I’m fine with rule changes that enhance the game for the future. Other sports do it. Football and basketball have done it. People get over it. They deal with it. Then as time goes on, you’d never even know it was changed. Baseball has a longer history of staying status quo. There’s going to be an initial reaction and frustration to the changes. But people will be fine. The players will be fine. The game needs to move and continue to be the No. 1 sport in America’s eyes. That’s what the commissioner is trying to do and enhance that, and I’m all for it. It’s small steps. If you give players time to adjust and change, they will. It’s no different than the other rule changes, like sliding into second. At first it’s a problem; then at the end of the year, you don’t have any issues.

The season hasn’t started, and Alex Reyes of the Cardinals, considered by experts to be the top pitching prospect in baseball, needed Tommy John surgery. You had the same surgery. Any thoughts about how to protect young pitchers?

It’s an epidemic that we’re not really addressing. We’re just dealing with it. We’re training in a different way. We’re preparing players in a different way. They throw harder than they’ve ever thrown. The injuries are more than they’ve ever been. Nobody seems to care that much because we’re producing these dynamic arms. When that stops, watch what happens. I’m not saying they’re not trying to prevent injuries to arms. But it’s like a Band-Aid. Just put it on and he’ll be fine. That’s what’s wrong with parents and kids that think there’s no big deal if you need Tommy John today. It is a big deal.

What pitcher reminds you of a young John Smoltz?

They’re way more talented than I was at that age, but Stephen Strasburg and Zack Wheeler. Maybe Wheeler a little bit more with his delivery. Strasburg has that inverted W [arm action that generally results in the elbows being above the shoulder line] similar to mine.

Do you have a team that you think will make the most progress this year?

I think the Dodgers are equipped to make a deep run. They have a lot of depth, and they have young talent. If they stay healthy, I think they can be fantastic.

What do you think about the metrics that show a large increase in pitchers throwing curveballs?

The curveball is one of the hardest pitches to hit, even if you know it’s coming. It’s one of the forgotten pitches, because everyone wants power pitching. The power slider, the split, the fastball. With the potentially new strike zone, that will promote more fastball-curveball scenarios. Rich Hill figured out that throwing the curve at a variety of angles and the spin makes it very difficult for the timing of the hitter to get locked. I would say it can be easier on the arm than the slider or splitter. But any pitch has to be thrown correctly. If it’s thrown incorrectly, it can be a detriment to your arm.

It happens every year. A player goes through the arbitration process and is offended by what management says. This year, Dellin Betances was annoyed by his hearing. Any way to avoid hard feelings?