Does MLB need changing?

[Nasty_Magician]

is there a new CBA coming up soon?

No, I believe it's not until like 2018. Doesn't mean we can't get the ball rolling now.

 

[uncfan103]

-Something has to be done about the same old teams at the top every year. Tired of the Yankees, Red Sox year after year. or Giants, Phillies, all your big market teams tend to always be the only ones in the race for the WS since they are the ones with the money. You will never see the Royals and other smaller franchises getting a shot.

I stopped reading when I saw this.

 

[HammerDown]

In general, leave baseball totally alone. Don't change a thing. That'd be my first choice.

If something MUST be changed, less games. Start the season one week later and take most Mondays off. I'm talking a reduction of maybe 12 games.

But like I said, leave it alone. They'll never shorten the season.

 

[calsnowskier]

Change the length of the game from 9 innings to 7 innings?

LOL

Worse idea than the DH. And the DH was a horrible fucking idea.

 

[OregonDucks]

Change the length of the game from 9 innings to 7 innings?

LOL

Worse idea than the DH. And the DH was a horrible fucking idea.

Is it really that bad of an idea? Imagine the pitch count that would save on some of these pitchers. If the MLB wants to make money of big time pitchers this in the long run could help give a star pitcher a longer career. Gaining more money for the MLB. It could also potentially help in the MLB TV deal. Shorten a game by 2 innings, maybe you are able to get 2 games on TV in one night? Rather than just 1 game on that channel? I don't know.

But I can't recall the last time I sat down and watched an entire 9 inning baseball game. I think maybe the Indians/Marlins WS was the last time I was able to do such a thing.

 

[calsnowskier]

Is it really that bad of an idea? Imagine the pitch count that would save on some of these pitchers. If the MLB wants to make money of big time pitchers this in the long run could help give a star pitcher a longer career. Gaining more money for the MLB. It could also potentially help in the MLB TV deal. Shorten a game by 2 innings, maybe you are able to get 2 games on TV in one night? Rather than just 1 game on that channel? I don't know.

But I can't recall the last time I sat down and watched an entire 9 inning baseball game. I think maybe the Indians/Marlins WS was the last time I was able to do such a thing.

It would not reduce the pitch count at all. How many pitchers pitch past the seventh in today's game anyway?

Why not institute a t? That way no pitchers would ever blow out an arm again.

 

[HammerDown]

Is it really that bad of an idea? Imagine the pitch count that would save on some of these pitchers. If the MLB wants to make money of big time pitchers this in the long run could help give a star pitcher a longer career. Gaining more money for the MLB. It could also potentially help in the MLB TV deal. Shorten a game by 2 innings, maybe you are able to get 2 games on TV in one night? Rather than just 1 game on that channel? I don't know.

But I can't recall the last time I sat down and watched an entire 9 inning baseball game. I think maybe the Indians/Marlins WS was the last time I was able to do such a thing.

What you're saying is ludicrous.

You suggesting radical changes to this game is like me suggesting that the scoring system of soccer should be changed. If you don't watch baseball, what difference does it make to you?

 

[OregonDucks]

What you're saying is ludicrous.

You suggesting radical changes to this game is like me suggesting that the scoring system of soccer should be changed. If you don't watch baseball, what difference does it make to you?

scoring in soccer should change. aka, getting rid of the tie system. sports that end in a tie are a joke. At least baseball doesn't have ties.

How about making foul balls = strike outs. So you hit a foul ball on 2 strikes, it counts as a 3rd strike. Speed the game up.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

scoring in soccer should change. aka, getting rid of the tie system. sports that end in a tie are a joke. At least baseball doesn't have ties.

How about making foul balls = strike outs. So you hit a foul ball on 2 strikes, it counts as a 3rd strike. Speed the game up.

Awful idea. It would kill the offense and offense sells.

 

[tabascojet]

might as well put some hidden landmines in the outfield while youre at it.

 

[calsnowskier]

These are ideas from someone who does not like or understand the game.

That is fine. I am not a hockey or basketball guy. But I do not think that they should bastardized their sport so I will hate it less. I just don't watch, and let those who like those sports enjoy their thing.

