Potential new MLB rules

[Todd4State]

1. There is talk of a universal DH in both leagues. Personally I like the fact that pitchers hit in one league and not the other but this wouldn't bother me. My idea is to let pitchers hit and have a DH- so 10 in the batting order. And let MLB teams can pick any pitcher to hit whether he is playing or not or has been subbed out.


2. There is talk of lowering the mound or moving the mound further back. Thanks Jordan Hicks, Aroldis Chapman, and Justin Verlander.** I don't really like this rule. I like watching pitchers dominate some.


3. Pitchers would have to pitch to three batters at a minimum. So- no more LOOGY throws one pitch and gets a LH hitter out and then bring in someone else. Really would change strategy- of course relief pitchers that have closer splits would be valued more than ever. I think this could lead to more intentional walks potentially. Like- have a LHP throw to a LH hitter, IWBB RH hitter and then come back and throw to a LH hitter. The main intent is to minimize pitching changes leading to shorter game times and more offense. Again- not wild about this. You should be able to use players as you see fit.

4. Expanding rosters from 25 to 26. I LIKE this. Personally I'd expand it to 28.

5. Talk about changing how service time is calculated. This NEEDS to be done. Teams are keeping good players in the minors so that they can save money down the road. Which honestly sucks for the player and the fans. See Hunter Renfroe. Like the talk here.

Basically MLB is trying to shorten games and create more offense. I say legalize steroids and let's have 1998 but now with pitchers throwing 105 MPH.

I also hope to see MLB expand to Montreal and Las Vegas.

[ckDOG]

Not a big baseball guy but rules changes are always interesting.

1) where did the talk about eliminating the shift go? Last I heard some were tossing around the idea of requiring a minimum number of players on each side of the center line. I hope it died. That's risk reward defense that can be beaten by signing versatile batters.

2) if the goal is shorter games, why not regulate how many pitches a relief guy must make in the BP before coming in and cut the on field transition from one pitcher to the other? Or is the transition time more for the benefit of the batter than it is for getting a pitcher warm? Or, regulate the amount of pitchers you can have active foe a game so there is less incentive for a LOOGY.

[Schultzy]

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/...e-play-problem

The problem has been too much time between pitches (last 25 years or so at least). The pitcher just needs to get on the mound and pitch, the hitter just needs to get his ass in the box and get ready to hit.

And the umpires need backing from the league to enforce this because there are too many human rain delays between pitches. There was a thread about this Rick Reilly article when it came out in 2011 and many in the thread panned it but I agree with it.

[Liverpooldawg]

1. There is talk of a universal DH in both leagues. Personally I like the fact that pitchers hit in one league and not the other but this wouldn't bother me. My idea is to let pitchers hit and have a DH- so 10 in the batting order. And let MLB teams can pick any pitcher to hit whether he is playing or not or has been subbed out.


2. There is talk of lowering the mound or moving the mound further back. Thanks Jordan Hicks, Aroldis Chapman, and Justin Verlander.** I don't really like this rule. I like watching pitchers dominate some.


3. Pitchers would have to pitch to three batters at a minimum. So- no more LOOGY throws one pitch and gets a LH hitter out and then bring in someone else. Really would change strategy- of course relief pitchers that have closer splits would be valued more than ever. I think this could lead to more intentional walks potentially. Like- have a LHP throw to a LH hitter, IWBB RH hitter and then come back and throw to a LH hitter. The main intent is to minimize pitching changes leading to shorter game times and more offense. Again- not wild about this. You should be able to use players as you see fit.

4. Expanding rosters from 25 to 26. I LIKE this. Personally I'd expand it to 28.

5. Talk about changing how service time is calculated. This NEEDS to be done. Teams are keeping good players in the minors so that they can save money down the road. Which honestly sucks for the player and the fans. See Hunter Renfroe. Like the talk here.

Basically MLB is trying to shorten games and create more offense. I say legalize steroids and let's have 1998 but now with pitchers throwing 105 MPH.

I also hope to see MLB expand to Montreal and Las Vegas.

The DH is a Communist plot designed to bring down America.

[Cooterpoot]

Pitchers aren’t paid to hit.

[Goldendawg]

I watch college baseball when State plays. My family, late Dad and his brothers brought me up a Cardinals fan when I was a boy in the early 60's. Spent many a summer night out in the car with them listening to them on the radio (it had the best reception). Later, as a teen, it broke my heart when they traded Ted (Simba) Simmons. I never followed them again. Was a a big A's fan when they were so wild and winning so many World Series. Quit following MLB when the salaries got so far out of hand. Will always remember the quote of Tug McGraw, when he signed his first $100K salary, "I'm gonna spend 90% of it on wine, women, and song and waste the rest." Read that in "Sports Illustrated". The Yankees during the Reggie and Catfish years were good. Haven't followed it since. Do follow State players in the league. That's it.

