It is time for MLB owners to ditch Manfred

[Popping Mad]

Aside from the Universal DH and the clown schoolyard rules that this
idiot has brought baseball, his pushing the WBC should be the last straw
for the Owners and they need to ditch him.

https://www.audacy.com/wfan/sports/manfred-wants-more-star-pitchers-in-world-baseball-classic



By Dan Mennella, Audacy Sports
WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM/66AM New York

The 2023 World Baseball Classic seems to have been a success for most
involved.

But MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred sees an avenue for improvement.

Speaking to reporters prior to Tuesday night's final between Team USA
and Japan, Manfred said he would like for more star pitchers to
participate in the triennial tournament.

"It's great the guys that we have," Manfred said, "but I'd like to see
pitching staffs that are of the same quality as our position players."

Team USA seemed to be particularly imbalanced, boasting a loaded lineup
but relatively few top-flight hurlers.

Among the star positions players were Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Trea
Turner, Paul Goldschmidt, JT Realmuto, Nolan Arenado, Tim Anderson, Kyle
Schwarber, Pete Alonso, and Jeff McNeil.

But the pitching staff, particularly among the starters, was
comparatively thin. For the final against Japan, Team USA turned to a
pair of mid-rotation types in Merrill Kelly and Kyle Freeland.

Absent for the Americans was a long list of elite starting pitchers,
including Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer,
Carlos Rodon, Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Shane McClanahan, Kevin Gausman,
Max Fried, Shane Bieber, Corbin Burnes, Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Logan
Webb, Joe Musgrove, Alek Manoah, and Triston McKenzie, to name just a
few of the league's best from 2022.

The Dominican Republic had a similar scenario, missing star pitchers
such as Framber Valdez, Luis Castillo, Emmanuel Clase, Freddy Peralta,
Luis Severino, and Frankie Montas (injured), among others.

It's unclear exactly whether the absences were driven by the players or
their MLB teams, though it appears to be a combination of both. Manfred,
for his part, suggested WBC advocates will look to present the case that
pitching in the tournament is actually beneficial.

"It's not lobbying," Manfred said. "It's having facts to support it --
that pitching in high-leverage situations like these are, that actually
helps players develop."

Meanwhile, after Team USA's loss to Japan, star outfielder Mike Trout
vowed he would return for the 2026 installment of the tournament -- and
suggested he might do some recruiting to ensure the Americans field the
best team possible.

"Next time," Trout said, "I want to make sure everybody buys in."

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World Baseball Classic
Rob Manfred
MLB

Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty

[*ernie]

On 3/22/2023 10:29 AM, Popping Mad wrote:
> Aside from the Universal DH and the clown schoolyard rules that this
> idiot has brought baseball, his pushing the WBC should be the last straw
> for the Owners and they need to ditch him.
>
> https://www.audacy.com/wfan/sports/manfred-wants-more-star-pitchers-in-world-baseball-classic

I'm with you 1000%. All of these new rules are unnecessary, and like you
I hate the DH. This WBC is a farce and at the risk of sounding
unpatriotic, I don't care who wins. This nonsense has dealt a serious
blow to the Mets chances of winning a championship this season. Them I
care about. If they want to send a team, send a group of minor league
volunteers.

[Popping Mad]

The biggest threat to Baseball is the $300 Baseball Glove

[Popping Mad]

On 3/22/23 15:48, *ernie wrote:

> This WBC is a farce and at the risk of sounding unpatriotic,

The thing about the WBC is that it exposes ALL the things that is wrong
with baseball now. The game had always been close to the fans and the
players. Everyone played baseball and everyone could get to a game.
Players were close to the fans and the game was extremely HUMAN.

They have systematically stripped the game of its humanity on the
foolish idea that getting calls right, and preventing injuries, and
maximing results is more important than watching dramatic competition,
player against player.

>From the death of the complete game, to tinkering with mechanics to the
point where players blow up like an over stretched rubberband, to the
dehumanizing of players and umpires have destroyed this game to its ROOT.

The game should have been allowed to proceed as a protected gem with
minimal intervention by technology. We'd rather watch Earl Weaver rip
into the UMPS in the the heat of competition that have all close players
decided by constant interruption of replay.

Within the Diamond of a basbeall game there should be nothing but
baseballs, leather, and wooden bats. No video in the dougout. No
stupid radar on the scoreboard, no over shifts.

They have killed all the gamemanship by the players!!

It is not fun to watch! I'm fine with getting batters back in the box
and the pitch clock but the rest of it is crazy and the biggest thing
that drags games is the commerical breaks with every pitching change.

If an Ump gets the some strike calls wrong .. SO WHAT. Its a damn GAME
not a moon launch.

[Popping Mad]

And MOST of all they need to go back to a winner take all regular
season. The need the tension of a three month long Pennant Race!!