MLB pitcher Blake Snell is ready for baseball to go back to the way it was: "The game was made perfectly and they changed the game"
MLB pitcher Blake Snell has gotten off to a rocky start this year. He picked up his first win of the year on Monday after starting with four straight losses.
The 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner hasn't found his groove this young season. One could point to the new rules being a thorn in his side, and you would be right.
Snell is not a fan of the new rules and how they have changed the game this season. He doesn't think the game needed change in the first place and is ready for baseball to return to its old ways.
"The game was made perfectly and they changed the game" - said Blake Snell.
In an interview with ESPN, Snell voiced his frustrations with the new rules. He especially does not like the new rules about base runners. Snell feels that baserunners have all the advantages with the bases getting bigger and the limitations on pick-off attempts.
How crazy are stolen bases this season?
Ty France had 0 career MLB steals before tonight.
He just stole third base! 😮 https://t.co/wizCKD1CNq
Players who had zero steals all season last year are stealing bases only people with elite speed can steal. There's nothing pitchers can do about it other than work on their pick-offs and be quicker to home plate.
"None that I can think of," responded Blake Snell when asked his favorite thing about the new rules.
The new rules significantly favor the offensive side of the ball, and pitchers will have to figure out the best way to deal with it.
Blake Snell isn't the only MLB player who feels the new rules need tweaking
While Blake Snell is frustrated with the new rules, he's not alone. In the same interview, Oakland Athletics infielder Tony Kemp mentioned his issue with the pitch clock. He doesn't want to see a game determined by a pitch clock violation.
Cody Bellinger spent his whole career with the Dodgers, won a World Series in LA, came back for the first time to get a standing ovation as a visitor and got banged for a pitch clock violation. Baseball in 2023. Have some feel, Blue. https://t.co/khT8OWYOvh
Another MLB player who believes the timing rules should be reworked is Chicago White Sox infielder Elvis Andrus. For outfielders that are up first in the next inning, they barely have time to get ready. They have to sprint to the dugout and get ready. They're lucky to even get a few practice swings in.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly mentioned that the league would not be handcuffed to the rules as they were written. It will be interesting to see if these rules change before the season ends.