[Maroonthirteen]

Only rules change needs to be, DH
Both leagues. Also require pitchers to throw fastballs. Maybe a smaller strike zone. Make it a scoring game.

[Really Clark?]

Only rules change needs to be, DH
Both leagues. Also require pitchers to throw fastballs. Maybe a smaller strike zone. Make it a scoring game.

Require pitchers to throw fastballs? You mean only fastballs? If so that’s a big no and won’t ever happen. And shouldn’t. Scoring is fine and been rising the last 4 seasons

[Todd4State]

Require pitchers to throw fastballs? You mean only fastballs? If so that’s a big no and won’t ever happen. And shouldn’t. Scoring is fine and been rising the last 4 seasons

I think they want even more offense though. Just about every rule is aimed at that. Home runs did go down by about 500 last year. Not really enough to be a trend- sure. But I think MLB is wanting McGwire/Sosa/Bonds type seasons from players now that they game is "cleaned up".

[Pit Bull]

I'm old school. Pitchers gotta hit!!

[Cooterpoot]

If MLB wants high scoring games, then let them juice. Stop keeping these guys out of HOF when MLB is minipulating the game to get bigger numbers just like those guys were doing.

[MetEdDawg]

1. There is talk of a universal DH in both leagues. Personally I like the fact that pitchers hit in one league and not the other but this wouldn't bother me. My idea is to let pitchers hit and have a DH- so 10 in the batting order. And let MLB teams can pick any pitcher to hit whether he is playing or not or has been subbed out.


2. There is talk of lowering the mound or moving the mound further back. Thanks Jordan Hicks, Aroldis Chapman, and Justin Verlander.** I don't really like this rule. I like watching pitchers dominate some.


3. Pitchers would have to pitch to three batters at a minimum. So- no more LOOGY throws one pitch and gets a LH hitter out and then bring in someone else. Really would change strategy- of course relief pitchers that have closer splits would be valued more than ever. I think this could lead to more intentional walks potentially. Like- have a LHP throw to a LH hitter, IWBB RH hitter and then come back and throw to a LH hitter. The main intent is to minimize pitching changes leading to shorter game times and more offense. Again- not wild about this. You should be able to use players as you see fit.

4. Expanding rosters from 25 to 26. I LIKE this. Personally I'd expand it to 28.

5. Talk about changing how service time is calculated. This NEEDS to be done. Teams are keeping good players in the minors so that they can save money down the road. Which honestly sucks for the player and the fans. See Hunter Renfroe. Like the talk here.

Basically MLB is trying to shorten games and create more offense. I say legalize steroids and let's have 1998 but now with pitchers throwing 105 MPH.

I also hope to see MLB expand to Montreal and Las Vegas.

Things I like:

Change in service time calculation and roster expansion

Things I hate:

Lowering the mound and forcing pitchers to face 3 batters.

Things I loathe entirely

Universal DH

All of these are going to be issues though. Baseball is trying to expand to broaden the fan base. But I heard a great argument the other day. Baseball can't be both in favor of a pitch clock to try and shorten games while also being in favor of universal DH. DH on average will have around double the BA of a pitcher which will lengthen NL games.

I'm a baseball purist and always have been. Grew up playing the game and have since coached it at the high school level. I love the strategy. Bunting, having to make decision on situationally replacing your starting pitcher if they are coming up to hit in a critical mid game scenario, using bullpen guys situationally. That's what makes baseball great. But most fans don't watch sports to think. They watch sports to be entertained and for the majority of people watching sports, watching people fail 70-80% of the time in the run scoring part of the game makes it inherently not entertaining for many.

I'll be interested to see what takes hold and what doesn't.

[shoeless joe]

I love the NL style of play and the difference between that and the AL is the DH. so I wouldn’t support that change. Also, I love watching good pitching and don’t need 8-5 type games to enjoy baseball. IMO the game has gotten back to where it needs to be...30 homers means something, .320 avg is elite.

I wouldn’t mind seein some pitching change rule changes like mentioned and could do without the shift although it isn’t a deal breaker for me

[Spectre]

The main focus of MLB right now should be getting more balls in play and lessening the number of strikeouts. The fan experience is getting dull and attendance is dropping. Lower the mound!

