OT - What's Wrong With Baseball? Could the Game Be Improved?

[BleedinBlue]

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Games take too long now, especially when there are so many calls to the bullpen being made.

To help speed up the pace, they should eliminate the reliever from taking the 8 or so warmup pitches he throws before he faces the batter. Isn't the 5 to 10 minutes he was throwing in the bullpen beforehand enough of a warmup?

Pitchers will argue the mounds are different and they need to take a few pitches to get it to their liking.

[BleedinBlue]

Shoot the DH's. It will never happen but I'd endorse it.

Alternatively, switch when the DH is used in interleague games. Use the DH in NL parks and make the pitcher swing in AL Stadiums. Let the fans see the other style of play in person.

[triwak]

One small, but not insignificant rule change: All base runners score on a Ground Rule Double. I'm sick of the offense getting screwed, by having to send the runner originally on first base back to third!

[JollyElm]

For the love of freakin' God, when a pitched ball hits the ground on the way to the plate, leave it in the game. Throw it back to the pitcher and keep using it!!!! Do not immediately take the ball out of play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It hasn't been cut in half. It's not dented. It doesn't suddenly have a killer virus on it. It simply has a speck of dirt on it. That's it. What the hell is wrong with the MLB????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Butch7999]

No domes. Open-air ballparks only.
No artificial turf. Real grass only.
No tediously long commercial breaks. One minute maximum between each half-inning except the 7th.
No Major League teams in Florida or Arizona. Those states are for spring training. Support your minor-league team.
No view-obscuring netting around the whole damn ballpark. Get off the cellphone and pay attention to the game.
No DHs. Pitchers learn to hit or get pulled for a PH. Nobody pitches more than three innings at time now anyways.
No extended warm-ups for relief pitchers. Three-pitch warm-up limit after entering game from bullpen.
No yard-wide strike zone. If it ain't over the plate it ain't a strike.
No pajama pants. Sanis and stirrups for everybody.
No gloves bigger than a bushel basket. Ten-inch limit on all gloves and mitts.
No Duck Dynasty beards, no billygoat beardlets, no Wall Street yuppie stubble. Moustaches and sideburns of any size or style okay.
No bat-flipping. Flip a bat after getting a hit and an opponent is allowed to throw a bat at you from ten feet away.
No sushi, champagne, kale, calamari, wine coolers, or any of that trendy crap at the concessions.
Hot dogs, burgers, pizza, beef on weck, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, beer, and cola only, all priced reasonably.

----------------------------------------

Upon further review (one day later):
Forgot to add three things to our original post -- "No regular-season interleague play," as many others have since said;
and "No extra charge for scorecard and pencil -- both are freebies with purchase of reasonably-priced game programme;"
and we left "Ice cream" off our list of of acceptable concession items, preferably the flavourless little styrofoam-pellet ice cream
served in those little plastic collectible souvenir batting helmets.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Butch7999

No view-obscuring netting around the whole damn ballpark. Get off the cellphone and pay attention to the game.

I'll never understand this line of reasoning. You ever heard anybody that sits behind home plate say "Man, I wish there was no net here because it just messes up the view"? Of course not. Because it doesn't. I watch 35 games a year from directly behind home and the net "isn't even there". No one even sees it 5 minutes after sitting down.

And the "get off the cellphone" thing? Seriously? As if no one ever got hit by a line drive before cellphones?

We see coaches get hit by line drives on occasion. We see players in the dugouts get hit on occasion. We see pitchers - who are farther away than some fans - hit all the time. It's simply not realistic, nor reasonable, to expect every single fan to have a laser-like focus for every single pitch of a 3-1/2 hour game so that they might see a baseball rocketing toward them at 110mph AND have time to process that and react to it.

Put me in the "netting all the way to the foul poles" crowd. It will have literally zero impact on fan enjoyment and may actually increase it. Believe me, it's nice to not worry that turning your head for half a second could cost you your life.

And if you think we shouldn't have netting because it impacts the view, then remove it behind home plate, too.

