The Ohtani Rule, which isn’t called that, needs to be altered or else dropped. It’s unfair. Designated hitters and pitchers have never previously been the same player during the fifty plus years history of the worst rule change in baseball history, This Not Ohtani rule says that , while designated hitters and pitchers who are replaced during a game are done for the day, there is one exception. The Not Ohtani Rule allows that if a pitcher starts a game, he can continue to take his turn in the batting order if he is replaced as a pitcher. Shohei Ohtani is the only player out of nearly 800 major league players who gets to do this. Rafael Devers doesn’t pitch. Logan Webb doesn’t bat. The Los Angeles Dodgers really did get a lot for their money.

Now, if the accommodation made for just one player is quickly improved by the addition of at least 15 more teams signing players who hit well and also are starting pitchers (which not so long ago was not out of the question) it would become fair. But that’s not going to happen. Babe Ruth had to quit pitching when he became an outfielder. Madison Bumgarner, Don Newcombe, Warren Spahn, Tim Hudson, Jack Harshman, Rick Wise, and Carlos Zambrano are just a few of the good hitting pitchers who would be denied at bats with today’s rules unless they were designated hitters on their off days from pitching. This change was approved not to improve the game but to increase the “M” word which is usually represented by dollar signs. Rule changes should benefit all teams or else be subject to the accusation of being too much like the way Congress acts (or doesn’t).

Therefore, MLB has only two options that could remove the unfair stigma: 1) Eliminate the designated hitter position or 2)Eliminate the Not Ohtani Rule. Too many good hitting players who also pitch are being forced to choose what they would rather do at far too young an age. Choose option one and make baseball (eventually) more fun again.

Yes, it’s sad and sobering to see another major league baseball season completing its final week of the regular season schedule. If that’s not true for you I sincerely hope that you have something similar to enjoy although I have no idea what that might be. The idea that the New York Mets, the team that just about everybody agreed, at least before the games started being played, had assured themselves another World Series with the acquisition of Juan Soto and a couple of pitchers we can’t remember are possibly going to miss the post season altogether. That possibility makes it possible to believe that Elon Musk and Bill Gates could both go broke during our lifetime.

The Phillies, despite serious injury losses, look solid. Toronto is so far overcoming the loss of Bo Bichette. The Reds are a heartwarming late addition to the final scenes. Likewise, their Ohio friends in Cleveland will be welcome.

What a long strange trip it has been for San Francisco. The entire Bay Area has been crying in their espressos all year over the loss of the Oakland Athletics and the accompanying shameful behavior of team owners and their toad licking commissioner . The Giants have a very likeable roster and their fans may be hoping that outstanding additions like Justin Verlander, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers can be retained while Buster Posey and the office posse can show respect for Wilmer Flores, Casey Schmitt and Patrick Bailey by developing and finding young starting pitchers that can hurl more than a hundred innings without requiring major surgery. That last item appears to be true throughout the major leagues.

Milwaukee, despite last night’s tough loss in 11 innings to San Diego, remains very capable of success if the loss of Brandon Woodruff can be overcome. The Padres seem to have a better chance to advance than the Dodgers but look at what wealth has done for Pete Hegseth.

The who wants it? you take it between Cleveland and Detroit has been fascinating all season unless you have been rooting for either one of them. Two great managers are dualing here. A.J. Hinch and Stephen Vogt. The Yankees are like their 2024 World Series opponent, the Dodgers. They can buy whatever they want but there is no guarantee that it will work. I’m happy for Trent Grisham but I’m really hoping Toronto endures. Houston has been having age related injury problems but should not lose hope no matter what occurs.

Texas is among the probably majority of teams that have faced numerous serious injuries this season. This is not, and should not be, war. It’s a game that should remain fun for all concerned. The health of the players is important to the health of the game. To fellow old farts out there, I would say that you don’t want a ticket to a Credence Clearwater concert if John Fogerty can’t play, dig? Two years ago, Arizona went to the World Series on a late season surge. This year, the Diamondbacks appeared to surrender at the trade deadline and, partly as a result of that, a very strong Seattle Mariners team with Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez might do the same thing. And look! Arizona is still alive. The expansion of the post season has been good. Teams don’t have to surrender before the season is half gone. There is a certain weirdness about this change, but it’s better for the fans and the game. You can’t say that about the “ghost runner” in extra innings or the acceptance of gambling as if it’s a good thing but I’ll shut up about that for now. This is fun.

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