We’ve already covered the much-discussed rules changes at the MLB level relating to pace of play. That is certainly the most pertinent recent development in the rules arena, which has emerged as a point of no little controversy between the league and player’s union.
Today, though, the minor-league rule book received some changes of its own, as MLB.com’s Matt Kelly was among those to report, with some notable differences. While these regulations obviously won’t be seen in major-league games, they presumably could be considered for the game’s highest level in the future.
Mound visits will now be limited in the minors, much as is set to occur at the MLB level. The already-existing pitch clocks in the upper minors will be sped up. That, perhaps, is the next frontier for the majors, though the clock is not slated to be implemented there in 2018.
What has raised the most eyebrows, surely, is a rather notable change in extra innings. In a measure that’s sure both to shorten contests and engender consternation among purists, teams will start each inning with a baserunner on second from the tenth frame on. (The runner will be the player that occupies the spot in the order prior to the one that’s due to lead off the inning.) This procedure was utilized with less-than-enthusiastic reviews at the most recent World Baseball Classic.
Clearly, there’s more justification for utilizing this sort of procedure in the minors, where development is still the primary purpose. And it’s far from clear whether there’s any real inclination to pursue such a game-altering approach in the majors. Still, it’s quite a modification and one that’s sure to impact minor-league games across the country in the coming season.
How about changing pace of the hot stove? This year was boring AF.
How about changing the comments? Yours was boring, predictable and juvenile
No sense of humor. It was worth a laugh.
Tbh I thought the first two comments were funny. The last one wasn’t. Neither is this one.
If my comment could fart, would you think it was funny?
I would, yes.
At work we have a hurt feelings report, should I set one up for you?
more like trollwannabe, try harder!
I thought it was clever.
Stop changing baseball, please.
No doubt.
I like the mound visit limitation, because they’re a drag (rather see them go fewer than 6, but whatever). I’ve watched games with a pitch clock, and you forget it’s there, so I’m even fine with that at MLB. This, though, is dreadful IMO. I’d honestly rather see them end in ties than have extra-inning baseball come down to which team has better
bunters. In the minors, I’ve never understood why they don’t have ties more often, because it’s about player development first and foremost, and 13-14 innings can’t help that, but I sincerely hope MLB stays away from a gimmicky solution like this
I hate ties. That’s one thing I don’t like about soccer. But id rather see ties than something like runners to start at second base
Oh yeah, I hate them too (although, for the minors, I like them as I said). I’d leave it and just deal with the occasional marathon game, but if they’re so dead-set on eliminating extra innings, I’d rather tie than have seasons coming down to this solution
If we’re going to do stupid stuff like this, just pull one defensive player per inning starting with shortstop. Then CF, then 2B, etc.
It’s like a combination of a short handed hockey team and strip poker.
Now that was funny
i mean… they COULD just make it a rule that Mike Pelfrey comes in and pitches to both lineups in the 10th inning. There’s pretty much zero chance it would drag on into the 11th and beyond…
OR…
Aluminum bats and golf balls after 9 innings, anyone?
If we’re going to screw with the integrity of the game, let’s just pull a hockey and have a home run derby determine the winner of extra innings.
With all due respect to other sports, As long as they don’t end up in ties. *puke emoji*
Who cares about a minor league tie though. As someone who goes to a decent amount of triple A games. Basically everyone is checked out by the stretch. We just wanna See the fireworks.
Yeah but they’re testing it out in the minors. If it “works,” they’ll implement it at the major league level.
Shootouts are terrible in hockey
At least there’s some modicum of sense to be found somewhere in a shootout.
This could actually be fun. Imagine a 26th roster spot that stays useless until extras. We’re talking a Matt Stairs in his beer drinking prime sitting in the dugout every game until the 10th when he enters down a ramp to epic WWE style fanfare. He steps up to start the derby head to head against…..Prince Fielder. This idea would spit in the face of baseball but it would be so epic and American that I am willing to give it a shot.