Ban the overshift. Yes it goes against my sensibilities, I don?t care. We need more offense and BALLS IN PLAY. Lefties now essentially are HR, BB, or bust. Unfair since you have to run to first base, I doubt the shifts would be as dramatic if players had the option to run to 3B on a batted ball. You MUST have four players on the dirt (standardized dirt layouts/white line for AstroTurf) at the time the ball crosses the plate AND two must be on each side of 2B... OF can shift as normal.

The universal DH is a must. Pitchers are worse than ever at the plate and there is too much invested in them by the clubs for them to be at the plate. What if NFL teams required 2 running plays for kickers each game.

Love the expanded rosters and the idea of limiting the number of pitchers on each roster to 12.

LOVE the three batter minimum or end an inning rule. I would alter it though and allow a change IF you allow a runner to get on base. So if a pitcher comes in and strikes a guy out he has to face the next guy but if he gets on you can yank him. Excluding IBB?s of course.

[Quaoarsking]

There's no reason to ban the shift. If a batter can't do this, he deserves to be out.

[msstate7]

There's no reason to ban the shift. If a batter can't do this, he deserves to be out.

I don't wanna ban the shift; but as a braves' fan, I don't want Ronald acuna, Freddie freeman, or josh Donaldson laying down bunts... well, unless it's a must we get someone on. I wanna see sluggers slug

[The Federalist Engineer]

Too many teams is the problem. Not the game itself. It's a crazy idea but shorten the season to 100 games and have MLB1 and MLB2 where the worst 2 teams auto drop to MLB2 and 3rd and 4th play in a survival playoff

Getting dropped creates serious survival drama

[msstate7]

Too many teams is the problem. Not the game itself. It's a crazy idea but shorten the season to 100 games and have MLB1 and MLB2 where the worst 2 teams auto drop to MLB2 and 3rd and 4th play in a survival playoff

Getting dropped creates serious survival drama

I love the long season.

[MetEdDawg]

The main focus of MLB right now should be getting more balls in play and lessening the number of strikeouts. The fan experience is getting dull and attendance is dropping. Lower the mound!

Ban the overshift. Yes it goes against my sensibilities, I don?t care. We need more offense and BALLS IN PLAY. Lefties now essentially are HR, BB, or bust. Unfair since you have to run to first base, I doubt the shifts would be as dramatic if players had the option to run to 3B on a batted ball. You MUST have four players on the dirt (standardized dirt layouts/white line for AstroTurf) at the time the ball crosses the plate AND two must be on each side of 2B... OF can shift as normal.

The universal DH is a must. Pitchers are worse than ever at the plate and there is too much invested in them by the clubs for them to be at the plate. What if NFL teams required 2 running plays for kickers each game.

Love the expanded rosters and the idea of limiting the number of pitchers on each roster to 12.

LOVE the three batter minimum or end an inning rule. I would alter it though and allow a change IF you allow a runner to get on base. So if a pitcher comes in and strikes a guy out he has to face the next guy but if he gets on you can yank him. Excluding IBB?s of course.

Someone made this argument the other day on the radio. The original rules of the NFL don't require kickers to run the ball. But the original rules of baseball did require pitchers to hit until they were modified for the AL to have a DH. There's a big difference there between those two scenarios because one requires a position to do something not asked of him in the rules.

All of your rules changes you want are for one reason. Fan interest. And that's why baseball is looking at them. I personally hate them except for the roster expansion. That I'm in agreement with. But I don't like rules telling a manager how he can use his players. I think that's insane. Well coach you have to use your pitcher for 3 batters. That's like saying you can't sub out your DL on 2nd or 3rd down because he has to play at least 3 plays on a drive even though you have a better situational matchup on the bench. That to me is insane, although I do believe that there is potential room for compromise because of the situational micromanaging of some managers and throwing guys too many times in a span of days. I think mandatory rest days after a certain number of days pitching would be an alternative. But I don't like requiring someone to perform a certain number of times. That's not required in any other team sport.

[Spectre]

The sport will wither and die on its current trajectory. Three true outcomes may be the most efficient mechanism right now but it results in a boring game of standing around. It’s incentivized further by the overshift. The game will slowly fade into more obscurity without incentivizing balls in play. That’s the bottom line.

Add DH
Ban infield shifts
Ban one batter specialists
Lower mound - hell move the thing back to 61’ while we’re at it

All of these work to to produce a better product AND game. Singles should be singles not lineouts to the 2B playing 40 feet into RF.


I would also LOVE for the minor league system to somehow be transformed to a relegation type setup. Four AAA teams rise each year to the big leagues. 2 AL and 2 NL. It would revamp the entire minor league system but would expand interest in the sport all over America.