Palladino: Eliminating Intentional Walks Hurts A Perfectly Good Game
By Ernie Palladino
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The American public wants shorter baseball games.
So, of course, MLB chose the worst possible way to get there.
This week, those wise heads in the executive offices declared that the "useless" four-pitch intentional walk would go the way of the Dodo Bird, replaced by a simple signal from the dugout for the runner to take his base.
Other changes to the nature of the grand old game are also being considered, including starting extra innings with a runner on second.
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It all comes in the name of speeding up the game. Sure, you want faster games? Alter how it's played. That's the answer.
No, it's not. But the real answer is something baseball leadership doesn't even want to consider. That endless string of commercials between innings and during pitching changes is the major reason for sore rumps as games now last 3 1/2 hours or longer. If baseball really cared about shortening the clock, they'd leave a little money on the table. Give pitchers five warmup pitches instead of 10, and cut the commercial break in half.
But salaries and profit margins being what they are, one would be crazy to think any executive, from Commissioner Rob Mansfield down to an individual franchise's traveling secretary, would condone depriving the beer and erectile dysfunction people of a second of screen time.
But changing the game isn't the way to do it, either.
The intentional walk will be particularly missed, not because it's all that exciting, but because of the stuff that occasionally happens. Just because the catcher stands up with his mitt out doesn't mean everything automatically goes as planned. It's the goof-ups and bits of subterfuge that will be missed.
Ever see the catcher give the signal and then jump back into his crouch for a pitch right down Broadway? It happens once in a while, generally leaving a flustered batter to flail at the next two pitches. Or, conversely, a pitch intended for way outside the strike zone gets thrown too close and subsequently gets whacked into a run-scoring hit. Or the pitcher throws it to the backstop, allowing a runner on third to score.
It all happens a couple of times per season. Add to that the fact that intentional walks are called once every 2.6 games on average, and it's obvious that its elimination will save seconds, not minutes.
It also takes away from some of the old-time legends, like the story about the great, ultra-aggressive Don Drysdale. Like many pitchers of an era where brushbacks were common, Drysdale took the practice to another level one game when manager Walter Alston walked to the mound.
"I want this guy walked," Alston said.
Drysdale looked him in the eye and said, "Why waste three pitches?"
Alston left without another word, knowing full well what was coming.
Next pitch: fastball, right in the ribs.
Instances like that haven't happened in years thanks to a rule change that allows an umpire to eject a pitcher for targeting a batsman. But that doesn't mean a pitcher can't get creative.
That all goes out the window now as professional baseball adopts a high school rule more suited for young, undeveloped arms and dusty, unlit fields.
Who knows what's next? A pitch clock that triggers a called ball when it expires? A runner on second to start an extra inning? Just wait until the relievers start crying about that one as their ERAs and win-loss records get destroyed.
If baseball really wants to shorten games, get rid of some of the commercials. Run 'em in, run 'em out.
But stop fooling around with a perfectly good pastime.
Please follow Ernie on Twitter at @ErniePalladino
