MLB managers prepared to ditch one unwritten rule

The concept of MLB unwritten rules is something that has come into focus in recent years. Players flip a bat after a home run, and outrage ensues.

MLB is slowly but surely becoming a league where players can express themselves. And home run numbers may go up again now that the league is enforcing a new policy against pitchers using sticky substances to enhance their pitches.

It is not like pitchers just started doing this. However, managers never raised a fuss because then their own pitchers would be checked and the tattle game would rage on. However, a new ESPN report claims some teams are indeed planning to have umpires enforce the new rule.

MLB managers ready to enforce the rule

There is nothing wrong with managers wanting other teams to follow the rules. But the ultimate outcome of this is every team asking for checks, even if one is not needed. Umpires will have to have some sort of system where random checks take place, instead of whenever managers ask for one.

The teams planning to ask for checks right away are likely those that told their pitchers to stop using foreign substances right away. Ultimately, it will take a few teams doing this, and enforcing the rule, for any real change to take place.

The focus now turns to if any other unwritten rules will eventually be ignored. Maybe managers can stop complaining if a team pushes a lead up a run late in a game, or when a batter stares down a pitcher to add some intensity to the game.

MLB should actually be happy some teams are planning to enforce the rule. They just have to make sure this doesn’t turn into something where games are paused because a team can’t hit and a manager thinks cheating is taking place.