What would you do if you were commissioner?

[Jehrico]

I stole this idea from Toupeeonfire in another thread (thanks, toup...). He posted what he would do if he were commissioner, and I thought this would be a basis for it's own thread.

 

Anyways, if I were comissioner, I would change a few things...

 

1) I'd do away with the DH! That would be my first 5 minutes in office.

2) I'd see to it that instigators are punished more than retaliators.

3) No more body armor...you either play with the same gear everyone else has, or you don't play at all.

4) No more all-star game for home field advantage in the WS rule

 

 

What would you guys like to see changed?

[soccer10k]

I would cancel the season and award the Cubs the World Series.

[CubRock2]

I agree with the Armor and AS game rules.

 

I like the DH in the AL. I think it's fun to watch something different, but I certainly don't want it in the NL. I like how the two styles of play have developed.

 

I really wouldn't do much. I think commissioners who go into the position with an agenda simply piss people off and screw things off (a lot like Presidents!). The biggest part of it is reacting to and solving problems. I'd just do that, and I'd be good at it, too. :lol:

[CubRock2]

I would cancel the season and award the Cubs the World Series.

 

Nah! It's be much more fun to beat the Cards in the NLCS and the White Sox in the WS!

[soccer10k]

I agree with the Armor and AS game rules.

 

I like the DH in the AL. I think it's fun to watch something different, but I certainly don't want it in the NL. I like how the two styles of play have developed.

 

I really wouldn't do much. I think commissioners who go into the position with an agenda simply piss people off and screw things off (a lot like Presidents!). The biggest part of it is reacting to and solving problems. I'd just do that, and I'd be good at it, too. :lol:

 

Definately change the All Star Game.

 

I would also ban Barry Bonds from baseball forever. Pete Rose style

[srbin84]

I agree with the Armor and AS game rules.

 

I like the DH in the AL. I think it's fun to watch something different, but I certainly don't want it in the NL. I like how the two styles of play have developed.

 

I really wouldn't do much. I think commissioners who go into the position with an agenda simply piss people off and screw things off (a lot like Presidents!). The biggest part of it is reacting to and solving problems. I'd just do that, and I'd be good at it, too. :lol:

 

Definately change the All Star Game.

 

I would also ban Barry Bonds from baseball forever. Pete Rose style

 

I would do it when he is one away from Ruth.

[daske17]

Just from my own petty Cub fan perspective:

 

1. Realign the divisions so that the Cubs, Royals, Pirates, Devil Rays and Rockies are in the same division.

2. Ban Albert Pujols from the game.

3. Relocate the White Sox to Omaha.

4. Institute a rule that at least one Yankees player must be beaned every game.

5. Keep Mark Prior and Kerry Wood in hermetically sealed packages from the end of the season to spring training.

[Jehrico]

I agree with the Armor and AS game rules.

 

I like the DH in the AL. I think it's fun to watch something different, but I certainly don't want it in the NL. I like how the two styles of play have developed.

 

I really wouldn't do much. I think commissioners who go into the position with an agenda simply piss people off and screw things off (a lot like Presidents!). The biggest part of it is reacting to and solving problems. I'd just do that, and I'd be good at it, too. :lol:

 

I would really have to disagree. If someone doesn't have any ideas on how to move the game forward or improve the league, they shouldn't be there. Reacting to problems rather than being proactive is why Baseball has the whole steroids controversy...they waited until they were reacting to the scandal, rather than being proactive and instituting the same policy used by the World Anti-Doping Agency (or whatever you call it...) 10 years ago like they should have.

[rocket]

1. either get rid of the dh entirely, or make the nl adopt the dh. preferably get rid of the dh, but it's really stupid that both leagues have different rules.

 

2. have a salary cap and a salary minimum.

 

3. no more interleague play

 

4. managers and coaches don't have to wear the team's uniform.

[Jehrico]

I agree with the Armor and AS game rules.

 

I like the DH in the AL. I think it's fun to watch something different, but I certainly don't want it in the NL. I like how the two styles of play have developed.

 

I really wouldn't do much. I think commissioners who go into the position with an agenda simply piss people off and screw things off (a lot like Presidents!). The biggest part of it is reacting to and solving problems. I'd just do that, and I'd be good at it, too. :lol:

 

Definately change the All Star Game.

 

I would also ban Barry Bonds from baseball forever. Pete Rose style

 

I would do it when he is one away from Ruth.

 

That got me thinking...I'd make a 5th change...I'd force the umps to use a strike zone that gives the pitchers back the inside part of the plate. That, coupled with the body armor, would force Bonds to not stand on top of the plate. He'd lose his uncompetitive advantage that he has somehow accrued over the years.

[USSoccer]

-instant replay for disputed home runs

-playoff games have to be played without days off in between.

-rocket's idea about coaches and their uniforms

-home field in the ws goes to the team with the best reg season record

-wbc played every 4 years in november

-salary cap and floor based on 3 year averages (which would allow teams to rebuild with youth)

[ToupeeOnFire]

A few ideas...

 

1 - I would contract both the White Sox and Cardinals.

