There was a time when pitchers enjoyed free rein to deface baseballs -- with mud, or streams of tobacco spittle, or maybe a belt buckle -- to alter aerodynamic properties. They did just about everything short of applying an ax at a time when each baseball itself could remain in play for an extended period. This is part of the reason this is referred to as the dead ball era.
But in 1920, Major League Baseball made a rule against the spitball and against foreign substances, with one caveat: The pitchers already in the big leagues who relied on the spitball could continue to do so. Spitballer Burleigh Grimes had made his debut in 1916 and was able to continue deploying the pitch through the end of his career in 1934.
Similarly, in 1970, MLB instituted a rule requiring hitters to wear helmets, but this also had a grandfather addendum: Any veteran who was already in the majors at the time the rule was put in place had the right to wear a cap instead of a helmet. In 1979, Red Sox catcher Bob Montgomery was the last player to bat without the protective headgear.
These precedents could be helpful for everyone to consider as commissioner Rob Manfred moves to implement new on-field rules, such as the 20-second pitch clock.
The other day, a longtime official talked about Manfred's effort to streamline the game and the initial backlash from players. Max Scherzer is among baseball's smartest and most respected members, someone who tends to work quickly, and he argued recently against the use of the 20-second pitch clock. "I know as players, that's something that MLB is trying to negotiate," he told reporters. "I don't think there's a negotiation here. As players, it just shouldn't be in the game. Having a pitch clock, if you have ball-strike implications, that's messing with the fabric of the game. There's no clock in baseball, and there's no clock in baseball for a reason."
Scherzer has never competed with a pitch clock before this spring, nor has CC Sabathia, David Price, Clayton Kershaw or dozens of other pitchers. But any player who played in a minor league game after 2015, when MLB first implemented the pitch clock in Triple-A and below, has played games with it -- and by most accounts, adjusted seamlessly, adapting to the rules.
The official noted the pushback from the veterans, and his thought is -- don't worry about them. Don't fight with Scherzer, or with a Dustin Pedroia, who has a habit of stepping out of the batter's box to refocus and to adjust his batting gloves. It's more worthwhile, the official opined, to work on changing the behavior of young players.
No matter what changes Manfred announces, some players are going to feel like he's coming down with a hammer and force-feeding change down their throats, a sign of the terrible working relations that currently exist between the union and MLB. So it might be good for Manfred to soften the impact of the pitch clock and stay-in-the-box rules: Make them apply to players who arrived in the big leagues after 2015. The others can be allowed to play at their own pace through the end of their respective careers.
When Price takes 27-29 seconds between pitches, don't worry about it. Tell the umpires the rules don't apply to him, or to someone like Scherzer or David Robertson. Tell the umpires they needn't worry about Pedroia.
Would there be two sets of rules? Yes, absolutely. For the umpires, this could be a little onerous, because they'd have to carry lists of the veterans who enjoy grandfathered pace-of-play rules. You might hear some complaining from a rookie hitter about the double standard -- why should he stay in the box when a pitcher like Price can take his time?
But you know what? Everybody would get over it and they would move on, just as they have with the home plate collision rules, the new slide rules and the limits on mound visits. And by allowing the veterans special consideration, Manfred could provide a needed peace offering of respect to let the likes of Scherzer and Price know, We hear you, we understand where you are coming from, and as we ask you to adjust, we'll make an adjustment for you that you have earned.
It might be that the accelerated pace of the younger pitchers and hitters, pushed by the pitch clock, will nudge the veterans into unconsciously speeding up their play. Or maybe it won't. But either way, the games will gradually move along at a faster clip, as more and more youngsters accustomed to the pitch clock are promoted, and the older players graduate into retirement.
Burleigh Grimes would approve. Bob Montgomery would approve. Let the veteran players keep doing their thing. As Manfred picks his battles, this is one worth bypassing.