I've never been to the so-called GM Meetings (which should probably be renamed, considering MLB's rampant title inflation). I've been to the Winter Meetings a few times, and lasted for the entire affair only because I had five or six weeks to rest after the World Series ... all of which I witnessed from the comfort of my own couch. Hey, everybody's not cut out for life on the road.
So I enjoyed this year's GM Meetings, as usual, from afar. And I was taken by New York Times writer Billy Witz's a) name, and b) elegantly concise precis on the GM meetings. Just a few tidbits I'd like to share...
First, on the prospects for a rule outlawing the sort of slide that knocked Ruben Tejada out of the playoffs:
A similar rule preventing runners from colliding with catchers at home plate went into effect in 2014, amid much debate about how the rule would be enforced.
But Torre said the overarching focus should be on player safety, and that the league did not want its players being carried off the field.
"Even though we've had a lot of criticism on the collision play at the plate, we haven't had anybody carried off the field in a couple years," Torre said. "And to me, that's great."
It really is great! And I've got a great deal of admiration for Torre, an old baseball man who's somehow either found or simply indulged his progressive impulses. Or maybe he's just a good company man. Either way, it's refreshing when one of MLB's most public voices nearly always says the "right" things.
But it should be mentioned that when he says nobody's been carted off the field, he's referring strictly to catchers. We've seen too many middle infielders carted off the field, just in the last few months. Which is why it's only a matter of time before something's done about this one, too. We can only hope they figure out the details sooner than later, and nobody else's leg gets snapped.
Speaking of controversial postseason plays, there was that time when Terrance Gore was out on appeal after coming off the base ever so slightly. But can something really be done? Should something be done?
Torre indicated there was momentum from managers to change replay rules to prevent a baserunner who slides into a base ahead of a throw from being called out when his body loses contact with the base for an instant.
"Before, we accepted the imperfections of the game," Torre said.
In theory, all that sounds reasonable enough. I guess. Even if the essence of being safe is being on the base, no? Still, however you care to define "essence," you're still left -- as I wrote when this came up in October -- with somehow defining "loses contact with the base for an instant." Although, come to think of it, I guess you could actually use a timer back at Replay Headquarters after coming up with an actual allowable instant off the base.
And yet still that question about essence gives me pause...
Speaking of pauses:
The pace of play rules that were instituted last season had an impact, shortening the average length of a game to 2 hours 56 minutes from 3:02, though Torre said the games slowed down near the end of the season.
Gosh, there's some shocking news. You give a manager 15 relief pitchers, and you think he's not going to use them?
I would say the worst news out of these meetings is that apparently nobody's even talking about limiting the rosters in September. There are pennant races and nerves are frayed and fingernails are chewed and the big moment in the game is here and ... Oh. Right. Here comes the manager. Again. Of course the games slowed down.
We shouldn't focus on the negatives, though. At some point, maybe even while Joe Torre's still alive, Major League Baseball's owners and players will get together and, at the very least, acknowledge the Strikeout Scourge. But until that fine day, we baseball progressives can take solace in every small step that makes a great game even greater.
