Old Audio of Rob Manfred Ripping Idea Similar to Golden At-Bat Rule Resurfaces

Stephen Douglas | 8 Hours Ago

Rob Manfred speaking to the press in 2024. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Earlier this week Rob Manfred revealed that there was talk around Major League Baseball about the possibility of a dramatic new rule change called the "Golden At-Bat." Reactions to the very possibility of this new wrinkle have been strong with Ken Rosenthal calling the idea "extreme" and Michael Kay telling fans they had to get their heads out of their butts.

On Wednesday's episode of The Dan Le Batatard Show with Stugotz they played an old clip of Stugotz pitching an incredibly similar idea called the "Magic At-Bat" to Manfred on the show years ago. (They also played a clip of Stugotz from August 2014 when he first mentioned the idea on-air.)

Manfred and Le Batard both called it a waste of the commissioner's time, but Stugotz persisted until Manfred gave what he called a "really serious answer" about the suggestion. Manfred mentioned some [then] recent rule changes before saying this:

"When you make those changes I think it's always important to ask yourself the question as to whether you are interfering with the history and the traditions of the game and I think the suggestion that you just floated falls squarely in the category of would interfere with the history and traditions of the game."

"You're wasting my time..." – MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to @stugotz790 several years ago when Stu first presented his idea for the "Magic At-Bat" in audio we just unearthed. Manfred recently said MLB is considering a rule change called....The Golden At-Bat.

WATCH:… pic.twitter.com/QIEyuQY3xi

— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) December 4, 2024

The Le Batard crew is now trying to figure out how to protect Stugotz's intellectual property. What a time to be alive.

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