 

2 - I would move the Florida Marlins to Roswell, NM. and build the world's first underground major league stadium.

 

3 - I would spearhead numerous intiatives and adopt many resolutions.

 

4 - To keep out unruly fans from interupting play on the field, I'd require every major league stadium to build a moat surrounding the field, filled with either the flesh-consuming aquatic carnivore of the team's choice or sulfuric acid

 

5 - Four words: ten cent beer nights.

 

6 - Four more words: Joe Morgan, you're fired!

 

Seriously though...

 

I'd balance the schedules and get rid of interleague play.

 

Institute some kind of instant replay.

 

Ban the DH.

 

Major league all-star game...this time it doesn't count! It'd be back to being just a meaningless exhibition game for the fans. The team with the best record gets home field advantage in the WS.

 

Get rid of the minor league farm system. I would set up a soccer-like divisional structure (like the Premier league, etc.). There would be no "minor leagues" per se, but any city that wanted a team playing competitive baseball (and could support it) would have it. No more big market/small market fuss and no more teams holding cities and locales hostage.

 

...and I'd fire Joe Morgan (or make ESPN fire him, under threat of losing its television contract).

[AllStarMe]

I would

-bring in instant replay (i know it's already been mentioned) to be used SPARINGLY, not more than 2x per game, and only on issues of safe/out, fair/foul, catch/trap, and NOT on strikes and balls.

 

-implement a salary cap, and HOPEFULLY lower ticket prices on a wide scale. I don't know how much power the commish has on individual teams' tix prices, but for a family to see a game, it's freakin ridiculous. Perhaps prohibit teams from selling to brokering agencies?

 

-I would disallow ANY player to EVER become injured. I think players would think twice before getting hurt if there was a courageous new policy banning injuries across the board.

 

-Then, I would ban any player/coach for life whose name sounds even the least bit offensive to promote a family friendly atmosphere. Among the first to go would be the cardinals 1B and the braves manager. Also 1B Prince Fielder, and pitchers Ray King, Jason Marquis, and Zach Duke, because here in AMERICA we don't subscribe to an antiquated system of hegemony imposed by royalty or serf-owning aristocracy. That just ain't right.

[AllStarMe]

Also, TOF I like your moat idea. I think you should run with that. Maybe a pit of spikes a la Mortal Kombat?

 

Also, random trapdoors in foul territory that would open when defenders step on them would an exciting new dimension to the game.

 

How bout we allow each starting pitcher to throw one hollow, candy-filled pinata ball per game. Should the batter make contact, a brief timeout would be called while underprivelaged children scamper onto the field to collect some sweet treats.

[seanimal]

1) Eliminate the DH. I would do this for several reasons. It was first instituted to make the American League more competetive with the National League. Well now it has, and is sucking a lot of good players out of the NL. The American League is essentially an pre-retirement for old power hitters who have no business being in the game if they can no longer toil on both sides of the ball. Plus, playing with designated hitters is not baseball. Baseball is this awesome game where everyone who plays the field bats as well, and vice-versa.

 

2) Bring youth baseball back into the cities. There are a lot of bad ways to spend money, but I don't think building serviceable fields and supplying economically disadvantaged youths with the equipment required of the game of baseball is one of them. Getting major league players and coaches to run clinics is a great idea as well.

 

3) Ban body armor and any and all substances that could allow for an unfair advantage. I'd call this the McGwire/Bonds rule.

 

4) Pressure the little leagues, high school, and college ball to stop using aluminum bats. Aluminum bats instill a false sense of confidence and teach kids bad habits, like trying to always hit home runs.

 

5) Make the All-Star game matter, but in a different way. Get rid of the Home Field advantage rule, but include incentives for players and managers. If say, the winner gets a bag of cash for winning, then I'd bet the farm they'd be playing to win. The All-Star game should not be a good-player-free-for-all, it should be a game where the very best players from each league square off.

 

That's all I can think of right now.

 

1st post.

[seanimal]

I would also not use instant replay. The human element is one of the things that makes baseball unique. Besides, what good are umps unless you can blame your team's loss on them?

[FadeToBolivia]

Welcome

[Sabermetrician]

make high socks mandatory

[GlassCow]

Just from my own petty Cub fan perspective:

 

1. Realign the divisions so that the Cubs, Royals, Pirates, Devil Rays and Rockies are in the same division.

2. Ban Albert Pujols from the game.

3. Relocate the White Sox to Omaha.

4. Institute a rule that at least one Yankees player must be beaned every game.

5. Keep Mark Prior and Kerry Wood in hermetically sealed packages from the end of the season to spring training.

 

We don't want them.

[seanimal]

make high socks mandatory

 

I second that.

 

Perhaps caps under the batting helmets as well.

 

And no goalie masks for catchers.

[CubinNY]

Ban the bunt.

 

Put curbs on the infield grass down the first base line so players can't run out of the base paths.

 

Make all weekend games day games

 

Contract the Marlins and give back Willis to the Cubs. And give the Cubs Caberera, Jermiy Herredia, and Hanlley Rameriz.

[reversethecurse]

I would throw Rafael Furcal in jail for assaulting Derrek Lee.