I’m going to be very up front with you. Too up front, perhaps. And, in the words of the great Charles Barkley ...
My least favorite rule in all of baseball, above even the free runner in extra innings, is the stolen first base on a strikeout.
I understand the arguments from proponents of the rule. The play isn’t over if the ball isn’t caught (which conveniently ignores that the play still isn’t over when the catcher picks up the ball), a pitcher should be punished for throwing a bad pitch, there needs to be a conclusion to the play, blah blah blah.