OPINION: What's So Bad About Position Players Pitching?

Monday, Major League Baseball made a significant rule change that will limit the usage of position players as pitchers. Jack Vita asks the simple question: What does MLB gain by making this rule change, and how does it improve the sport?

Major League Baseball announced some finalized rule changes Monday, including, putting limits on the use of position players on the pitcher's mound, ESPN's Jesse Rogers reports.

The competition committee also voted unanimously to allow position players to pitch only in extra innings, in the ninth inning when leading team is up by 10 or more runs or anytime when the trailing team is down by 8 or more.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) February 13, 2023

Position players will only be permitted to pitch in extra innings, or in the ninth inning when the leading team is up by 10 or more runs, or when the trailing team is down by eight or more runs.

Major League Baseball has introduced a number of changes in recent years, but the need for this change makes little to no sense to me.

Not wanting to burn bullpen arms in out-of-reach games, managers have used position players to pitch in recent years. It's actually become a fun novelty for fans watching at the park, and those watching at home.

Last season, fans enjoyed watching future Hall of Fame first baseman Albert Pujols take the mound for the first time in his big league career.

Position players pitching has been fun content for social media. If a team the Tigers are down six runs, but now Miguel Cabrera is coming in to pitch, well, now I'm probably using my MLB.tv subscription to flip over to the Tigers game. 

What is the problem with position players pitching, when the game's most exciting player pitches and hits? Shohei Ohtani has been a wonder to watch both on the rubber and in the batter's box. Ohtani is designated as a 'two-way player', which allows him to both hit and pitch. It seems odd to me that we are going to force teams to play players by what their scorecard reads. What's next, a left fielder can't play first base? How is that any different from a position player pitching?

One of the wonders of baseball is how it used to be nine versus nine. Everybody bats, and everybody fields. Today's change moves us even further away from that age-old concept.

We've already taken the bat out of pitchers' hands. Now, we're putting severe limitations on the use of position players on the pitcher's mound. How does this benefit the game? What is the sin of having a position player pitch?

Some might argue that it allows opposing hitters a chance to pad their stats, but the same thing can be true in any blowout, regardless of who is on the mound. Some players take advantage of low-level pitchers that see the field in garbage time. Other players hit better in low leverage situations. This is true regardless of if a position player is pitching in a game, or not.

Most other rule changes have come in hopes of making the game more popular or more safe. How does limiting the use of position players as pitchers do either of those things? This change seems highly unnecessary.

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