San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is open to playing whatever sort of baseball game is put in front of him, but he's also a bit tired of all the rule changes.
When some of the potential changes were brought up to the 28-year-old left-hander on Monday, he was quick to make his feelings be known.
"I understand they don’t care what I say," Bumgarner told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. "I’ll play whatever rules we have, but I think it’s kind of getting out of hand."
There have been talks of a pitch clock, electronic strike zone, and the banning or limiting of defensive shifts.
"Honestly, I don’t care anymore," he said. "We’ve changed so many rules, I can’t keep up with it. I play the game that they have for us. Who knows what that’s going to be when I’m finished, as much as I’ve seen changes in the little time I’ve been here."
One proposed adjustment that caught the most attention of Bumgarner, however, was the idea of a universal DH.
Bumgarner, who is one of MLB's best hitting pitchers (.181 career average, 17 home runs) was not in favor of such an idea and praised the National League style. But, he did maintain the understanding that a universal DH would give hitters more chance of employment.
"There’s 100 percent more strategy," he explained. "You see American League managers - the game moves a little quick for them when they come over here. That might offend some people. It’s the truth. It’s a more difficult game to manage. At the same time, you’re giving more (hitters) jobs. I get that, too. There are two sides to it.
"Don’t get me wrong," Bumgarner added. "My job is pitching. That’s what I’m going to focus on doing. But the whole reason I work on hitting is because that’s how we play in the National League. You can help a team win a game. Like you saw (Thursday) night, cases like that or getting a bunt down, whatever it might be."
