The Non-Pitcher Position Player Mop Up Home Run Debate

This past July 4th, the New York Mets faced the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, Atlanta. After a mostly lopsided game scoring wise in which the Braves jumped all over Mets pitching, the score going into the bottom of the 8th inning was ATL 10 – NYM 3. After an Austin Riley 3-run home run, ATL went up 13-3 and with two outs in the 8th, the NYM removed their pitcher for a relief pitcher. A relief pitcher, who on most days is the NYM catcher, Luis Torrens. The first batter Torrens faced, Michael Harris, hit a home run on a 2-0 count off a 48 mph pitch. Braves fan or not, were you impressed with Harris’s home run off Torrens?

So, here is the debate fans. Do you like it when your team is up big and the opposing team waives the white flag, aka gives up, and inserts a position player in to pitch an inning or two? Do you like the mammoth foul balls jacked to the upper decks of your stadium on 50 mph pitches? Do you like the seemingly meaningless home runs hit off a 2nd baseman or Catcher who hasn’t pitched since Little League 15 years ago? Do you like the extra runs and an extra hits that drag out an already decided game? What say you?

What if a non-pitcher, position player had a fighting chance to get your player out by a simple rule change? Would you be open to this…If a non-pitcher, position player comes into a ballgame in a mop up role, in a “white flag” game, the batter must bat from the opposite side of the plate. Meaning Mike Trout must bat left handed, Bryce Harper must bat right handed. Shohei Ohtani must bat right handed, Mookie Betts must bat left handed. With their immense talent, these MLB stars will probably still hit the ball fair and possibly over the fences. But, the non-pitcher, position player might gain enough of an advantage to get 3 quick outs and everyone closer to the end of the game.

So, what do you think? Are you the kind of fan that likes home runs hit off non-pitching, position players? With the exception of a few MLB stars, the vast majority of position players did not throw an inning in college. Which explains the looping 50 mph fastballs tossed in by these sacrificial lads. Do you like watching MLB hitters hit like they are playing in a charity slow pitch softball game, waiting and waiting and waiting for the ball to drop into the hit zone before they pummel it over the fence with ease? Or, would you like to level the playing field a bit for these non-pitching, position players by having the batter switch sides at the plate. Many MLB’ers probably tried switch hitting at some point in their baseball careers before sticking with either a left handed swing or a right handed swing. It could bring some additional excitement to a rather unexciting part of a blow out game.