[1952boyntoncollector]

NL no hitters are not to be worth as much as AL no hitter

Getting 3 homers and a double is to be more celebrated than hitting for the cycle.

Closers dont belong into the HOF but for maybe Mariono Rivera

[Tabe]

How would I change baseball if I were named all-powerful commissioner?

1) First thing I'd do? Give Armando Galarraga his perfect game. Unbelievable that this hasn't been corrected already.

2) Netting all the way to the foul poles (see above).

3) Visits to the mound by the catcher or other players count as an official visit. Pitcher must face at least 2 hitters (including current batter) after an official visit.

4) 4 tosses to 1st base per runner. After that, a throw over gets the runner awarded second base.

5) Pitchers get X number of seconds to enter a game, warm up, and throw their first pitch. Maybe 60. No strict warmup pitch limit. So guys who want more pitches can hustle to the mound faster.

6) Pitching changes from the dugout - no visits.

7) After the previous hitter is retired, the next hitter has 10 seconds to be in the box ready to hit. This is one of the biggest changes over the last several decades. Used to be guys were sitting there waiting to hit while the infield went "around the horn" after a groundout. Now there's a big delay all the time.

8) All pitchers must face at least 2 hitters when brought into the game. I'm flexible on this - could be 3 hitters or some other number.

9) Pitch clock displayed in the ballpark and strictly enforced. First couple times, a ball/strike is awarded. 3rd time, player is ejected.

10) 20-game suspensions for any player leaving his position during a brawl between two other players. 50 games for any player leaving the dugout/bullpen/on-deck. $2m fine for a team, per player, for anybody suspended under these rules.

11) Get rid of the DH.

12) If a batter swings and misses and loses control of his bat, he's automatically out.

13) Get rid of walk-up music for hitters and pitchers.

14) Go back to 2 divisions and ditch the wild card and 1-game play-in.

15) 150-game season.

That's a start.

[angolajones]

I would have players have to stay with the same team for a long period of time.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Tabe

I'll never understand this line of reasoning. You ever heard anybody that sits behind home plate say "Man, I wish there was no net here because it just messes up the view"? Of course not. Because it doesn't. I watch 35 games a year from directly behind home and the net "isn't even there". No one even sees it 5 minutes after sitting down.

And the "get off the cellphone" thing? Seriously? As if no one ever got hit by a line drive before cellphones?

We see coaches get hit by line drives on occasion. We see players in the dugouts get hit on occasion. We see pitchers - who are farther away than some fans - hit all the time. It's simply not realistic, nor reasonable, to expect every single fan to have a laser-like focus for every single pitch of a 3-1/2 hour game so that they might see a baseball rocketing toward them at 110mph AND have time to process that and react to it.

Put me in the "netting all the way to the foul poles" crowd. It will have literally zero impact on fan enjoyment and may actually increase it. Believe me, it's nice to not worry that turning your head for half a second could cost you your life.

And if you think we shouldn't have netting because it impacts the view, then remove it behind home plate, too.

Originally Posted by Tabe

How would I change baseball if I were named all-powerful commissioner?

1) First thing I'd do? Give Armando Galarraga his perfect game. Unbelievable that this hasn't been corrected already.

2) Netting all the way to the foul poles (see above).

3) Visits to the mound by the catcher or other players count as an official visit. Pitcher must face at least 2 hitters (including current batter) after an official visit.

4) 4 tosses to 1st base per runner. After that, a throw over gets the runner awarded second base.

5) Pitchers get X number of seconds to enter a game, warm up, and throw their first pitch. Maybe 60. No strict warmup pitch limit. So guys who want more pitches can hustle to the mound faster.

6) Pitching changes from the dugout - no visits.

7) After the previous hitter is retired, the next hitter has 10 seconds to be in the box ready to hit. This is one of the biggest changes over the last several decades. Used to be guys were sitting there waiting to hit while the infield went "around the horn" after a groundout. Now there's a big delay all the time.

8) All pitchers must face at least 2 hitters when brought into the game. I'm flexible on this - could be 3 hitters or some other number.

9) Pitch clock displayed in the ballpark and strictly enforced. First couple times, a ball/strike is awarded. 3rd time, player is ejected.