Alternatively this could be framed as a 2-way battle where the 26th man has to pitch as well as hit. Imagine you have Otani designated for this slot on his off days who can throw 90s on one side and drop bombs on the other.
The real question is how do you count stats? These HRD bombs would obviously be exempt from the record books but we’d have to add a few new columns.
Sounds like a lot of work though so let’s just keep the status quo.
terrible idea
they really should implement a salary cap floor so we won’t have a free agency like this past one again.
no
maybe
Yanks would have to fold.
The Yankees… MLB’s version of 1 percenters. I know you are joking, but impossible.
Salary cap floor? Now, There’s an idea can get behind.
Fans hate it either: 1) Want their team owners to stay cheap at their own discretion 2) against it for no reason other than “socialism” 3) Big market team fans who don’t want an even playing field.
Higher floor would really be helpful! Revenue Sharing is broken. They say the teams fighting against MLBPA’s grievance for not spending it on players, might cite real estate (Oakland) which is a joke. Should be on players. Higher floors will help. — Don’t just phase out Oakland from Revenue Sharing… (stadium situation) FIX problem. Higher floors would fix MLB’s payroll parity problem. (Due to being only sport w/o salary cap)
Is the “payroll parity problem” actually a problem though, with regards to competitive parity? You point out that MLB is the only major sport without a salary cap, and it is by far the most competitive sport of the major 4. 6 different teams have been in the last three world series, and a different team has won each of the last 5. Teams are spending their money smarter in baseball and the “advantage” of big-money teams like the Yankees and Red Sox has mostly washed out.
Contrast that with the NFL, which has a hard cap and non-guaranteed contracts. One team has dominated the Super Bowl for the last decade while another team literally just went 0-16 this past season. In the NBA two teams have dominated for the last half-decade, while other teams have put up records like 10-72 in that time. Aside from the marlins, who had a terrible, money-grabbing ownership group, no MLB team has been as bad for as along as the 76ers or Cleveland Browns. Salary caps don’t help with competitive balance.
Very good and interesting point.
Agreed on all points, but I don’t want a salary cap.
I want a salary cap floor.
That means raise the minimum team payroll req.
Don’t F with the game. These changes zero potential to bring new viewers in and they’re going to piss off current viewers.
Yes. Couldn’t agree with you more. Baseball should have never changed. It should have stayed just like that vintage baseball skit from Conan O’Brien.
Easily one of Conan’s best skits.
(Everyone Before Knowing Rules)
I despise change!! Manfred hates the game!
Giving free base runners to start innings is stupid no matter how you put it. Teams are a bunt and sac fly away from winning games for no reason other than some people think football is better because the games are shorter (which they arent anyways).
Perhaps, but any change this guy has attempted to make has been met with resistance. Manfred has the game’s best interest in heart. And yet some people here, say they prefer Steroid Selig >> Manfred.
Someone tell everyone against the use of technology in the game because of “Human element” about those Large HD TV’s in all stadiums.
I admit this change is a bit radical, and I’m not a fan of this experiment, I always loved the 20 inning games, but the hate on Manfred has gone overboard, for being proactive working hard to find a solution.
when your ideas ate stupud, you deserve the flak.
Also, rhe use of tech IN A GAME is far different than a tv in a stadium
A solution without a problem. Sorry, but 20 inning games happen only because neither team was strong enough to win in 19. Screws up the bullpen? Too bad. You should have figured out a way to win earlier, or tanked.
“Manfred has the game’s best interest in heart. (sic)
Come on, xabial. Manfred has the owners best interests “in” heart, always has and always will. He doesn’t work for the players, umpires or fans. His job description is essentially ‘chairman of the board of owners’ and his motives are as disinterested as Tony Clark and Scott Boras.
If mlb wants to shorten or eliminate extra inning games all it has to do is declare a tie after ten or so innings. No need to fundamentally change the way the game is played. Hated seeing it in the WBC so much I changed games whenever the ‘free runner in scoring position’ was implemented. Really bad idea.
To many downvotes… time to start a fresh account with copied ideas that will be upvoted.
so what the other guy said is ‘juvenile’ but what you wrote here…pure rhetoric baby.
