Load management has become a controversial topic in the NBA world. The league even instituted a new rule that states players must appear in at least 65 games to be considered for awards. Load management isn't limited to the NBA, though, as it is something MLB teams and players also deal with.

In fact, former New York Mets manager Buck Showalter called out the team for their load management tendencies during a recent appearance on Foul Territory.

“We had a guy who had a triple and two doubles, and they said he probably needs a day off because he ran too much around the bases,” Showalter said. “So what do you want me to tell him? Don't get any hits so you can play the next day? I didn't quite understand that. I said okay, ‘you go out there and tell Brandon Nimmo that he's not playing today because he did too well last night.'”

Load management in MLB? Mets aren't the only team…

It is not always players who want time off. Load management is often implemented by teams. Of course, it's especially prevalent with pitchers as ball clubs look for ways to keep their hurlers healthy. But as Showalter revealed, it also applies to position players.

Although Showalter used a Mets example, most teams approach load management in a similar way. And it is sometimes understandable since the MLB season is 162 games. However, it can also be overused, which is a similar problem the NBA has dealt with.

Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz discussed the issue in reference to pitcher innings limits during an interview with ClutchPoints in mid-January. Smoltz referred to it as an “industry problem” rather than a player-driven concern.

“It's not the pitcher's fault. It's an industry problem,” Smoltz said. “These pitchers and these players are playing under the reward system that is being guided by the people who make those decisions. They're not asking them to train differently, they're asking them to max effort and then we will get the next guy in. So it's an industry issue, it's not a player issue. Players don't even have sometimes the ability to demand something like that. My philosophy has always been I think it's flawed in its entirety but that's just the way it is. That's the way they want it.”

So whether it's the Mets or other teams around the league, MLB organizations are extremely cautious when it comes to managing playing time.