10) 20-game suspensions for any player leaving his position during a brawl between two other players. 50 games for any player leaving the dugout/bullpen/on-deck. $2m fine for a team, per player, for anybody suspended under these rules.

11) Get rid of the DH.

12) If a batter swings and misses and loses control of his bat, he's automatically out.

13) Get rid of walk-up music for hitters and pitchers.

14) Go back to 2 divisions and ditch the wild card and 1-game play-in.

15) 150-game season.

That's a start.

Just scratching the surface, eh?, Chris

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Tabe

I'll never understand this line of reasoning. You ever heard anybody that sits behind home plate say "Man, I wish there was no net here because it just messes up the view"? Of course not. Because it doesn't. I watch 35 games a year from directly behind home and the net "isn't even there". No one even sees it 5 minutes after sitting down.

And the "get off the cellphone" thing? Seriously? As if no one ever got hit by a line drive before cellphones?

We see coaches get hit by line drives on occasion. We see players in the dugouts get hit on occasion. We see pitchers - who are farther away than some fans - hit all the time. It's simply not realistic, nor reasonable, to expect every single fan to have a laser-like focus for every single pitch of a 3-1/2 hour game so that they might see a baseball rocketing toward them at 110mph AND have time to process that and react to it.

Put me in the "netting all the way to the foul poles" crowd. It will have literally zero impact on fan enjoyment and may actually increase it. Believe me, it's nice to not worry that turning your head for half a second could cost you your life.

And if you think we shouldn't have netting because it impacts the view, then remove it behind home plate, too.

Originally Posted by Tabe

How would I change baseball if I were named all-powerful commissioner?

1) First thing I'd do? Give Armando Galarraga his perfect game. Unbelievable that this hasn't been corrected already.

2) Netting all the way to the foul poles (see above).

3) Visits to the mound by the catcher or other players count as an official visit. Pitcher must face at least 2 hitters (including current batter) after an official visit.

4) 4 tosses to 1st base per runner. After that, a throw over gets the runner awarded second base.

5) Pitchers get X number of seconds to enter a game, warm up, and throw their first pitch. Maybe 60. No strict warmup pitch limit. So guys who want more pitches can hustle to the mound faster.

6) Pitching changes from the dugout - no visits.

7) After the previous hitter is retired, the next hitter has 10 seconds to be in the box ready to hit. This is one of the biggest changes over the last several decades. Used to be guys were sitting there waiting to hit while the infield went "around the horn" after a groundout. Now there's a big delay all the time.

8) All pitchers must face at least 2 hitters when brought into the game. I'm flexible on this - could be 3 hitters or some other number.

9) Pitch clock displayed in the ballpark and strictly enforced. First couple times, a ball/strike is awarded. 3rd time, player is ejected.

10) 20-game suspensions for any player leaving his position during a brawl between two other players. 50 games for any player leaving the dugout/bullpen/on-deck. $2m fine for a team, per player, for anybody suspended under these rules.

11) Get rid of the DH.

12) If a batter swings and misses and loses control of his bat, he's automatically out.

13) Get rid of walk-up music for hitters and pitchers.

14) Go back to 2 divisions and ditch the wild card and 1-game play-in.

15) 150-game season.

That's a start.

Just scratching the surface, eh?, Chris

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Tabe

I'll never understand this line of reasoning. You ever heard anybody that sits behind home plate say "Man, I wish there was no net here because it just messes up the view"? Of course not. Because it doesn't. I watch 35 games a year from directly behind home and the net "isn't even there". No one even sees it 5 minutes after sitting down.

And the "get off the cellphone" thing? Seriously? As if no one ever got hit by a line drive before cellphones?

We see coaches get hit by line drives on occasion. We see players in the dugouts get hit on occasion. We see pitchers - who are farther away than some fans - hit all the time. It's simply not realistic, nor reasonable, to expect every single fan to have a laser-like focus for every single pitch of a 3-1/2 hour game so that they might see a baseball rocketing toward them at 110mph AND have time to process that and react to it.

