Worst Rule Change Ever

[Yah Mule]

Lenny Melnick had some easy time-savers that wouldn't harm things

1) Elimiate the actual toss of 4 calls for an IBB - Sure that takes out the Kelly leak chance but we get one what every 5 years
2) Home run; no need to run all the bases

I saw Joe Ferguson step all the way across home plate to dunk a ball into right field for the game winner while being intentionally passed. The Giants went nuts, but I think the umpires had a plane to catch because they let it go.

[Yah Mule]

The more I think about this, the thing that bothers me the most is the way MLB keeps shooting themselves in the foot. Want to attract younger fans? Stop spending every off season pitching different ideas to "speed up the game". All they're accomplishing is giving the impression that baseball games are too long and even the guys running the league think so.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Lenny Melnick had some easy time-savers that wouldn't harm things

1) Elimiate the actual toss of 4 calls for an IBB - Sure that takes out the Kelly leak chance but we get one what every 5 years
2) Home run; no need to run all the bases

Both, slow pitch softball rules, along with the international tie-breaker.
We don't want to make baseball, softball.

They have to be smart about rule changes. Fans enjoy watching a player round the bases after a home run. Especially, the home crowd as he makes his way around the bases, they cheer.
Fun at the 'ol ball game!

The time that needs to be shaved effects Managers, infielders, catchers, and pitchers.
Managers are limited to one trip per inning at 30 seconds.
This has taken away one stalling tactic to get a pitcher warmed in the bullpen. The reaction from these Managers is to have infielders and the catchers visit the mound more often. Reality is that the time countdown has done little to trim time from games.
There's nothing that an infielder can tell a pitcher that he can't yell or signal from his position.
For instance, the first baseman can signal that he's playing back. Shortstop and second base signal who receives the ball on a double play, etc...
The first rule I would make is that an infielder cannot visit a pitcher on the mound unless accompanied by the catcher or Manager. He also cannot call time to converse with the pitcher.
The penalty would be a ball on the batter.

The catcher should be limited in visits to the mound. One visit per pitcher per inning would be a good start.
More, would result in a ball.
Visits to the mound are boring and painful for fans. Most have little purpose.
"Settle down a professional pitcher"?
Please.

Tim McCarver called time on his way to visit with Bob Gibson.
Gibson yelled at McCarver before getting halfway to the mound. "Go back to catching! There ain't nothing you can tell me that I don't already know!"
Gibson was hard on McCarver. BUT, he knew who the pitcher was and who the catcher was.
Here is another Gibson gem once McCarver reached the mound during a game.
“Timmy, the only thing you know about pitching is that you can’t hit it.”

The folks running Major League Baseball should feel the same way about catchers and visits to the mound.

[Deadheadz]

2) Home run; no need to run all the bases

Would David Ortiz un-retire if he found out you wouldn't have to run the bases?

[DOUGHBOYS]

Thinking ahead, if mound meetings are all but eliminated, there is still another way to stall for a bullpen arm to get ready in the bullpen.
That would be throwing over to first base continuously.
Setting my tradition cap aside (hard to do), limiting pick off throws to first base may add an exciting element to the game.

Let's say that Billy Hamilton is on against RA Dickey, a pitcher hard to run on.
Now, Hamilton takes a lead and Dickey throws over, and over, and over.
What if we put a pickoff limit of two pickoff throws for as long as that runner is on base?
Now, Dickey will only throw over only when needed.
No longer is there the time wasting of a 'I know you're there' pickoff.
Each pickoff would have to be designed to nab the runner.
And if Dickey uses the two pickoff attempts without nabbing Hamilton, the excitement builds in the park.
Now, for every unsuccessful pickoff attempt, a ball will be called on the current batter.
Instead of booing pickoff attempts, the crowd may be cheering, especially after two attempts.

It's untraditional, I know.
But traditionalists have to make concessions in order to make for a more timely and exciting game.

