 201 row G seat 12 congratulations!”
— Matt Darden (@mattdarden) April 18, 2023
very lame
— Ethan (@Ethan628821) April 18, 2023
Unanimously, almost every fan begged the MLB to not make any further changes to the sport.
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Is the new pitch clock serving its purpose?
The pitch clock, seemingly, is like a double-edged sword. While it’s helping bring back viewership numbers for the game, and also successfully contributing to reducing the average game duration by almost thirty minutes, fans aren’t happy about the changing course in the game. Even players of the game are still getting in line with the new pitch clock.
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COOPERSTOWN, NY – SEPTEMBER 08: Rob Manfred reads the plaque of Derek Jeter at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center on September 8, 2021 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
What do you think about the double-hook rule? Do you support it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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