Put me in the "netting all the way to the foul poles" crowd. It will have literally zero impact on fan enjoyment and may actually increase it. Believe me, it's nice to not worry that turning your head for half a second could cost you your life.

And if you think we shouldn't have netting because it impacts the view, then remove it behind home plate, too.

I like the netting behind home plate. I personally would never set there again. Have tried it a couple times and looking through the net give me a headache.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Tabe

I'll never understand this line of reasoning. You ever heard anybody that sits behind home plate say "Man, I wish there was no net here because it just messes up the view"? Of course not. Because it doesn't. I watch 35 games a year from directly behind home and the net "isn't even there". No one even sees it 5 minutes after sitting down.

And the "get off the cellphone" thing? Seriously? As if no one ever got hit by a line drive before cellphones?

We see coaches get hit by line drives on occasion. We see players in the dugouts get hit on occasion. We see pitchers - who are farther away than some fans - hit all the time. It's simply not realistic, nor reasonable, to expect every single fan to have a laser-like focus for every single pitch of a 3-1/2 hour game so that they might see a baseball rocketing toward them at 110mph AND have time to process that and react to it.

Put me in the "netting all the way to the foul poles" crowd. It will have literally zero impact on fan enjoyment and may actually increase it. Believe me, it's nice to not worry that turning your head for half a second could cost you your life.

And if you think we shouldn't have netting because it impacts the view, then remove it behind home plate, too.

I only know one place in MLB where fans are closer to the batter than the pitcher.
And there, the net is a really good idea. Sadly I can't afford getting even close to those seats anymore plus they're pretty much all season ticket holders there now.
People were hit with line drives before extended netting, but it was usually not a major problem since they were paying attention and usually at least got an arm up. The ones not paying attention.....Lets just say it's bad luck.

[1952boyntoncollector]

1. Computer calls balls and strikes.

2. Teams play stratomatic in the event of extra innings.

3. If struck by ball, a player shall rub the bruise for at least 10 secs.

4. If can run around the bases in under 8 seconds on a home run you are awarded another run.

5. Bring back pitcher fake to third and look/throw to first.

6. After the first 3 outs in the top of the first inning, announcers will now say
"X team 0 (or more if they scored runs) and the other team '0' instead of coming up to hit..

[steve B]

A few ideas, none of which I expect to get any traction whatsoever

Keep the DH/AL no DH/NL it gives us something to talk about even when the teams are made up entirely of guys we have never heard of.

Go with a designated runner who can be used once a game with no penalty.(The player runs, returns to the bench and the original player stays in the lineup and the designated runner is still available as a sub) The catch is that the opposing team gets to choose which player becomes the runner.

Put Herb Washington into the HOF as a pioneer.

Get rid of the participation medal all star game. If your team doesn't have anyone good enough they need a better farm system or better coaches or better front office, or all of the above.

Eliminate the hitters backdrop. sell the seats, or if the players MUST have music to get out and play, a bandstand with a live band. If the wall is more than 420 at the deepest the bandstand are must be there , and is IN PLAY.

Bring back stuff like the lederhosen wearing people who slid down into a beer mug if the Brewers hit a HR. Maybe make them mandatory? Tampa can use bikini girls (Or whoever, it's 2017 after all, but bikini girls would get my vote)

Bring back Promotions like bat night, ball night, nickel beer night.....especially if they're combined - I do love a promo gone awry, especially if it's a PR disaster.

No indoor ball. It's MLB, not whiffleball or something cooked up for gym class.

Do make new stadiums in coastal cities on a huge turntable. That way no matter the time of the game the field can be rotated to take advantage of the ocean breezes. Teams with weak pitching might opt for "wind always blowing in" ones with stronger hitters might go for "wind always blowing out" No penalty for teams caught rotating the place between innings.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by steve B

I only know one place in MLB where fans are closer to the batter than the pitcher.
And there, the net is a really good idea. Sadly I can't afford getting even close to those seats anymore plus they're pretty much all season ticket holders there now.
People were hit with line drives before extended netting, but it was usually not a major problem since they were paying attention and usually at least got an arm up. The ones not paying attention.....Lets just say it's bad luck.

