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Mookie Betts had one suggestion for Major League Baseball to make blowouts a little less painful for all involved.
In an interview with Tom Dierberger of SI, Betts suggested that games should simply end whenever a team wants to bring in a position player to pitch. That tactic is typically used by teams that are getting blown out and do not want to use any other pitchers to get outs in a game they have already lost.
“Once position players come in (to pitch), just call the game,” Betts said. “That’s pretty much it. Once you’re down 10 [runs] and the position player comes in, just call it a day.”
Betts added that facing a position player is awkward as a hitter, as not getting a hit is seen as embarrassing but successfully getting one is simply par for the course.
“It’s a lose-lose,” Betts added. “You get a hit, you’re supposed to. But it’s so hard to get a hit. It’s so hard to get that hit. And then if you get out, ah, you got out by a position player. I’d rather just go home at that point.”
MLB teams are only allowed to use a position player on the mount if they are ahead by 10 or more or trailing by 8 or more. There was once a certain novelty to it, but it has largely worn off and tends to be fairly ugly more often than not.
It’s fair to question whether any team would actually make such a move of it meant they were forfeiting the rest of the game. A few probably would to preserve their bullpens, but it would be a weird look, and this rule change probably will not be on the agenda anytime soon.
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