Dodgers: AJ Pollock Critical of Timing of MLB’s Crackdown on Foreign Substances
On Monday, the new rule on sticky stuff goes into effect. Technically, the enforcement of a rule that has been in place for years but never policed.
Over the last few weeks, Major League Baseball has taken some heat over the handling of this issue with foreign substances. People — players in particular — have been most critical of the timing of the change. While pitchers have been most outspoken, position players have also shared their two cents.
Ahead of Saturday night’s contest in Arizona, Dodgers outfielder AJ Pollock offered up his thoughts on the subject matter.
“I wish there was a better way to do it. You have something that’s been going on for so many years and all of a sudden in the middle of a season you just shut it down. I think it was the wrong move to do it that way, personally. But it is what it is and we’ll see.”
Related: The New Trevor Bauer, How He’s Adjusting After MLB’s Crackdown on Sticky Stuff
It is what it is indeed. MLB has taken the hard approach after a few unsavory headlines spilled into national media. Last week, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called the move by the league “reactionary.”
Others like Trevor Bauer have been much more outspoken about MLB’s decision.
Still, the decision has been made by the league and commissioner Rob Manfred. And soon enough, the league and club owners will have to work with players and the Players Association in good faith on a new collective bargaining agreement for the 2022 season and beyond. Something tells me that unilateral moves like this one won’t exactly help the already tenuous relationship between the two sides.
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