Manfred proved he doesn’t “get” what’s best for the long-term interests of the game when he stepped on the player’s throats during the last bargaining session. He equates profit & revenue with success, and clearly isn’t interested in any changes that involve pushing even a dime to the center of the table.
The two elements vital for baseball to flourish in the future are the best athletes playing the game and impressionable kids forming attachments. It’s not trying to sell Millennials on a sport they hate because you refused to allow them to watch it growing up.
How about this::
> Cap the price on ballgames so families can go more than once a year. Or how about anyone under 13 can attend for free?
> Don’t start playoff games so late.
> Force teams to .at least try and compete on the MLB level EVERY season. That will help curb the lack of good players.playing.
> Set up programs to bring the African American athlete back to baseball.
The players were over matched during the last collective bargaining session. Rather than push a system where the players were allowed to keep some dignity, Manfred got way too greedy and broke the sport. How is half the sport being non-competitive good for the game?
I think you’ve hit the root of the problem. It’s too expensive for most families to go to multiple games per season. The stadiums have gone too far into the Disney pricing model–food priced just high enough to make you cringe, but you still pay up to feed a screaming kid. I’d imagine most of the money is made on TV contracts and luxury box sales. Why not make the general admission seats, parking and concessions a loss leader?
Manfred does hate the game. The fact they are putting runners on base in the minors says it all right there. He wants to destory the foundations of the game to make it appeal to kids
How would it appeal to kids when they’re priced out of the ballpark, the games are shown too late and every single thing connected to the spots costs some cash? Manfred is an example a smart man without the vision to see the bigger picture.
this commissioner is so hung up about this. if the game is to slow turn tv off or leave the game that simple. 1 other thing what about instant replay slowing the game down? Guess that is ok. Thought Selig hurt the game allowing steroids but this commissioner is worse.
Perhaps people inside the game of baseball should watch the Ken Burns documentary so they can understand how magnificent the game is.
Very few changes to the pure nature of the game have been improvements and this abomination of starting extra innings with a man on second is sickening.
I can’t watch Ken Burns documentary because I’m a millennial and it’s longer than a YouTube video of a guy threading spaghetti through his nostrils
I can’t watch the Ken Burns mess because it should have been titled “Baseball (But Only in New York and Boston).”
I support most of the pace of play changes, but starting an inning with runners on is pretty bad.
It screws with stats;the best thing about baseball statistically is that every event on the field can be measured. That’s not true of fottball or basketball, where players who have a lot of value often contribute no measurable stats – think about football centers and offensive linemen. Putting a runner on second creates a hornet’s nest of problems statistically:
A) If the run scores does it count against the reliever who walked into a game with a runner on second?
B) How did the runner get on base, statistically? A walk? Is there a new category to describe this? Does he get credit for a run scored if he scores. And what if he had been replaced defensively in the previous half-inning – does he get to re-enter the game to be the phantom runner on 2nd or does the guy now batting in his spot – who is probably a relief pitcher – take second?
C) You know what the two least exciting plays in baseball are? Bunts and intentional walks. You just increased those by a ton.
D) In theory a pitcher could enter a game, throw exactly one pitch (a wild pitch) and lose a game. That seems silly for a non-walk-off homer. It also messes with the stats because where does that run belong to in the stat line?
@davidcoonce74
Exactly as you state this ludicrous rule change with all its consequences tampers with the game and wouldn’t be instituted in the minors if the goal wasn’t to eventually institute it in the majors.
The consequences would also impact bench moves in the 9th innings in tie games, and perhaps the 8th. And in dealing with injured but non-DL’d player pinch hitting who makes the last out in the 9th but is now forced into the game after making the last out of an inning.
If MLB ever attempts to institute this in the majors, we the fans from every team must make this rule change an economic black hole the likes MLB has never seen through massive boycott and mass exit in unison in every stadium every time a game goes into extra innings. Extra innings with no one in the stands.
