Baseball changes I’d like to see

[Brad Chenoweth]

To paraphrase Crash Davis, I think there should be a constitutional amendment outlawing night baseball, the designated hitter and wild card games.

[Clifford McGuire]

I stopped following baseball some years ago. On reflection, I think it was when AB's became either HR's or K's. Mostly K's.

[Tyler Bancroft]

ON the highlight reels I get tired of watch a guy bomb a HR and his trot around the base. Show me a guy beating out a single. Show me a double play. Show me the good throw in from the field to make a play.

Triple play: Best play in baseball.

[Tyler Bancroft]

For a DH I think it should be for the catcher not the pitcher. The pitcher stands up all inning and moves around, swings his arms and body around. The catcher has to squat down unnaturally and wait for something to happen before his legs cramp up.
Bill D

I'm pretty sure the DH can replace any player in the batting order, not only the pitcher – but with all the absurd rule changes in the past decades, who knows?

IMHO, yes to the DH in the AL, no to the DH in the NL, and criminal charges should be filed against whoever came up with the free baserunner in extras.

[Thomas Wilson]

In lacrosse, players can hit each other with their sticks. I think both baseball and golf would be improved by the addition of this rule.

[Lee DeRaud]

IMHO, yes to the DH in the AL, no to the DH in the NL...

Any rationale for that? It makes about as much sense as the NFL allowing 12 men on defense in the AFC but not in the NFC, or the NBA using different 3-point lines in the the two conferences.

(Not to mention that every MLB team would play 20+ games under the 'wrong' rules.)

[Bill Dufour]

In lacrosse, players can hit each other with their sticks. I think both baseball and golf would be improved by the addition of this rule.

Hockey already allows this. Decades ago the pimps in Oakland California all carried golf clubs since even a felon can own one and there is nothing the cops can say or do about it.
Bill D

[Kev Williams]

disclaimer- I know jack-- actually I DON'T know jack, or anything else, about baseball other than the bare basics...

so-

Eliminate the DH, add a 4th outfielder (there's 4 infielders, why not 4 outfielders?), and he's the 9th batter. Pitchers just pitch.

[Stan Calow]

In the AL, the DH is can be anywhere in the batting order. It seems like it is most often an older player who can still hit, or a younger guy who's not as good a fielder to start in the field. But I think that boat has already sailed. One thing that its seems a lot of people haven't heard of, is that next year the bases are going to be larger.

Lots of tweaking and tinkering ideas, but in the end they can't change the fundamentals that make it mostly a long boring game

[Doug Garson]

Hockey already allows this. Decades ago the pimps in Oakland California all carried golf clubs since even a felon can own one and there is nothing the cops can say or do about it.
Bill D

Duh, what hockey league are you watching? Hitting your opponent with your stick is illegal and results in a penalty for slashing, high sticking, hooking or tripping.
As for baseball rules, I'd greatly limit the batter's ability to slow the game down by stepping out of the box or asking for time outs. Rather than putting a player on second base to start extra innings, how about taking one defensive player off the field? Hockey's 3 on 3 overtimes are great to watch.

[Brian Elfert]

To paraphrase Crash Davis, I think there should be a constitutional amendment outlawing night baseball, the designated hitter and wild card games.

Weekday day games all the time likely wouldn't get the same attendance or viewership as night games. I am surprised MLB still typically has at least one weekday day game per week. The finances of MLB have a changed a lot since the time when MLB stadiums didn't have lights.

[Derek Meyer]

The DH has been used in all levels of the minor leagues for a long time now. The NL was the only holdout, so it makes sense to get them on the same page. Pitchers don't practice hitting coming up because they never hit, so why should they suddenly have to learn a skill they haven't used in their pro career? Granted, I am a NL fan and I would prefer that neither league had the DH, but it still makes sense to have both leagues play by the same rules.

The ghost runner on second in extra innings is asinine and should be axed. Speeding up extra-inning games should be the least of baseball's worries.

They've tested a pitch clock in some of the minor leagues in the last few years and have had success with it, so I wouldn't be surprised if the clock makes it to the major leagues one season soon, likely in spring training first.

Also, I heard that they are testing a new method for catchers to call pitches. It's a handheld electronic signaler that lights an indicator located under the bill of the pitcher's cap. That way, the catcher doesn't have to put fingers down, there's no need for complicated signs with runners on, and the process is fast. They had at least one pitcher volunteer to try it in a minor league game, and he said the system was intuitive and easy to use. They got the hang of it fast and it made a real difference in the speed of the game. I expect this to eventually be implemented in some form as well.

I'm not sure how I feel about automatic ball/strike calls. I understand the desire for a fair system, but a lot of the hitter/pitcher dynamic involves pitch location and the catcher's ability to frame pitches. I think automatic calls would take away from a pitcher's abiltiy to "work the corners", and I'm not sure if/how the strike zone would be ajusted (or not) for different sized players; for example, should a 6 foot 7 inch Aaron Judge should have a larger strike zone than a 5 foot 8 inch Jose Altuve?

Derek

[Stan Calow]

T
Also, I heard that they are testing a new method for catchers to call pitches. It's a handheld electronic signaler that lights an indicator located under the bill of the pitcher's cap. That way, the catcher doesn't have to put fingers down, there's no need for complicated signs with runners on, and the process is fast.
Derek

Yeah, the KC Royals are already using this, and probably other teams. I just haven't been paying much attention to the other teams.

[Dave Cav]

No DH. Pitchers bat. No bullpen. Nine man roster, period. Pitcher throws his arm out, an OF goes in. That'll speed games up.

[Lee DeRaud]

No DH. Pitchers bat. No bullpen. Nine man roster, period. Pitcher throws his arm out, an OF goes in. That'll speed games up.

Eh? Out-fielders pitching and a tired pitcher in the outfield...I'm not clear how having triple-digit run totals will speed anything up.