New MLB rule could make it harder for Rocco Baldelli to pull his starters

Baseball is nothing if not a traditionalist sport; change is hard to come by.

That hardlined stance has started to loosen up over recent years, though. MLB adding a runner on second in extra innings was the first major change to the way the game has been played, with the pitch clock being the most drastic addition last year. Robo-umpiring could become a thing in the near future as well, with the concept finally being tested out in the minors.

Another change could be coming sooner, though, and it would have a pretty sizable impact on the way the game is managed.

New MLB rule could make it harder for Rocco Baldelli to pull his starters

According to a report from ESPN insider Jesse Rogers, MLB is considering a rule that would require a starter to pitch at least six innings before a manager is allowed to pull him.

There are still strings attached that would allow a pitcher to be pulled before that minimum is reached, but it the idea is to curb early hooks by managers like Rocco Baldelli. In a way this new rule harkens back to the old ways of the game, with proponents of the six-inning minimum selling it as a return to prestige pitching.

"The primary goal of a minimum-innings rule would be to immediately restore the prestige of the starting pitcher. Fans would be able to tune in to a game knowing that he would be on the mound for the majority of it," Rogers reported.

An inning minimum also comes with some financial strings as well. Pitchers are incentivized by wins and innings production, something that could be a sticking point in future contract negotiations is owners are essentially being forced to pay guys to do something rules require.

That's perhaps galaxy-braining this, but Twins fans have a Pavlovian reaction to the idea of money getting in the way of progress.

Above all, this would fundementally change the way some managers call a game. Baldelli has been known for his quick hooks on starters, something that Sonny Gray wasn't shy to call out in frustration. Pitchers around the league share his sentiment, voicing displeasure at being taken out of games for strategic reasons at the expense of getting a quality start.

Pitchers wouldn't have full control on the mound, as managers would be able to yank them if they reach 100 pitches, gives up four or more runs, or gets hurt. It would no doubt alter the way someone like Rocco manages, though, and it'll be interesting to see how the playing field ends up with certain decisions taken out of the hands of the guys hired to make them.

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