This 'Golden Bat' Is Too Tarnished To Use

Thought that Rob Manfred, the czar of Major League Baseball, was smarter than this.

He's a bright guy and I like many of the innovations that have been introduced to MLB. The pitch clock has sped up games. So has limiting the number of throws to first base to hold a runner, as well as the number of trips to the mound. Larger bases has led to more steals. Making the Designated Hitter a uniform part of baseball is a plus. Judicious use of instant replay gets things right.

The computer-generated strike zone they are experimenting with in the minors? Not so sure on that one. Have always liked the human element, even if the home plate umpire has been either generous or miserly with his calls. Or inconsistent -- what's a strike in the second inning should still be a strike in the ninth. That's a topic for another day...

But now Manfred has proposed something called "The Golden At-Bat" to liven up baseball even more.

As an idea, it sucks. It's really taking it a bit too far when it comes to refining the game.

Under Manfred's proposal, as I understand it, a team could substitute in any player for a one time, situational at-bat. Say you're the Los Angeles Dodgers (as if you don't already have a LOT of things going your way!). It's a crucial late season game, bases loaded in the sixth. Though he's not even close to being up, you can call on Shohei Otani to step to the plate for the at-bat. AND you can keep him in the game at his regular spot in the lineup.

Seriously?

Please, Mr. Commissioner. Absolutely. No. To. The. Golden. At-Bat.

The best thing about the first-ever 12-team college football playoff? NO ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE! Though the 9-3 team will probably bitch about it, they did lose to a 6-6 Oklahoma team by 21. And beating up on the likes of Western Kentucky, South Florida and Mercer (plus just being Alabama) shouldn't be enough to get you in the door.

Have seen egregious calls in NFL games before, but last Thursday in the Packers-Lions game may just take the cake. That's when the Zebras totally whiffed on the blow to the head that Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love took. Not that it cost the Packers the game -- terrible offensive play in the first half did that. But it sure didn't help.

Still, that one was pretty obvious.

Saw a note on social that cited a rule regarding a quarterback taking a knee -- and Detroit's Jared Goff did just that as he stumbled to make a handoff late in the game. Another blown call? Perhaps.

Wonder if that officiating crew will hear from the NFL league offices?