If you thought instant replay was bad you may want to dust
off your pitchforks and get ready to protest like the end of the world is
coming, because you know… change, because change may be coming to Major League
Baseball.
Major League Baseball is at least discussing and considering
two possibilities that will forever change the game as we know it. First the
league is considering implementing a clock to the game in order to help with
the ever-growing pace of play issue while another idea will affect free
baseball and extra innings. Commissioner Rob Manfred has confirmed that the
notion of starting an inning with a runner on second base, you know… just
because, is also being discussed and could be tested in the very near future.
Tug at my heart why don’t you. The World Baseball Classic
will employ the whole “start the inning with a runner on second base” rule
starting in the 11th inning this year while two rookie-level summer
leagues will also begin every extra inning of baseball this season with a
runner on second.
I mean, I get it. You don’t want pitchers taxing their arms
any more than you have to and it saves the subsequent roster shuffling for the
next week or so that the fans absolutely cannot be a fan of but this is imply
going too far if you ask me. If MLB is trying to go for that whole “sudden
death” feel much like the College Football overtime system is made I think they
can do much better than this, no? I don’t know why but this just doesn’t feel
right to me. It feels like something you would do in Little League or in the
park with your friends, not at the Major League level…. Maybe it’s just me.
Just an FYI for you all. MLB’s television ratings actually
go up when games go into extra innings. Also their advertising dollars and such
are made on a nine-inning game. Would they not be making extra money if the
game goes into extras? Would the teams not be making extra concessions money if
the game goes into extras? I get the whole saving the pitchers arms things but
why can’t you change another rule? Like a case-by-case basis where a player
doesn’t have to stay down for 10 days after being called up and sent down in
the case of an 11+ inning game the night before? Don’t put a damn runner at
second base and turn this into Rock’em Sock’em Baseball.
Please?
