MLB legend Joe Mauer weighs in on rule changes in sports

This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke with Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Mauer.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Mauer discusses his participation in this year's American Century Championship, which will take place July 10-12 at Edgewood Tahoe and air on NBC and Peacock. He discussed rule changes in Major League Baseball and other leagues affecting today's games.

"There's some really good players out there, but every round you're meeting a different person," said Mauer about the American Century Championship, "I've been fortunate enough to be out there a few years now, and getting to meet more of the group has been a lot of fun, but yeah, the people are great, the fans are amazing, and it seems like it's getting bigger and bigger every year."

In recent years, the NFL has experimented with technology to help get calls correct or even expedite first-down measurements. The 2024 AFC Championship between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills featured virtual officiating (Hawk-Eye technology) on short-yardage plays. This season, Major League Baseball has adopted its own ABS (Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System) to challenge plate umpire calls.

"I miss the relationships, working with an umpire to get to get those pitches for your guys, but at the end of the day, I think being a catcher and knowing the umpires, at the end of the day, they want to get the call right," said Mauer, "so I think this is kind of a safety net, not only for umpires, but for players as well. I see the guys tapping their helmets as a hitter, and on certain pitches, there's a moment where I wish I had that play. I think that's what makes the game great as well. I think right now, Major League Baseball, we're trying to make the game as best as we can, not only for the players, but for the fans, and make it more entertaining, and this has definitely added an element."

The annual tournament awards $750,000 in prize money, much of which the celebrity players donate to local and national charities. Over the years, over $8 million has been donated to non-profit causes. Network television exposure on NBC/Peacock and a first-place prize of $150,000 make the celebrity tournament one of the most prestigious in golf.

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