Among the ways that the MLB 2020 season is unique within its cohort are the new rules for additional entries. Games that go beyond the ninth inning begin with one runner at second base each frame. This, of course, makes it much more likely that a team will score, and therefore more likely that games will not last as long once additional entries are reached. This structural wrinkle has been tested in the minors, and while it’s in response to the compressed 60-game season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it become permanent at some point.
Such a decision will surely not be popular with everyone in and around the game. You can count Cleveland right-hander Mike Clevinger among those discontents. Clevinger left for Cleveland on Saturday against the Royals and, despite allowing consecutive home runs in the first, ended up turning seven strong innings. Along the way, Royals prospect Brady Singer was equally strong in his major league debut, making the game extras with the score tied 2-2.
Now for those new rules. In extras, the team’s batting begins the picture with a runner at second base. With a runner in scoring position and no outs and the value of a single run increased, you can see how this favors small ball strategy. In fact, this is how Royals manager Mike Matheny played it:
So it is an automatic runner in the second followed by a bag tap followed by a bag fly. After all that, Nicky López took a walk and was then cut trying to steal second base for the final out of the box. That brings us to this:
Yes, the top of the tenth produced a run, three outs and zero official at-bats. That race turned out to be the winner of the game, as Cleveland failed to charge its running back in the local half and the Royals prevailed 3-2 (box score).
As for Clevinger, he didn’t have it afterward. “This is not a travel ball,” he said after the game. “You know how difficult it is to get a runner at second base out of the back of any bullpen, how incredibly difficult is that? I’m not happy with that. I’m sure other teams are facing the situation and this happens. they are going to have similar reactions. “
Then later it was repeated in social media and spicing things up for the younger demographic:
This opinion should have many traveling companions, as baseball fans as a species tend to be traditionalists to some degree. Opponents will point out that Cleveland had the same opportunity and was unable to take full advantage of it. However, Clevinger is here to talk and converse, which is understandable given the frustrations of the moment.
As for Matheny, who earned his first victory as manager of the Royals in part because of that rule, he was much less confused about the whole thing. “I love it. I hope we do it tomorrow,” Matheny said after the game. “That really isn’t true, though. I hope we have a bigger advantage. I know I’ve been an advocate for it, and I know baseball traditionalists are hanging around right now.”
We already saw the Angels and A’s debut with the new rules in their overtime affair on Friday night, and now the Royals have taken it to logical extremes. That won’t be the last time we see the rule used that way, and just as surely it won’t be the last time someone gets upset about it.
