‘Ghost runner’ in extra in...

NEW YORK (AP) — After three seasons of usage during the coronavirus epidemic, Major League Baseball made starting extra innings with a runner on second base during the regular season a permanent rule change on Monday. The regulation, dubbed the "Ghost Runner" by some and the "Manfred Man" by others after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, was unanimously accepted by the sport's 11-person competition committee. The committee also restricted the use of position players as pitchers. Extra innings will be limited when a player's team is down by eight or more runs or winning by ten or more runs in the ninth inning. Previously, a position player could only throw extra innings if his team was trailing or winning by six runs more runs. Six management officials, four union representatives, and one umpire make up the joint competition committee, which was constituted as part of the lockout settlement in March. Last year, there were 216 extra-inning games, down from 233 in 2021 and 78 in the shorter 2020 season. Last year, Cleveland's 7-6, 15-inning triumph over Minnesota in the second game of a doubleheader on Sept. 17 was the longest. That was one inning short of the longest game in the rule's three seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers' 16-inning victory against San Diego on Aug. 25, 2021. According to Elias Sports Bureau, home clubs won 113-103 extra-inning games last year and are 262-263 in extra innings since the runner on second rule was implemented in 2020. From 2017 through 2019, home teams were 312-294 in extra-inning games, according to Elias. "Clubs have become acclimated to the extra-innings rule," Manfred said following an owners' meeting on Thursday. "I believe it is well-liked among gamers." According to the commissioner's office, the use of position players as pitchers increased from 90 in 2019 to 89 in 2021 and 132 last year. When behind by six or seven runs, use grew from eight in 2019 to sixteen in 2021 to twenty-eight last year. When leading by six or more runs, use increased from one in 2019 to none in 2021 to 18 last season.