If this gets into the majors, the only thing keeping me on my cable is Twins games, and I doubt I’m going to feel like it’s worth it to pay to see a monument to the sport that once was. I’ll listen and go to an occasional game or two, but the idea that I’m going to invest more energy into this league if that’s the direction they want to go… I’d just as soon have MLB fail catastrophically so maybe it can be just about the game itself again.
Make no mistake, they’re not doing this because they just want to speed up minor league games. They’re doing what they can to make baseball reliably fit into a television time slot like the other major sports can do. If they think they can get this into the majors they’re going to do it.
If this comes down, the only thing you can do is vote with your dollars and senses… don’t spend, don’t listen, don’t watch, don’t play the game. Either they’ll be fine without you or they start seeing lots of red arrows on spreadsheets and the game decides you’re their audience again.
By “don’t play the game” I mean, don’t consume what they’re selling.
Ugh… just… Ugh
We can no longer pay attention to minor league reliever numbers. Thanks manfred.
Please not this. Putting a runner on 2nd. Does that runner get a run scored? Does the pitchers ERA get affected? Dee Gordon vs Brian McCann running. Could literally be about luck who wins the game. Terrible idea.
Starting this in the minors where there is no Players Union speaks volumes.
“Development is still the primary purpose”
So if this is the case you will see less fans coming to games. It won’t be about the game anymore but about development. This will in turn make minor league teams lose money. The minor leagues will start dwindling down until there is no minor league baseball for Manfred to screw over anymore.
I feel like Manfred has never even attended a minor league game before.
I’ve attended a lot of minor league and Spring Training games (including some ties). The fun really comes from playing amateur scout, being with friends and fellow fans.
It’s never about the score.
I’ve never been to a minor league game where I got the sense the home fans didn’t care what the score was as long as they had something to do in their little flyover country hamlet. Lots of them don’t even watch MLB much because they feel they get a purer form of baseball without all the money and glory involved.
So would the runner placed on second be an unearned run if he scores?
Here’s a better idea… Beginning with the 10th inning, every hitter starts with a full count.
[Just kidding. Let’s leave it alone.]
I was wondering the same thing. Who gets charged with the run? And, yes, this is simply a bad idea. At least it’s only in the minors, for now. There’re plenty of old school managers and veteran players that’ll be participating in many of these games; I’m sure it’ll receive all due criticism and hopefully be canned.
Probably like a hockey shootout where the goalie isn’t given a goal allowed and the shooter isn’t credited either.
I wouldn’t be so sure. Having seen wild pitches and heard of stolen bases and even base hits during intentional walk attempts, I was really surprised the no-pitch intentional walk was approved.
These are being tested in the minors. These minor league players will be used to it when they become major leaguers. blah.
Yeah I agree… leave baseball alone
Lol make extra innings have 5 outs so runs can score
Starting extra innings with a runner on second is a terrible idea Ugggghhhh
Put the DH in both leagues!
Aging corner bats need the work!
Make the DH part of the ground rules. Each team gets to make its own decision based on how the stadium and team are put together, and what they think their fans want to see. Teams announce their choices for the following season prior to the Rule 5 draft, and can only switch at that time. The decision becomes a part of the front office strategy.
Oh look, dumb ideas to make the game go by quicker!
No one except the commission thought pace of play was a problem until they said it was a problem. How much time did we save on the intentional walks last season? A few minutes? Games last just a little bit longer than NFL games but at least the majority of time is spent watching the game instead of commercials.
Please stop tampering with the game. Next thing you know, it’ll be 2 strikes and youre out and the 7th inning stretch will signify that we need the bases to be loaded every inning past the 7th. Stupid changes for stupid reasons and conveniently for MLB, they dont have to listen to anybody except for their mislead group think-tank. Ignorant fools. Just let people play baseball, yeah?
I think that if they had video clips of explosions, motorcycles, and voluptuous women playing on the video board people wouldn’t notice the length of the game so much.
Honestly makes sense for minor leagues. No sense wearing young guys out. I like most pace of play changes for major league but this one would be stupid there.
Not really. Should just have minor league games end in a tie or maybe put a cap of 12 innings on it. Both infinitely better ideas than this sandlot stuff!
