M’s coaches on changes needed if transfer rule stays

By Shannon Drayer

MIAMI – I wanted to post this Saturday but technical difficulties prevented me from loading this sound. On the pregame show I talked to Mariners coaches Chris Woodward and Andy Van Slyke about the adjustments players are forced to make because of the new transfer rule.

Neither coach is a fan of the rule. and they may get their wish of seeing it changed. MLB, the MLBPA and the Umpires Association will address the situation this week. The rule won’t completely go away but the definition of possession could be tweaked enough to make it look something like what it did before.

In the podcast, infield coach Woodward explains why Kyle Seager just couldn’t simply have held on to the ball from Yoervis Medina Friday night that was negated a force out because of a bobble on the transfer.

Van Slyke, the M’s outfield coach, addresses the problem the base runners are experiencing under the new rule and how they will need to re-learn how to run the bases when a ball is hit to the outfield if the rule is not changed.