What MLB rules should be changed?

[bukie]

ESPN is doing a series on "MLB 2.0", suggesting overhauls for if baseball was rebooted today. Suggestions include mandatory netting from dugout to dugout (which should be done anyway and would be easy), shortened mound visits (easy to do anyway), automatic strike zones (should be done yesterday), and elimination of the save statistic (a good idea, but for the wrong reasons thanks to Jayson Stark), which got me thinking...what five changes would you make to make baseball better? Here are my five:

 

1) Automated balls and strikes. The mere idea that people are tracking a statistic to show how good catchers are at cheating the rules should be evidence enough that this needs to be done. Give everyone the same strike zone at all times. Why is this so hard to enforce?

 

2) Put the DH in both leagues. I'm an NL purist as much as the next guy, but the rules need to be the same in both leagues as long as interleague games are a thing. Pitchers have too many injury risks to deal with already without being concerned about being beaned or injured on the basepaths (and having Dusty keep you in the game anyway). The only real difference in strategy is that the all-hit, no field player you keep around for PH duties gets to bat more often. Also, it allows managers to give everyday players a day off in the field but still keep their bat in the lineup.

 

3) Enforce time limits between pitches and innings, and limit time on mound visits and pitching changes. Nothing slows down the game like 3 pitching changes in an inning, so as long as one-out-guys are going to be a thing, make them get a move on when getting in the game. Strides towards removing slowdowns were made last year, and they need to keep going.

 

4) Eliminate pitcher wins, holds, and saves as collected statistics. Holds are pretty meaningless anyway, but wins and saves are the only stats in any sport that regularly control manager usage of players. Wins are beyond meaningless as an individual statistic, and people are finally starting to catch on to this fact.

 

5) Make it illegal for managers to leave the dugout...and don't force them to wear uniforms. Yes, the manager tirades can be fun, but for the most part it's stupid and holds up the game for 10+ minutes. If coaches in every other sport can stay off the field (except in Pittsburgh) then baseball coaches can manage as well.

[seanimal]

1) automated balls/strikes

2) hybrid dh

 

nothing else seems compelling to me at the moment

[Andy]

I love baseball the way it is. If anything, I'd enforce a hard 45 second limit on replay decisions. If you don't see anything in 45 seconds to overturn a call, it automatically stands.

[Sammy Sofa]

As dumb as managers and coaches in uniforms are, they'd look even more dumb wearing anything else. Just slap a hoodie over their guts and they look fine.

[Cubswin11]

- Netting extended to past the dugouts down the line

 

- DH in both leagues

 

- Automated strike zone

 

- Expand the roster to 26 or 27

 

- Move the trade deadline back to the 3rd week of August or so

 

- Allow draft picks to be traded inside the top 20, including day of the draft

 

- Get rid of the Cardinals getting a competitive balance pick

 

- Go back to old draft rules of allowing unlimited budgets/spending

 

- Start researching HGH and other types of PEDs to see if they are safe/have minimal long-term effects and allow them and monitor usage if they are deemed safe (at least for players recovering from injuries/surgeries while they are on the DL)

 

- The play in games include the 2 teams with the worst regular season records, not automatically the 2 WC teams

 

- World Series home field advantage is given to the team with the best regular season record

 

- More strict ruling on take out slides at 2B, idk exactly how to enforce this or what the punishments/fines should be, but need to clean up guys egregiously sliding dirty in to 2B nowhere close to the bag

[Derwood]

Just get rid of all competitive balance picks

[jersey cubs fan]

runs the bases clockwise

[rocket]

runs the bases clockwise

 

that's how they do it in the australian leagues

[David]

runs the bases clockwise

 

that's how they do it in the australian leagues

 

it's called the Coriolis effect

[Andy]

Just get rid of all competitive balance picks

This, and I like getting rid of draft caps/tying draft funds to place in standings. There are plenty of incentives to go full Astros and punt seasons as it is and MLB needn't be creating more.

[Tim]

Get rid of teams having to give up a pick to sign a free agent. Let the team he's leaving get compensation, but don't screw over the FA's because they turned down one year offers from their old teams.

[NonProfitCow]

Just get rid of all competitive balance picks

This, and I like getting rid of draft caps/tying draft funds to place in standings. There are plenty of incentives to go full Astros and punt seasons as it is and MLB needn't be creating more.

That's pretty funny.

[Tim]

Just get rid of all competitive balance picks

This, and I like getting rid of draft caps/tying draft funds to place in standings. There are plenty of incentives to go full Astros and punt seasons as it is and MLB needn't be creating more.

That's pretty funny.

:blush:

[Andy]

Just get rid of all competitive balance picks

This, and I like getting rid of draft caps/tying draft funds to place in standings. There are plenty of incentives to go full Astros and punt seasons as it is and MLB needn't be creating more.

That's pretty funny.

The only reason I didn't say Cubs (and any reader of this board knows I did my share of pissing and moaning about the 2012-14 seasons) is because they at least had decent-size payrolls. Houston's payroll was ludicrous for a couple of years there.

[Sammy Sofa]

So the Astros were just smarter when it came to punting.

 

DAMN YOU, RICKETTS.

[SouthSideRyan]

runs the bases clockwise

 

2nd-3rd-1st-home

[Sammy Sofa]

http://karamaxjoe.webs.com/Garr,%20Orioles.bmp

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Holy hell, that's hideous.

[treebird]

I WANT TO SEE SCHWARBER IN THE SHORTS

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I WANT TO SEE SCHWARBER IN THE SHORTS

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XE8IyBu8hMo/UhjXnVDGLPI/AAAAAAAAAAo/QdGxPJIF8Rw/s320/fat+guy+skinny+legs.jpg

[treebird]

I WANT TO SEE SCHWARBER IN THE SHORTS

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XE8IyBu8hMo/UhjXnVDGLPI/AAAAAAAAAAo/QdGxPJIF8Rw/s320/fat+guy+skinny+legs.jpg

 

thas not real

[Ding Dong Johnson]

It has to be. I got it from the internet.

[Banedon]

[Thusly Boned]

 

It's inevitable at this point, so they might as well stop pussyfooting around and just get it done, especially with a new CBA coming up.

[Cubswin11]

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Mr-Burns-Saying-Excellent.gif