Astros legend Roger Clemens raises concern about Rob Manfred's halfwitted rule change

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is up to his old tricks, and is once again attempting to ruin the sport we all know and love. Thankfully, former Houston Astros legend Roger Clemens took to social media to raise concerns over Manfred's latest harebrained concoction, and it's a good bet that other former (and current) players, along with MLB fans at-large, completely despise this proposed rule change.

In case you haven't heard, Manfred has floated the idea of a "Golden At-Bat". In Manfred's Willy Wonka-like fantasy world, teams could choose one at-bat during every game in which to deploy their best hitter, regardless of where they're scheduled to bat in the lineup.

Like most of you reading that last paragraph, Clemens couldn't believe it. The former Astros' star and seven-time Cy Young Award-winner reposted the laughable concept on X with the caption, "This can't be real."

Astros legend Roger Clemens raises concern about Rob Manfred's halfwitted rule change

Sadly, this is not a joke. Jayson Stark of The Athletic (subscription required) gave validity to the concept of the Golden At-Bat, citing a podcast appearance by Manfred in which the MLB Commissioner said there was "a little buzz" at the owners' meetings last month regarding the idea.

The thought is to give baseball more BIG moments. But by employing the idea of a Golden At-Bat, you're removing the possibility of such moments happening organically, as they've done for the past 150 years.

The Golden At-Bat proposal might be the dumbest MLB rule change ever

Didn't baseball fans just witness that "Golden At-Bat Moment" during Game 1 of the World Series when Freddie Freeman — who was nursing an ankle injury — hit a walk-off homer to win it for the Los Angeles Dodgers? Or how about Jhonkensy Noel hitting the game-tying home run during the ALCS for the Cleveland Guardians?

Do you want to bring it back home for a minute? Are we to believe that if given the chance (and the Golden At-Bat was part of the equation) during Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series that the Detroit Tigers would've sent up pinch-hitter Andy Ibáñez in the eighth inning to face Ryan Pressly rather than Riley Greene or Kerry Carpenter? Of course not. But what happened, Astros fans? Ibáñez laced a three-run double into the outfield and put the Tigers up 5-2. Detroit went on to win the game and the series to advance in the postseason.

Baseball doesn't need a Golden At-Bat. What it needs is a competent commissioner who understands that the history and tradition of America's pastime matters. Some of Manfred's rule changes have helped advance the sport, but this latest concept is preposterous. Hopefully, as Clemens suggests, this is all just make-believe.

And check Billy Wagner's reply, too.

Manfred would be better served figuring out where the Tampa Bay Rays are going to play in the future and how to stop the Dodgers from buying top-talent while deferring most of the money into the next decade. Those are the real problems facing MLB, not adding drama in late-game situations.

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