Baseball is a game of time and skill. Due to their superior skills, some teams can sometimes create fun games for only one side of the fans. This imbalance can be disheartening for the other team’s supporters. On the other hand, when teams are closely matched in skill level, it creates a fun atmosphere for everyone at the game. I believe that baseball should add a mercy rule that places restrictions on teams from scoring a certain number of runs. The mercy rule is a step towards ensuring a balanced and enjoyable game for all fans, regardless of the team they support.
There is controversy about adding a mercy rule to the league. This could block blowout wins, which take a lot of time and make people’s money worth it. The MLB should add the mercy rule to create a fair and exciting game for everyone.
The only form of a mercy rule in the MLB is when they have the World Baseball Classic (WBC). In this case, the rule is that if one team is up by 10 runs, at least 7 innings have to go by, and the game will then be concluded. This is a typical number for the rule, but other sports have higher numbers, like football.
The controversy surrounding the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks is a prime example. According to KDVR, the game “ended in a blowout of 16-1 in the Rockies season opener in the beginning of last season, people argued a mercy rule should be added to the league. It took the Rockies 34 minutes to get 3 outs.” In this case, people got angry that this was the game’s outcome. They started urging the game to add a mercy rule because it had continued for too long, and people were starting to get fed up.
Another quote from kdvr.com states that a fan tweeted, “LB shouldn’t wait. No questions were asked. Tonight, introduce the Rockies Rule. If a divisional opponent bats around twice in one inning on opening day after your worst season record ever, team ownership is immediately forfeit and the franchise is put up for auction.”
This person strongly believed that MLB should add the mercy rule. They also discussed the Rockies game, which shows how much controversy this game has caused. Some of what this person said was joking, like when they suggested that the team be auctioned. But if they were serious, this tweet exemplified this topic’s impact on some fans.
In an interview (on mlb.com), head coach Aaron Boone spoke on the issue. Following one of their games back in 2021, Boone said, “I’m not saying I’m not for it; I’m just saying it’s worth discussing, I think, at least.”
This is a key point to address because his thoughts hold significant weight. He is a main figure in the MLB, so his opinions are well-rounded and educated. Boone thinks the MLB should discuss adding this rule to the league, and he also says that he is very much for the idea of a mercy rule in the MLB.
There are two sides to this argument: those who think the rule should be added and those who think they should keep the game should remain as it is. It is crucial to consider both perspectives, as they both have great thoughts. Sources from medium.com say, “The mercy rule only makes sense in situations where one team is so overmatched that playing a full game wouldn’t make any sense.” The article went on to say, “You play as hard as you can until the end of the game because it’s your job.” If you can keep people tuned into a blowout baseball game, that’s a good thing.” This is saying that people have different thoughts and opinions on if there should be a mercy rule or not. Even though I may not agree with some people’s thoughts, everyone has their own opinion and should respect each other for what they think.
Teams in the MLB tend to make up their own rules, called the “unwritten rules,” which could be a factor here. It’s out of respect for teams to stop scoring or stealing bases when they are winning by a lot of runs, but not every team follows that rule, which can spark controversy. Even though there are unwritten rules, the MLB should implement the mercy rule, as teams are not obliged to follow what is unwritten.
They could do this by setting a threshold for how many runs a team can score in the game. After about 5 or 6 innings, if that threshold is reached, the team that has scored that amount of runs will win by default after the opposing team has had its chance to score.
Right now, there is no rule in the MLB regarding the number of runs you can score besides the “unwritten rules” that the teams sometimes follow. We assessed both sides of the argument, but my opinion still stands that the MLB should add the mercy rule to their league. Some people think that they should add the rule, while others believe the opposite, but I think introducing this idea is a very good idea, as it would speed up games and make fans’ experience more enjoyable.
