As spring training games begin on Friday, players and coaches are going to get their first taste of playing games with the new rules. The pitch clock, shift ban and pickoff limits are all among the rules that major leaguers have never had to play with before.
While MLB is hoping that these rules will help the game long-term, there are sure to be growing pains. Padres third baseman Manny Machado predicted players will be frustrated with umpires by how these rules are enforced.
“You’re going to have some players who are going to be freakin’ angry and pissed off,” he told Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. “You’re going to have players pissed off at the umpires who are just following the rules. We’re going to be seeing some crazy [expletive] for sure.”
