I will keep this short and simple.
MLB needs to adopt a Surrender Rule.
No good comes of things like last night. What’s the point of making Jose Reyes throw 40+ pitches. What’s the point of making everyone sit around and watch a 19-1 game become 25-1?
We have a lot of data. There have been over 210,000 MLB games played. The biggest comeback ever is 12 runs down. Let’s make that the standard.
I propose a rule that if five innings have been played (same as the rain rule) and a team is trailing by 13 or more runs they can surrender and the game ends.
Whatever accommodations happen for sponsor make goods during rain stoppages can be used to accommodate surrenders.
At some point playing the game is silly.
Now I’m sure someday a Joe Maddon type will be down 9 and walk the bases until he gets down 13 so he can save his bullpen but I’ll worry about that when it’s actually a thing.