I agree. I seen somebody say that some pitchers are screwed out of promotions because their minor league game went too long the day before. There’s no reason that these developmental leagues should have that happen to its players. But this should never happen in the MLB.
And how do you expect to prepare minor leaguers for major league extra inning games and learning to hit, pitch and play defense with the game on the line?
Putting a runner on second, bunting over to third and scoring on sac fly is pittance of training.
Hitting in extras is the exact same as hitting earlier in the game.
And hitting with a guy on second in the fourth inning in June is the exact same as hitting with a guy on second in the tenth inning in October
Please just leave the game I grew up loving alone.
Loving baseball and consuming the media product MLB wants to peddle are two increasingly unrelated things.
@ JD396
Extremely well said.
Baseball was perfect how it was: pure. This could make many stomachs churn.
Screw the changes!!!!! Keep Baseball like it’s suppose to be.. this commish we have is jerk. He don’t know anything about the true play of baseball. Fire him.. I say throw all the changes away and let’s really play ball like it’s suppose to be played
How will that speed the game up? Both teams will stil have an equal chance of scoring. If anything it’ll make games longer
Rob Manfred is the worst thing to happen to baseball since the strike.
Agreed. I think the only way I would support a players strike is if they refused to play until this jackwagon is canned.
What’s next? A coin flip is going to determine winner of games, just to increase “pace of play?”
Coin flip ? Obviously, rock, paper, scissors, is a much better option.
Let’s just quit keeping score, and just put “If you had fun, you won!” on the scoreboard.
I don’t mind the clocks and mound visit limits, but a runner on second base?!?!?! NO, just no. I know both teams get it, but there’s no way it’s fair. They didn’t earn that guy on second base. It’s not fair to the pitcher that starts the inning. He didn’t give up a hit for that guy to end up on second base. SHAKING. MY. HEAD.
I never thought I’d say this, but I miss Selig!
People that go to minor league games live for extra innings. Hardly any of these games are televised, so that’s out too. And don’t believe that crap that these teams don’t have the personnel for a long inning game.
Hell no. This idiot is a progressive thinking idealog who does not have any concern for the integrity of the game. He probably detests the integrity of the game.
No clocks, no designated runners, no more extending netting—-no more turning this great game of boys into the nba type game of sissys.
Well, I’m OK if fewer fans die of brain bleeds.
Netting is a safety issues and has no direct outcome of a game.
Leave it alone, especially this nonsense in extra innings.
Why 2nd? Why not 3rd? How about just loading them up? How about allowing pitchers 1 pitch per batter; strike is an out, ball is a walk. Why not just flip a coin? Hell, they could just take our entrance money and tell us the final score to save us all some time.
I feel like baseball is run by a communist regime
It is quite the opposite; it is a 9 Billion-dollar industry run by billionaires.
Has anyone ever considered that not everyone likes a sprint. Some of us prefer the methodical and strategic movements to the game. It’s relaxing to me to watch a baseball game and forget about the world for a few short hours. Getting absorbed in a game, whether it’s score is 10-2 or 4-3 or 1-0 is magical and no amount of time can measure it. It happens at a natural pace, far more human and unforced than any other game. I mean sure, guys need to stay in the box and not take forever conversing on the mound. But let baseball happen as it happens. I’m not a total purist and I’m not a proponent for faster play. Baseball is the greatest game on earth because of exactly what it is. 9 innings of the best each team can give, the best strategy a manager can apply and a skill-set of players unlike any other. I’m begging, whatever you change, please don’t alter the relaxing feel of natural behavior and competition.
If i wanna watch a game with too many rules that slow down the game, id watch the NFL.
i’d rather see the 3 balls is a walk and two strikes you’re out in extras. all foul balls are strikes. two fouls, you’re out.
I fail to see how that would quicken the pace. Sounds like people would get out quicker and scoring opportunities would be limited. I think the point is to make scoring easier.
Kill your smart phone. Save baseball.
