The cure seems worse than the knockdown pitches.(policy to punish pitchers and teams for poor behavior are criticized)

The zero-tolerance rule on knockdown pitches sounds like a good idea. But by tinkering with the game s delicate balance, Major League Baseball is creating new problems.

No longer can players and teams police themselves, answering knockdown pitches with retaliation. Umpires, under orders from MLB, are now quicker to issue warnings and ejections, and the new chain of command is drawing complaints.

"People know when you're throwing at somebody, believe me," Phillies manager Larry Bowa says. "We don't need an umpire to say that it was intentional."

MLB's intentions are good. The absence of bench-clearing incidents in the first month seemed to validate the new policy. Still, the adjustment period has been rocky.

Pedro Martinez erupted after receiving a warning for hitting the Mariners' Edgar Martinez with a 78-mph breaking ball, threatening to "go away from baseball soon, sooner than they think." Three Devil Rays were ejected after umpires warned both benches, and Mike Judd threw an inside fastball to Einar Diaz that not even the Indians deemed objectionable. And the Mets fumed after their bullpen allowed five solo homers in a 6-5 loss to the Astros, saying their problems resulted, in part, from an inability to pitch inside with warnings in effect.

"Those are nonbaseball roles we're playing by," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said afterward. His comment reflected an undercurrent of resentment by some players, managers and umpires toward the commissioner's office and, specifically, executive vice president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson.

The uniformed personnel believe the suits are micromanaging the game, but the internal conflict is secondary to the real issue: Have Alderson & Co. gone too far, asking umpires to determine the intent of pitchers who throw at hitters, thus altering play?