[Baseball Furies]

Ask NASCAR how all of the rule changes and track configuration changes worked out. Too much effort put into trying to get younger, more affluent people to stick around.

Yeah, only problem is, NASCAR is not a sport as much as they like to pretend to be.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

Thinking ahead, if mound meetings are all but eliminated, there is still another way to stall for a bullpen arm to get ready in the bullpen.
That would be throwing over to first base continuously.
Setting my tradition cap aside (hard to do), limiting pick off throws to first base may add an exciting element to the game.

Let's say that Billy Hamilton is on against RA Dickey, a pitcher hard to run on.
Now, Hamilton takes a lead and Dickey throws over, and over, and over.
What if we put a pickoff limit of two pickoff throws for as long as that runner is on base?
Now, Dickey will only throw over only when needed.
No longer is there the time wasting of a 'I know you're there' pickoff.
Each pickoff would have to be designed to nab the runner.
And if Dickey uses the two pickoff attempts without nabbing Hamilton, the excitement builds in the park.
Now, for every unsuccessful pickoff attempt, a ball will be called on the current batter.
Instead of booing pickoff attempts, the crowd may be cheering, especially after two attempts.

It's untraditional, I know.
But traditionalists have to make concessions in order to make for a more timely and exciting game.

That's a good idea.

[converge241]

Lenny Melnick had some easy time-savers that wouldn't harm things

1) Elimiate the actual toss of 4 calls for an IBB - Sure that takes out the Kelly leak chance but we get one what every 5 years
2) Home run; no need to run all the bases

I saw Joe Ferguson step all the way across home plate to dunk a ball into right field for the game winner while being intentionally passed. The Giants went nuts, but I think the umpires had a plane to catch because they let it go.

I remember an awesome Miggy Cabrera one

[Yah Mule]

No, this would be the worst rule change ever. It's being reported that MLB owners have discussed the harebrained idea of allowing the team that's trailing to use any three hitters they want to lead off the ninth inning. Say you're a pitcher and you retired Judge, Stanton and Sanchez in the eighth inning. Aaron Boone can make you face them all again in the very next inning. Watch someone lose a no hitter/perfect game behind this weak pandering bullshit.

“Best argument is that no other sport has its best players sitting on the bench in the final minutes of the game. Imagine LeBron, Tom Brady, or Sidney Crosby or Ronaldo watching on the sideline.”

I think that argument sucks. I don't get the continuing identity crisis from the people running this game right now.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/02/21/ ... g-batters/

[Bjs2025]

No, this would be the worst rule change ever. It's being reported that MLB owners have discussed the harebrained idea of allowing the team that's trailing to use any three hitters they want to lead off the ninth inning. Say you're a pitcher and you retired Judge, Stanton and Sanchez in the eighth inning. Aaron Boone can make you face them all again in the very next inning. Watch someone lose a no hitter/perfect game behind this weak pandering bullshit.

“Best argument is that no other sport has its best players sitting on the bench in the final minutes of the game. Imagine LeBron, Tom Brady, or Sidney Crosby or Ronaldo watching on the sideline.”

I think that argument sucks. I don't get the continuing identity crisis from the people running this game right now.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/02/21/ ... g-batters/

While I hate this proposition also and frankly would like to tell people who don't already love the game to F Off and not watch anyway...if we still want baseball around and thriving they do need to appeal to a new generation. Not everyone on earth is like us. What I really don't understand is how is shaving off 5-10 minutes from the average game making any kind of impact? I think that's a crazy notion. Maybe if games only took 2 hours but making any changes that would incur that kind of time would include 7 inning games.

I don't really agree with the above comment in relation to no hitters. One off, lucky nights for "the history books" don't really mean much to me.

[traebb]

That gap tooth dumba$$ is dead set on ruining baseball - neck and neck with Goodell as the worst Commissioner in sports.

This is little league bs, almost unbelievable any could be that stupid to institute this rule.