How about any fouled 2-strike pitch is an automatic out same as a fouled 2-strike bunt. Also, let’s just start every count at 1-1. That’ll do more than the crap they are doing. 5+pitch abs add more time than anything as does more scoring.
Either way. Leave the game alone. It’s not meant to be constrained by time. Hence why a clock was never part of the sport.
Set a timer for 90 minutes, and just stop playing when it goes off.
A runner on second to start the inning is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Yeah this is what I really want to watch:
Bunt, Sac Fly….yayayayyyy fun baseball…..
I have a better idea, maybe we could have the players pick their best batter and the best pitcher and see how many outs it takes for him to get a hit. OR! even better, this should be the whole game! If we do that for each side it would only take about 15 minutes to play a baseball game, this would be Manfred’s heaven.
Seriously, is the reason people aren’t watching because of extra innings? I think not. Make time between pitches lower and cut out commercial time between innings. Let’s not change comparison to many years of baseball stats by changing the fundamentals of the game after this many years.
If we are so concerned about innings pitched by minor league pitchers, just end all the games in a tie…
I’d rather have us resolve games with a corn on the cob eating contest. If we’re going to embrace bad ideas we may as well just go for it.
Use a coin flip to decide which two umpires represent which teams and let them have a best 2 out of 3 arm wrestle.
Coin flip? How about throwing dice. Could settle games with a Yahtzee tournament.
Even though I hate ties, just play the best of 12 innings like they do in Japan, and then a tie is a tie-for playoff games extend the innings. Putting a runner on 2nd after the 9th is a complete farce.
Dear Rob Manfred…
Resign. NOW
So much hate. I wonder how many of these posters know that in the minors, double headers are only 7 innings long?
An extra runner is fine. I’ve been to minor league games that’s go into extra innings. The stands empty. Happens at MLB level too. If an extra runner creates overtime excitement and a quick ending, then cool.
I would stay for that.
Of course the stands are empty in the minors. And speeding the game up 20 minutes isn’t going to change that.
The reason we hate him is because of attempts at pace of play changes. Any. For any reason. Ever. I don’t ever want to hear the words pace of play, or any synonym again. I don’t care about marketing to 12 year old kids. Baseball has plenty of money. I though Manfred should have been fired fir moving the trade deadline by a few hours a couple years ago. I would can him for changing anything at all between the lines for pace of play. I want that ****** gone.
He’s continuously talked about doing this in the minors in preparation for implementing it in the majors. **** that.
I regularly go to high A games here in So. Cal. The stands are almost near full, full of people that are neighbors, love their team and love extra innings. They don’t count minutes and love “bonus baseball.”
They don’t want their game messed with either.
Yeah, I don’t know where people get this idea that minor league games have empty stands and nobody cares about the outcome anyway. There’s low-A teams that could probably be 28th in attendance if they were in the majors.
You can stay for that, while the rest of us boycott and leave the ballpark every extra inning game in every ballpark in protest should this ever be instituted in the majors
Has baseball ever had an idea this prodigiously stupid before? I can’t think of one thing that has ever even been seriously considered in this sport that is as dumb and bad as this. It’s seriously disturbing to me that baseball has enough addlebrained freaks in high places for this meritless idea to end up even getting ten seconds of serious consideration.
March 29th, 1973. Charles Finley uses orange baseballs thinking it would create more offense and more entertainment for the fans. It failed but still seems like a better idea than Manfred.
Before 1947 brown- and black-skinned people were systemically barred from playing baseball. So, yeah, that was the stupidest idea, by far. This one is pretty stupid too, though.
And they were still using separate drinking fountains twenty years after this sport broke that line
Not everywhere, but in way too many places that mattered, this is true. The NBA also integrated in 1947, but it had only been a league for one season at that point as opposed to the 70+ year history of the Major Leagues. (There was a black major leaguer, Moses Walker, in 1884, but the league’s players, led by superstar and future Hall-of-Famer Cap Anson, often refused to play against him and the fans were openly hostile and occasionally violent towards him so he went back to the black leagues after one season).
