Catchers Martin Maldonado, Willson Contreras 'don't care' about mound visits rule

Major League Baseball is trying to shorten games. One of the new rules announced this week to quicken pace of play is a limit on visits to the pitching mound.Should a team exceed six trips to the mound during the first nine innings of a game, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and chief baseball officer Joe Torre said umpires will tell the coach, manager, catcher or any other player to return to the dugout or their position. Violating that order could result in an ejection from the game and/or fine from MLB.




Angels catcher Martin Maldonado and Cubs backstop Willson Contreras say they don't care."If I have to go [out there] again and pay the price for my team I will," Contreras told reporters Tuesday, via ESPN. "What about a tight game or an extra-inning game and you have to go out there? They cannot say anything about that. That's my team. If they are going to fine me for mound visit No. 7, I'll pay the price."Maldonado, a 2017 Gold Glove Award winner who is entering his second season with the Angels after six years in Milwaukee, echoed that sentiment.



"If the game is on the line, I’m going to go out there," Maldonado said, via the Orange County Register. "If we’re at 6, and it’s going to be the 7th, I’m going to go out there, even if I have to pay a fine. I'm there for the pitchers."
The new rules will first be tested this weekend when spring training games begin Friday.