Pirates' Blass On Proposed Rule Changes To MLB: 'I Hate It'
PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA/AP) — MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says more rule changes are needed to improve the pace of play, and one proposal under consideration is a limitation on relief pitching changes in an inning or a game.
The majors shaved several minutes off the average game time last season, but games have been slightly longer in 2016.
"We've slipped back a little bit this year, and pace of play is one of those issues where we're going to continually need to evaluate the rules we have," Manfred said. "And we're going to need to continually work with our players to stay focused on the issue."
Manfred has said he's in favor of a limitation on relief pitchers but didn't lobby for it Wednesday.
"We look at all aspects of the game all the time," he said. "I don't want to put particular emphasis on that one."
Pirates broadcaster Steve Blass tells the "KDKA Morning News" that the proposed changes are "awful."
"I think our game has been pretty good for 100 years and they're trying to sanitize it...I hate it," said Blass.
Blass says the beauty of baseball is that it isn't perfect.
"You've got an imperfect game played by imperfect people and it's been fine. I think [baseball] is a reflection of all of us. Leave it alone," Blass said.
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