Papi Says The New MLB Pace Of Play Rules Are Bullshit And He's 100% Right (He Also Says He Doesn't Care, He's Not Following Them)

(Source) — In the most predictable quote of spring training, David Ortiz doesn’t like the pace of play rules that will attempt to force batters to remain in the batter’s box between pitches. The best part of Big Papi’s rant is that he apparently wasn’t aware of the new rule. “Is that new?” he asked. “It seems like every rule goes in the pitcher’s favor. After a pitch, you got to stay in the box? One foot? I call that bulls—,” he said to the Boston media throng on Wednesday. This is why we love Ortiz. He doesn’t hold back. He said hitters aren’t stepping out to waste time but to think about what pitchers are going to do. “When you force a hitter to do that, 70 percent you’re out, because you don’t have time to think,” he said. “And the only time you have to think about things is that time. So, I don’t know how this baseball game is going to end up.”

Spot on, Papi. Spot on. You can’t make a batter play with one arm tied behind his back. They’re complete bullshit. Baseball is obviously a long game. Painfully long, sometimes (Dice-K games will go down as some of the most demanding things I ever did. My grandfathers fought in wars, I watched Dice K). But if baseball thinks this will make any kind of difference they’re insane. What will this shave? Five minutes? Seven minutes, maybe? That’s not bringing any new fans to the game. No one is saying “Well I used to find baseball long and boring, but now that they don’t let Papi think about what pitch might be coming I’m all for it. I can be in bed by 10:25 rather than 10:30.” It’s nonsense. But I do love how Papi is straight up refusing to follow the rule. $500 to be able to take my time? Sure thing. I make 16 million bucks this year. It’s like first class flights for athletes. All the poor rookies and journeymen can keep their foot in the box, Papi will go on a nice Sunday stroll while he ponders his strategy.