Moss on Manfred's initiatives: Baseball will be unrecognizable in 10 years

Kansas City Royals outfielder Brandon Moss takes serious issue with commissioner Rob Manfred's attempts to try to speed up the game.

The league and the players association have been at odds over several proposed rule changes in recent weeks, but the two sides did work together to approve one new rule for the upcoming season: Managers will be allowed to signal an intentional walk from the dugout, rather than making the pitcher throw four balls in order to issue a free pass.

While the change is generally considered minor, it's a big deal to Moss, a veteran entering his 11th major-league season.

"That's the worst," Moss told Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports. "What if it's Game 7 of the World Series, tie game in the bottom of the ninth? Someone hits a one-out triple, and Miguel Cabrera comes up to the plate. That pitcher should have to throw four pitches to Miguel Cabrera, whether they're intentional balls or not. That's a nerve-racking situation, and now it's gone.

"What is this, high school baseball?"

At 33 and with two years left on his current deal with Kansas City, Moss knows he's on the back nine of his career, but says he's grateful for that considering the way he sees the game shifting.

"I'm just very glad I will not be playing this game in 10 years. It won't be recognizable," Moss said. "It's going in a direction where it's not the same game. Every year they keep trying to think of some stupid new rule. It's getting old. Real old."

Upon receiving criticism earlier this week, Manfred continued to advocate for change.

"I believe it's a mistake to stick our head in the sand and ignore the fact that our game has changed and continues to change," Manfred told reporters, according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.