Might Be Time For The MLB To Do Something About Players Intentionally Getting Hit By Pitches

Yadier Molina blatantly sticking his elbow out to get hit. #TheCardinalWay #Cubs still lead pic.twitter.com/eZ0wblGBnf

— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) May 25, 2016

Here is the God's honest truth, I don't mind players doing whatever they can to get on base. The way I see it, it's nothing more than gamesmanship. Just stretching the boundaries of the rules to their furthest extent - without flat out breaking them - to help your team win. Might not be the most morally superior act, but it's also doesn't make a complete mockery of the game. Unless, of course, you wrap your elbow in the athletic equivalent of titanium and take your base without even remotely putting your body in harm's way.

In my eyes, that's the trade off. You are given a free bag as reimbursement for the pain resulting from getting hit with a Major League pitch. That's why - in the short term - Yadier Molina should take one right between the eyes, and - in the long term - players that wear padding at the plate should not to given the benefit of a free base. You want to protect yourself from errant pitches then either work on your reflexes like a real athlete, or be ready to get clunked in the thigh and have it count as no more than a ball in the dirt. We can't have people out there just throwing random reinforced body parts in front of the ball to increase their on base percentage without increasing their likelihood of injury. I don't want to be the "back in my day" guy because I think protecting professional athletes is very important, but it's only just as important as protecting the sanctity of the sport. Especially a sport that's founded on rules unwritten.  

P.S. BURN.

Put some elbow into it. □https://t.co/o3asp4NtRF

— #VoteCubs (@Cubs) May 25, 2016