Athletics' Melvin no Fan of MLB's New Extra Innings Rule
If either of the first two exhibition games between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants Monday and Tuesday goes more than nine innings, there’s a new rule in place to handle extra innings.
You’ve probably heard about the change instituted by Major League Baseball, with every half inning beginning with the top of the 10th starting with a runner on second base.
The reality is that the exhibition games won’t be a testing ground for this rule, which has been used internationally and in some minor leagues but never in MLB. These games don’t count, they’re just a shakedown cruise, and managers Bob Melvin of the A’s and Gabe Kapler of the Giants and their bosses can decide enough’s enough after nine innings.
The A’s will be ready for either eventuality. Melvin and his troops went through a scheduled simulation of the extra inning rules Sunday, the third time the A’s have worked on it in the last couple of weeks.
“We’re trying to get used to that,” Melvin said. “We’re trying to get used to most of the rules that we are going to come up against.”
That being said, Melvin would do away with the plan in a flash. He’s no fan. He will, however, play the hand he’s dealt, and the A’s will be hope to be ready for the situation when first it crops up.
And they will have two strategies, one on the road and one for home games.
“There are a lot of variables, and we’re experimenting with them here,” he said. “It depends on who’s on the mound for them. Certainly, in the bottom half (of the inning) there’s a lot that would e different than (in the top half).
“We’re just trying to get a handle on that, but I think one we get into a game situation, things will change and we’ll have to make some adjustments on the fly.”
The idea is to move baseball along more quickly, and in that metric, things may work out. In 2016 and 2017, the last two years before the minor leagues went to the man-on-second rule, only 45% of games ended after one extra inning. With the rule in place, that number just to 73% of games ended after one extra inning.
The things to get used to include the runner, who will be the final batter from the previous inning. So, if the No. 5 hitter is due up first, the runner trotting out to second base would be the cleanup hitter.
Pinch runners can be used, and if the runner scores, the pitcher will not be charged with an earned run.
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
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