“In an attempt to speed up games, Major League Baseball is limiting teams to six mound visits for the first nine innings of a game -- with a few exceptions. Infielders coming to the mound count as a visit, so Maddon is hoping to curb those interactions and prioritize the meetings between his pitcher and catcher.” (via ESPN)
This is a classic mid-February sports story that you have to write when your boss subtly asks you to write more about sports. I’d really rather not write about this, but I also can’t pass up on a good opportunity to rip on Joe Madden for being an idiot.
Joe Maddon is an idiot.
Baseball literally took a two foot step in the mile-long race to fixing the pace-of-play problem, and hardos like Joe Maddon are up in arms about it.
I hate Joe Maddon and his dumb glasses. I hated him when he was with the Rays and he used to flip down those stupid little flaps on his hat so that his ears wouldn’t get cold. I’d go as far as to say Joe is the most annoying human being currently alive that isn’t, uhh, a co-founder of Third and Long.
Look at this stupid idiot with his stupid idiot hat.
“I get upset in the dugout for two reasons: missed signs, and when the catcher doesn’t go out and talk to the pitcher. When the catcher knows what the right thing to throw was -- and the pitcher keeps shaking him off and finally the catcher cedes and the ball is [hit] off the wall,” Maddon said earlier this week. “That hasn’t been discussed enough. That’s when I want the trip.” (via ESPN)
First of all, put this guy in the Hall of Fame. He says it’s bad when your pitcher gives up a double. What a genius.
“That hasn’t been discussed enough”? Seriously, Joe? What do you think they discussed when considering whether or not to remove mound visits? This is your classic example of someone who looks smart, tries to sound smart, but is actually a complete brick.
The weird blend of arrogance and excuse making continues when Maddon tells author Jessie Rogers that he’s especially worried about how it will impact his team, because he believes the Cubs have “unique game plans for their pitchers behind the expertise of catching coach Mike Borzello.” Insufferable.
To summarize, Joe Maddon thinks that this rule change only affects him because he is a genius who can solve all of his teams problems with seven separate mound visits.
The rule itself is a no-brainer. Actually, I take that back. The rule itself is a fat lougy in the face of anyone who is actually passionate about baseball but isn’t a retired 70 year-old man. I get that some managers, players, and fans don’t want to change the game too much, but six mound visits? Maybe 5% of games (at the very most) have more than six mound visits. How about we bump that number down to two mound visits a game; then you might actually be doing something. Or maybe do nothing at all. I don’t really care; I already like watching. Just stop trying to play the PR game, Major League Baseball, you guys stink at that.
(Photo courtesy of Boston.com)
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