WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reports Major League Baseball plans to limit walk-up music for hitters to a mere 15 seconds, which puts a slight dent in Red Sox OF Shane Victorino’s chosen tune, Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds”. Victorino, who to my knowledge has yet to protest MLB’s new instant replay policies or edicts banning home plate collisions, tells Bradford said decision will RUIN BASEBALL AS WE KNOW IT.
OK, that’s exactly not what he said, But Shane’s still a little too wrapped up in this Marley song.
“I just think it’??s not right,” Victorino said. “??It’s disappointing to hear that. I look at it this way: There was a stat of going into the box between pitch, I think mine was like six seconds, which was one of the top five fastest. So they ask me, ‘Why are you like that?’ I told them I wanted to get in the box and go. So this little stuff they want to change with music, for a guy like me of course it sucks because it’s not necessarily for me but it’s part of everything that goes on at Fenway Park when I walk up to the plate. Now you’re going to have so many disappointed fans every night because you’re changing that part of the game.
“??I just feel like it shouldn’t be a designated time, Some guys take their time. Some guys that’s their rhythm. I don’t want to do just because I want to listen to the whole song. It’s because it’s the thing that’s been picked up and the way it happened toward the end of the season. That’s the only reason I let that part of the song go. If not, I don’??t pay attention to that.”
With the new 15-second rule, Victorino’s walk-up music will barely get into the best known part of what had been about a 20-second clip. “Don’??t worry” will creep in under the allotted time, but the lyrics, ‘??’?about a thing. Because every little thing gonna be all right” will not make the cut. (The “Because every little thing gonna be all right” often is echoed by the fans without music.)