Well, the question was "baseball" not "MLB", so I'm including non-MLB stadiums.

And, again, you're back to blaming fans who get hit. What about people who sneeze? What about people who have somebody stand up in front of them and block their view? Or have a kid who demands their attention? Is it REALLY realistic to demand 100% perfect attention to games for every single pitch of the game. Of course not. Is it REALLY reasonable to expect people who are in cramped seating to be able to somehow dodge an incoming missile traveling at 110 mph or more? of course not.

And, let's not pretend that this hasn't already been implemented, without issue, in other places. Japan has been doing pole-to-pole netting for 3 decades. Their ushers blow whistles and point to where balls are going.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyidtI-uNXw

[56Horsehide]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

For the love of freakin' God, when a pitched ball hits the ground on the way to the plate, leave it in the game. Throw it back to the pitcher and keep using it!!!! Do not immediately take the ball out of play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It hasn't been cut in half. It's not dented. It doesn't suddenly have a killer virus on it. It simply has a speck of dirt on it. That's it. What the hell is wrong with the MLB????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with this 100%. How much time is being spent (a) throwing balls to the dugouts (rather than back to the pitcher); (b) the umpire signaling for more baseballs; (c) the bat boy running out to the umpire; (d) the umpire giving the ball to the catcher to throw out to the pitcher; (e) pitcher rubs the new ball; etc. When I was a kid we used the same ball for multiple seasons. Does anyone know how many baseballs are used by all 30 teams in a single season?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by 56Horsehide

Does anyone know how many baseballs are used by all 30 teams in a single season?

1.26 million, that includes batting/fielding practice and games. That is the estimate I found.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by BleedinBlue

Pitchers will argue the mounds are different and they need to take a few pitches to get it to their liking.

Give them 3 pitches. No warm up pitches between innings. Limit time between pitches. No stopping the game to go to mound for players or manager. Manager hits button to change pitchers. Limit number of pitching changes (soccer has limited substitutions, why not baseball?). No throwing the ball around infield after outs. Limit commercial time between innings. There is a 12 second rule between pitches, enforce it. If the pitcher doesn't release the ball in 12 seconds, it's a ball. If the batter isn't in the box, it's a strike. Baseball games used to be under 2 hours, now over 3 hours. They need to speed up play so most games are done in 2 hours.

[barrysloate]

Get rid of all the noise added to entertain the fans. Used to be you could go to a game with a friend and talk baseball while you watched. Last time I went to Yankee Stadium it was so loud I couldn't hear my friend at all, and at some point just gave up trying to have a conversation.

If the powers that be think that the game itself isn't interesting enough, then something is clearly wrong.

[BengoughingForAwhile]

During all even numbered innings batters will run the bases in a clockwise direction, thus negating the current advantage that left handed hitters have being closer to first base.

[Jason Carota]

- Make interleague games Spring Training only.
- Eliminate lefty/righty specialists that come in to face one batter.
- ENFORCE the rule that keeps batters in the box
- No more "alternate jerseys." Home whites, road grays only.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

I think Butch and Barry hit on all the best points! I would also drop inter-league play, there is just not as much excitement heading into the World Series.

I also love college football but the electronic noise at games drives me crazy! The SEC even has a rule that now prohibits or limits the visiting school from bringing their bands!!! Of course I would also lobby for an addition to football rosters in the programs where they add the players arrest record.

Back to baseball I would also ban anyone from collecting cards or memorabilia that do not know the history of the game or simply collect for investment. Just my two cents.

Now I have to finish getting ready to head to Little Rock for today's SABR meeting.

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Get rid of all the noise added to entertain the fans. Used to be you could go to a game with a friend and talk baseball while you watched. Last time I went to Yankee Stadium it was so loud I couldn't hear my friend at all, and at some point just gave up trying to have a conversation.

If the powers that be think that the game itself isn't interesting enough, then something is clearly wrong.

+1 At least MLB hasn't gone as far as the NBA with allowing artificial noise to be pumped in during play...yet.