It's Time To Get Rid Of Position Players Pitching And Bring On The BOP

I have always accepted position players pitching as a necessary evil, as well as something fun to watch during a game that has otherwise lost all viewing pleasure.

But then James McCann took the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks for the bottom of the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 30. This is no offense to McCann, a catcher by trade and probably a nice guy. He is the designated volunteer to come in for situations like this. And this case was the Diamondbacks trailing 12-1. McCann was making his second appearance in three days as a position player pitching, having also pitched the eighth in a 13-2 loss in the series opener.

The first of those appearances was noticeable as the Brewers went down in order on six pitches. Pretty much how you would design an outing from a position player from a team on the wrong side of a lopsided score, while very humbling for the winning team.

But it was two days later when McCann stood out for all the wrong reasons. In his four games as a pitcher this year, his first three pitches to Brice Turang were classified as unknown and had no speeds associated with them. From there, he threw 20 straight eephus pitches that ranged from 31.3 mph to 49.6 mph (next-fastest was 41.1 mph). His offerings looked more appropriate for slow-pitch softball than for MLB. McCann saved his best pitch for last, ramping up to 65 mph for a fastball to Sal Frelick that resulted in an inning-ending double play.

McCann faced six batters and threw 24 pitches, only 11 for strikes. Was it on the Brewers to swing at more pitches? Nope, especially when all hitting stats are considered in contract situations. Striking out against a position player is embarrassing, especially when they are in the 35 mph range. Was it on McCann to throw more hittable pitches? Sure was, but his gimmick is throwing eephus pitches. Again, nothing on McCann. He has volunteered as tribute, saving bullpen arms from a pointless inning.

His extended outing didn't feel good. For the first time that I can remember, I thought baseball was being embarrassed by a position player pitching. Generally, I have been all for it. Maybe because I did it once when I played Junior Babe Ruth in Oshkosh, Wis., being summoned from right field. The coach of my team was a neighbor who saw me often pretending I was pitching as I threw tennis balls against my garage door into an imaginary strike zone. (My outing went well, by the way.)

So I have a solution for this problem. And it could be just as fun, if not more so.

I am taking a page out of the NHL rulebook, which makes an allowance for an EBUG. Emergency backup goaltender. Now, an EBUG is only allowed to play if both goaltenders for a team become incapacitated for some reason. It doesn't happen often, and especially doesn't occur as many times as MLB teams need a position player to pitch.

But the concept of an EBUG would work perfectly for MLB. For this, we will use the working acronym of BOP. Blowout pitcher. This would be a pitcher who could only pitch under the current rules of position players. Under new rules that went into effect for the 2023 season, position players can only come into a game in three scenarios: 1) losing by eight runs at any point of the game; 2) winning by at least 10 runs in the ninth inning; 3) extra innings.

The BOP would not be a player on the roster and can't be a player with MLB experience, regardless of being a pitcher or position player. Instead, teams could dip into the local college ranks or adult baseball leagues. A BOP can also not be a draftable prospect. Just think of the stories? They would be in the same realm as those of the Czech teams that have played in the World Baseball Classic. Electricians, neurosurgeons, firefighters, teachers, etc.

These situations would certainly develop a whole new segment for fans to follow and stats to create. Teams can bring along their own BOP or can draw from a pool of pitchers from the home team. This would also give an opportunity for historic appearances. MLB could have its first female player. Sure, critics would bemoan the gimmicky way it happened, but it could create a whole new wave of baseball interest and openings for females to get into the sport.

Yes, these players would get paid to be on standby. MLB teams can definitely afford a modest amount for a BOP to be in uniform and ready. If you don't appear in a game, you get $1,000. If you do get into a game, you $5,000, which is just a shade more than the average per game for a player making the current MLB minimum of $780,000.

Sure, you could make this into something for players looking to latch on to an MLB roster or even a retired player (I'm looking at you, Bartolo Colon!). While some of those would be fun, there is more community interest when it could be your neighbor, doctor, or postal service worker who toes the rubber for the local nine. And it would mean more to those folks, too. Think of the stories they would have from just sitting in the dugout or bullpen, much less getting into a game and getting to face a Shohei Ohtani, or Cal Raleigh, or Fernando Tatis Jr., or Aaron Judge.

It is time for the BOP.