The NFL – or at least its predecessors – has been integrated from the beginning. The first black professional football player played from 1902-1906, and the first professional football league, the APFA, was integrated upon its founding in 1920.
Point being, when it came to race baseball was strides ahead of most of the rest of the country at the time. And, baseball didn’t integrate because of court decisions or widespread outrage. Lots of the execs owners who started bringing black ballplayers into the game weren’t interested in the least in social justice, they just wanted the best players on their teams and quit arbitrarily limiting their pool of talent. In a way that kind of attitude is still miles ahead of race relations today.
Anyway, although it hasn’t been without its problems over the years, the league has generally been very good at evolving without making sudden poorly advised changes. That does not seem to be the case anymore. I think the commissioner’s office is not liking the trends they’re seeing under the surface and they’re desperately trying to make the game appealing. They wouldn’t be doing these asinine things if they didn’t think it was going to help down the road, I just think they’re solving nonexistent problems and ignoring the existing ones… missing the point by an enormous margin.
There is another (stupid) Idea being floated, it was talked about briefly on MLB Network and in the press a month or so ago. Letting managers ignore the lineup and select the 3 hitters they want for the 9th inning to make the game more exciting. That idea is as dumb as starting a man on 2nd.
New strategy for tied games in the 9th: pitch around or walk fast guys to purposely get the slow guy for out 3.
or… with two outs and nobody on, purposefully have your fast guy strike out like an idiot.
or…sub the last guy out with your fastest bench player.
In extras, intentionally walk the 1st batter or just hit him with an inside fastball to set up a force.
This all seems like it could prolong games.
Yeah, but at least they don’t have to throw four pitches to walk the leadoff hitter anymore.
They shouldn’t charge the run on the relief pitcher that has to see the runner on 2nd in extra innings…more or less you shouldn’t at all. The guy didn’t deserve to be on there, if he was walk, hit by pitch, throwing error or gotten a hit it’s the only way to see it happen. You should not get a stat for that on your stat line period if you didn’t “earned “ that spot on second base.
I’ve gone to a few tie games during Spring Training. Not really what you want to see, but not bad either.
I’d much rather see a tie called after 10 or 11 innings than runners added.
Let’s all walk out of work tomorrow in protest!
This means you can pitch a perfect game and lose. 27 up, 27 down. Then come out for the 10th and the free runner steals third and then home.
A sac bunt and then a sac fly would do the same thing and much more likely than a steal of home.
Call the strike zone. Armpits to knees. Problem solved for speed of play. No clocks required.
Absurd. Trying to attract the young viewer at the expense of the older. MLB is hoping it sticks so in years it will be like the NHL and their overtime rules which is not hockey. Nothing wrong with regular season ties. Gimmicks like this aren’t baseball. You know longer need those extra relievers. Instead, you need a speedster who otherwise can’t play the sport. The problem at the MLB level is the post season game and roster is different than for the regular season. The game is best when it’s played the same way. If anything, limit the pitching staff to 11 and get rid of the DH. Strategy and roster building becomes important. Sadly the AL will never remove the DH. You can still limit the pitchers. Such would force the teams to build up their arms old style and lessen the pitching changes during the game.
Dewey, love you, you’re a very articulte poster (even more than me) but there’s so many things wrong with this I don’t know where to begin From: “Nothing wrong with regular season ties” to “removing the DH from AL for strategy.”
I respectfully disagree, bud! Especially that tie part. Ties are the biggest F U in sports. I think most of you here, hate any sport other than MLB, but Thank God for Overtime without ties in basketball.
It’s Rare… but Ties CAN occur in NFL.. >.<
articulate* poster
I guess we agree to disagree. There actually is strategy to playing for a tie in other sports where a clock is in play. Strategies change when gimmicks are added. Prior to the DH, strategy involved pinch hitting and when to change pitchers never mind double switches. Now it’s basically who’s starting nine delivers and how can we wear out the throwers on the mound. If only they would learn how to pitch…
They really need to remove Rob Manfred, he is a horrible commissioner and ruining the game of baseball
the runner on second thing is about the dumbest thing ive ever heard.
for the minor leagues, i dont think ive ever gone to a game really caring who won;
either let it be a tie, or have a short home run hitting contest if you want a gimmick to end the game in a fun fashion. minor leagues only of course.