 

[rmilia1]

Quickest way to speed up baseball is simply to enforce rules already in place. A strike is a pitch over the plate from the knees to the armpits. RARELY is a strike ever called above the beltbuckle. Another one is to enforce the time limit pitchers are SUPPOSED to have to throw the damn ball, seems like over 50% of pitchers now take like a minute and a half in between each pitch. Those simple changes would force batters to swing at more pitches thus speeding the game up. Also as a baseball fan it enfuriates me that we have replay but dont use it in common sense situations like plays at first, plays at home etc etc. Yeah the replay may take 30 seconds to look at but its better to get it right and the 2 minutes you spend per game looking at replay would make the fans WAYYY happier to get the call right.

 

[calsnowskier]

Quickest way to speed up baseball is simply to enforce rules already in place. A strike is a pitch over the plate from the knees to the armpits. RARELY is a strike ever called above the beltbuckle. Another one is to enforce the time limit pitchers are SUPPOSED to have to throw the damn ball, seems like over 50% of pitchers now take like a minute and a half in between each pitch. Those simple changes would force batters to swing at more pitches thus speeding the game up. Also as a baseball fan it enfuriates me that we have replay but dont use it in common sense situations like plays at first, plays at home etc etc. Yeah the replay may take 30 seconds to look at but its better to get it right and the 2 minutes you spend per game looking at replay would make the fans WAYYY happier to get the call right.

I am ok with most if this.

If the tech is there, introduce quest tech for balls/strikes. The technology may still be a few years away, though.

Add a 5th umpire, in the booth. None of this having he umps run off the field to watch the video. That is stupid.

A pitch clock is not a horrible idea. Mound visits are limited to certain time limits, as are catcher visits.

All doable changes.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

So to recap, things that I think would improve the game without radically changing it:

Pitch clock to speed up the game.

Salary cap to increase league wide competitiveness.

Possibly shortening the season by about a dozen games (2 weeks or so).

 

[calsnowskier]

So to recap, things that I think would improve the game without radically changing it:

Pitch clock to speed up the game.

Salary cap to increase league wide competitiveness.

Possibly shortening the season by about a dozen games (2 weeks or so).

Personally, I am MORE concerned with a salary floor than a salary cap. In baseball specifically, there are soooo many more ways tat money can be spent to increase a teams competitive advantage that a cap is RELATIVELY worthless. Scouting and minor league infrastructure is so much more important, IMHO.

I am not a huge fan of shortening the season, but it is not off the table for me.

 

[HammerDown]

Don't change anything. Period. Don't start tinkering with things that have worked since the Civil War.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Personally, I am MORE concerned with a salary floor than a salary cap. In baseball specifically, there are soooo many more ways tat money can be spent to increase a teams competitive advantage that a cap is RELATIVELY worthless. Scouting and minor league infrastructure is so much more important, IMHO.

I am not a huge fan of shortening the season, but it is not off the table for me.

I should've been more specific, yes salary floor would be included in that. I'm not sure the NFL does it, but I know NHL has a salary floor. It makes it so that even the bad teams are at least halfway competitive. If you can't afford to reach the cap floor maybe you don't deserve a team.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Don't change anything. Period. Don't start tinkering with things that have worked since the Civil War.

I'm not crazy about change either, but if you don't attempt to evolve you will fall behind. As it stands right now I wouldn't be shocked if soccer passes baseball in popularity in the next 15-20 years.

 

[HammerDown]

I am not a huge fan of shortening the season, but it is not off the table for me.

I agree. But the cost would have to be picked up by owners, players and ultimately, the fan. There's no way all three would agree to it.

 

[HammerDown]

I'm not crazy about change either, but if you don't attempt to evolve you will fall behind. As it stands right now I wouldn't be shocked if soccer passes baseball in popularity in the next 15-20 years.

In the US? Never. Unless we're invaded by Mexico. Soccer will never even be as popular as hockey in the US because the scoring system is too flawed and there's a very limited base of interest here, relatively.