What I Would Change About Baseball
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has formed the “Special Committee for On-Field Matters”, to review today’s version of baseball and decide if changes are needed. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that changes are needed. If I were on the committee (for some reason, Selig overlooked me when he selected the members) these are the things I would propose:
1. Get rid of the players’ union
Why do guys making millions of dollars a year, who also have agents, need a union? They don’t. The reality of the situation is that the union stands in the way of any proposed improvements to the game. We’ll never be able to make real changes as long as they have the power they do.
2. Get rid of the Designated Hitter
The DH rule has divided baseball for too long. Guys who can’t play defense shouldn’t be making the money that American League teams are paying their DH’s. One of the most important talents that a National League manager needs to have is to be able to know when to let his pitcher bat, and when to pull him for a pinch hitter. Old guys with bad legs should not be playing the game.
3. Institute a Salary Cap
It’s just not fair that teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, who have plenty of money because of where they play, have an advantage simply because they can essentially buy an all-star caliber team. This would also neutralize the agents like Scott Boras who have done serious harm to the game. The NHL did it, and the MLB could too. It would force teams to be inventive with their players, and reinstitute some team loyalty, which the sport really needs.
4. Stop allowing players to step out of the batters box between pitches, and enforce a time limit for pitchers to deliver a pitch
A nine inning game should not take 4 hours. Minor Leagues and the Grapefruit league have experimented with a rule that batters must stay in the batter’s box between pitches. They shortened the game considerably. There’s already a rule regarding how long a pitcher has to deliver the ball. Enforce it.
5. Enforce the rules
Umpires should not be given latitude in enforcing rules. The rules are there for a reason. The umpires are there for a reason – to enforce the rules. They are not there to influence the outcome of the game because they personally don’t like a rule. There should be no “neighborhood” play at second base. The rule says the second baseman must tag the base before throwing to first to get a double play. There is no option mentioned in the rules.
6. Expand Instant Replay
This is related to the previous point. The strike zone is clearly defined in the rule book. The technology exists today to enforce a consistent strike zone. We see it on every TV broadcast. No umpire should have the ability toaffect the game because he happens to dislike a player’s attitude, or because he’s feeling generous. For close plays at the bases, allow the play to be reviewed. For those that say it will add too much time to the game, consider the time spent by managers arguing with the umpire. Adding an off-field umpire to review replays and enforce the strike zone would most likely not add any time to the game.
I know I’m dreaming. None of these things are likely to happen. But I can dream, can’t I?
I agree with 1-5. I disagree on the instant replay. I would like to see them take instant replay out of sports altogether! Keep technology out of it. Technology already permeates our lives way beyond what is good for us. I believe keeping some things strictly managed by the human factor is better and frankly gives us things to jaw about! On balance, however, I know I am dreaming too.