What is the worst rule in MLB?

Question

I just want opinions on what you think is the stupidest rule in baseball. Anything from strikes and balls to what season its played in. My vote goes for the DH.

Answer 1

worst rule, lets see tie goes to the runner, because if the ball was there, then they are out

Answer 2

I think that the whole multi-tiered playoff system is beyond stupid.
In the NFL it almost makes sense because there might be some question if the best team was actually going to the Super Bowl . Teams in the have so few opportunities to play each other and common opponents that there may be some question as to who is actually the best team.
MLB is completely different. MLB plays a 162 game season and all the teams in the league play each other many times and thus have more than ample opportunity to prove their worth.
Every pennant winner and World Series winner prior to institution of a play off system was the a bona -fide champion and nobody could question their right to be called that.
Now we have situations like last year where the Cardinals who were 14 games inferior to the Mets in the win column manage to defeat them in a short series and go onto win the World Series by beating a Detroit team that was two games inferior to Yankees in the win column.
I think that that whole system is very wrong because it neither encourages nor rewards excellence. On the contrary it says that excellence has no worth and will be thrown out and that the crap shoot of a short series will determine the champion and that is so wrong on so many levels,

Answer 3

I have one good thing today about the DH.
In the minors where many compete for few starting spots , the DH allows another player to at least get some at bats.

In the Eastern league, when 2 NL farm teams are playing each other, there is no DH. When an AL and NL , (or AL vs AL) teams compete, the DH is used. As i said, it give a player achance to get some ab's.
This is crucial in the minor. The main focus of the minors is player development, not
necessarily winning, as is in the majors.

Answer 4

There is no such rule as "tie goes to the runner."

Also, the player was there too, so I don't get the logic that he should be out because the ball was there.

I agree, the All-star game should not decide the home team in the Series.

As far as game rules, I think it's pretty much perfect the way it is. If you got rid of any rules it would change the game. The rules are there for a reason, to keep it a fair and equal competition.
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Answer 5

NEVER. They're professionals, they can take a loss. They're paid to play the game, so play the game until it's over. It's still their job to get the other guys out, no matter how many runs the other guys have scored. I've seen some bizarre things happen in Major League Baseball over the years, and I very much remember that 10-run eighth from the Mets a few years ago. The mercy rule in Major League Baseball would be ridiculous.

Answer 6

Actually the worst is not in a game itself but in the owners and players associations.And that is no salary cap.This only lets teams like Boston,New York and a few teams out west buy championships or all the free agents that in a fair market might of gone elsewhere.Big markets as those I mentioned should be made to develop rather than buy players.Why do you think Kansas City and Texas and Tampa have never had a fighting chance?They cant buy almost 300 million dollars worth of talent like the Yankees can.Alot of good thats doing this year huh Yank fans?Small market teams can get young talent to develop as the Brewers and Braves have,but when they need a vital piece in the offseason and make a fair offer to a guy,then the big market teams can overpay that same guy to take him away because lets be real,is the luxury tax really hurting thtese big market teams?

Answer 7

Probably the DH rule. I think it should go. But either way, both leagues should have the same rules.

- A "tie going to the runner" isn't a bad rule, I think it's the correct one. It could go either way, but how can you say "if the ball is there, he is out" - when the tag did not beat him stepping on the plate! You should have to get him OUT and you do that by tagging the runner BEFORE he touches base, not as he's touching it.

- The balk is a perfectly good rule. Without it, would there be any stolen bases at all? How boring would that be? Fast runner gets on, pitcher pretends to pitch the ball, and suddenly he turns and throws the guy out. BORING.

Answer 8

The DH rule is by far the worst. When pitchers have to bat, actual strategy is involved. I'd rather see the strategic play a executed when the pitcher has to bat rather than a dinger from the DH... DHs make the game much more predictable.

Answer 9

I don't like the DH, but I understand it.

The one rule I hate the most is that if a runner scores on a double play ball, no RBI is awarded.

If I ground out to second and a guy on third scores, I get an RBI. But if I hit that ground ball to second and it starts, say a 4-6-3 GDP, no RBI. I hate that rule.

Answer 10

My choice would be the backswing interference call.

When a batter swings as a runner is stealing second or third and his backswing hits the catcher attempting to make the play, it is backswing interference. The runner is only out if the interference did not affect the play being made on him. If he is not retired by the throw, the ball is dead and he is returned to base occupied at time of pitch without further penalty to him or batter.

I believe it is official rule 6.06 .

PS I looked -- it is 6.06c casebook.

Answer 11

The DH is a pretty bad rule, it takes a lot of pressure of the AL managers. Do you leave the pitcher in when he is pitching good but its his turn to bat in a close game? Etc. Etc. The All-Star game deciding the home field advantage for the WS is the worst rule by far. I don't know how else they would pick it but they got to do something. Or that if a pitcher attemps to pick off a runner, and the runner breaks for the next base and is safe, the catcher is charged with a stolen base, when he didn't even touch the ball.