Had this rule in little league as a kid. Also this has been done before in video games.
I have a good idea, if a game goes to extra instead of running the team out on the field just have both managers play a best 2 out of 3 rock, paper, scissors to decide which team gets the W??
We have had this kind of crap in Europe and International baseball for years. The tie break rules in the WBC were a direct copy. I always saw it as a typical European thing, trying to limit the game time. How wrong I was.
Starting this year, the IBAF got rid of the tie break. And now it is getting into MILB… jeez.
How about if you get a batter out on the first pitch it counts as two outs and if the batter gets a base hit on the first pitch, he is awarded an extra base for quick play. And if it’s a home run, an extra run.
The extra inning baserunner is a joke. The mound visits are not really going to work as planned either. If a catcher gets mixed up, or really wants to talk to the pitcher and he appeals to the umpire, and is denied, the pitching coach or manager will go argue with the ump and the catcher and pitcher will talk anyway during the “argument”
What a disgrace. I never imagined there could be a commissioner worse than Selig–until Manfred. Shame on him.
Millennials will never like baseball.
It’s not that it’s too slow, its because the greedy owners made the game inaccessible to kids at about the time millennials were at the age to get hooked. Games started too late for TV viewing (especially the playoffs) and the ballparks were too pricey to allow a dad to take his kids on a regular basis.
Don’t believe me? Football is WAY slower paced and has significantly less action per time investment – yet millennials like it.. Guess what? It’s played on Sunday afternoon and even if dad can’t afford a ticket, they can go eat with dad in the parking lot.
They are a LOST cause. You can’t form a deep irrational bond with a team as an adult. .
Baseball’s beauty is in it’s detail. if you never got a chance to know it,, how can you appreciate it? Manfred can’t accept that the ONLY long-term plan that works is to walk away from some cash and allow kids access to the sport again. He better get to that conclusion quick, because once the Millennials become parents,a game passed down from generation to generation will be broken.
All he’s doing now is destroying all it’s beauty.while chasing rainbows.. .
No pace of play initiative is going to get kids interested in baseball. Baseball isn’t slow and boring unless you don’t understand it, and if you don’t play at some level or another you’re not going to understand it and watch it.
A gutsy curveball on the outside black for a called strike on a 2-0 count, is just a pointless waste of a pitch if you don’t understand the sport.
Every sport seems that way if you aren’t into it..
Bottom of the 9th, 2 outs with no one on base, and Emilio Bonifacio comes up. Wouldn’t it be better strategy to purposely strikeout so that you start the 10th with a fast runner on 2nd?
This rule is dumb.
1) I think Commissioner Manfred is doing a terrific job. 2) If you’re going to experiment with rules changes, it should certainly be with the minor leagues.
Having said that, the obvious solution is staring us in the face; 1) we have all starting pitchers on pitch counts of around 100 pitches. 2) 100 pitches will only get a starter to around the 5th, 6th or 7th inning. 3) we have way too many relievers 4) games are too long. 4) we dont have enough complete games.
So, the answer, it seems obvious enough, IS SHORTEN THE MAJOR LEAGUE GAME TO SEVEN INNINGS DURING THE REGULAR SEASON. I know what you’re thinking — that might screw with a lot of established records. But Tommy John surgery is at an all time high, games are too long, and just cutting the games by two innings will shorten them by 2/9 = 22.22% right away. That’s nearly 25% shorter.
And, you might begin to see 1) complete games again 2) six innings and a one inning close or five innings and two relievers and 3) much fewer bullpen guys getting carried on the roster.
I would certainly suggest trying THiS in the Minors.
Art Kyriazis, Molecular Biologist, Biostatistician, Sometime SABR guy
The best way to speed up the game would be to outlaw batting gloves.
I am pretty sure Manfred doesn’t actually like baseball.