There will never be anyone like Colin Cowherd ever again.
Given baseball’s historical dominance as America’s pastime, many argue it deserves a more prominent spot on national sports platforms. But, when it comes to Cowherd, perhaps less said about the sport is better. His on-air blunders, like mistakenly believing MLB draft picks could be traded and being corrected by Derek Jeter about facing Nolan Ryan, are just some examples of his many miscues.
And those continued on Friday’s edition of The Herd. A day after forgetting about Jacoby Brissett’s existence, Cowherd seemed to forget that Major League Baseball has implemented a number of changes—and most of them for the better—in recent years.
Dismissing MLB’s recent rule changes as evidence of the league’s unwillingness to adapt, Cowherd contrasted baseball with the NFL, praising the latter for its openness to change.
“The NFL’s not perfect. But they’re always willing, unlike baseball, to change things,” Cowherd said.
“The NFL’s not perfect. But they’re always willing, unlike baseball, to change things.”
Yes, I can’t think of any recent rule changes in baseball.@ColinCowherd —-> 🤡 pic.twitter.com/EiTvcp52jm
— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) August 2, 2024
This was regarding the new NFL kickoff rule, which officially debuted Thursday and drew mixed reactions, including from Chicago Bears legend Devin Hester.
Baseball and its leadership under Rob Manfred isn’t perfect either, but the claim that they’re unwilling to change things is just not based in reality. Since 2022, these rules alone have been implemented:
- Draft lottery implemented to discourage tanking.
- The National League officially adopts the designated hitter
- The postseason expands to 12 teams
- Bases increase in size from 15 to 18 inches
- Defensive shifts are banned
- Extra-inning runner on second base, from 2020 temporary rules, made permanent
- Pitch clocks will be used
- Pitchers are allowed two disengagements per plate appearance without penalty
In addition to the aforementioned changes made in 2022 and 2023, the league has introduced further adjustments for the 2024 MLB season, including stricter pitch clock enforcement, reduced mound visits, expanded base paths, and new regulations for pitchers warming up.
These changes, among others, directly contradict Cowherd’s assertion that baseball is resistant to change.
While the sport undergoes significant transformation, he seems to think that it’s stuck in a bygone era, one where you can trade draft picks and Nolan Ryan faces off against Derek Jeter. With a wealth of data and evidence contradicting his claims, it’s clear that Cowherd’s lack of paying attention to the modern game has left him just a bit out of touch.
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