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Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw Thinks New Extra-Innings Rule is ‘Not Real Baseball’

You would think that guys that have had such success with a new rule would be in favor of it. That doesn’t seem to be the case with the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw though. After Wednesday’s extra-innings win in Arizona, Kershaw admitted he wasn’t a fan of the new rule. 

Actually, it sounded a little bit worse than that. The Dodgers ace went so far as to call it ‘not real baseball’ when asked about it. 



It’s not real baseball. But it’s fine for this year, and I hope we never do it again.

The new rule implemented by Major League Baseball has come with varying feedback. Some players love the fact that things seem to move quicker. Other players hate how far away it is from the game that they know and love. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talked about it recently as well, and he likes the way things have been going. 

I didn’t know how it was going to play out and how it was going to be received, but as we’ve had some runs with it, I really like it. I think it really shortens the game. It adds strategy for the fans, the managers, the players. I think it’s playing out pretty well, and our guys have done a really good job in the situation. I like it permanently. I don’t like it for the postseason.

Luckily, MLB did clarify that the new rule would not be utilized in the postseason. But the relative success in speeding up games have brought up conversations on whether or not this rule is around to stay. But if you ask the majority of the Dodgers’ opinion, they probably like it. Los Angeles has lost just one extra-inning game in 2020. 

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10 Comments

  1. If he feels that strong about the Manfred Doctrine he should walk away. I would have opted to sit out with Price and the other players.

  2. I agree with Kershaw. Manfred hasn’t made a single good decision since he became commissioner. The extra innings runner on second nonsense is just another example. If you want to speed up games, get rid of the DH. Pitchers batting in the 9 spot don’t usually start or prolong rallies. Another bad decision by Manfred orchestrated by his player union puppet masters to get more guys into the game and increase service time toward higher salaries.

    1. Wow 106. Sounds to me like the union has their members best interest in mind like.. “to get more guys into the game and increase service time toward higher salaries.” Lets add extend careers…How on earth is this a bad thing? Only a working man who hates unions can make that statement with the intent to discredit the “player union puppet masters”. Wake up dude. More quality jobs is not a bad thing.

  3. I thought I would hate the runner on second but I have moved over to neutral. The DH should stay, either that or MLB teams should be required to teach pitchers to actually hit. Going up there and swinging like nine-year-olds is not professional “baseball.” Once upon a time pitchers were actually expected to be able to put the ball in the play most of the time.

  4. Finally, someone encapsulates what this rule is and does it in only four words. “It’s not real baseball.” I’m tired and weary of Orel Hershiser gushing over this silly rule change.

  5. You know, I remember a game Kershaw pitched as a high school senior in Arizona where my son’s team beat Kershaw’s team using what the was called the California Tie-Breaker, now being used in MLB. While my son’s team beat Kershaw’s, he still stood in line and shook hands after the game.

    By the way, there were other rules used, like no walks, a 1-1 count on all batters. There was a purpose for all of the rules. It still looked like baseball to me.

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