Formal Proposal Changes from Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball made formal proposals to make changes in the strike zone, the intentional walk and extra innings changes.
These proposals are intended to speed up for those who consider baseball a slow sport.
MLB is bound to issue any changes to the players association and cannot be implemented without the approval of the players` union. One proposed change is to raise the strike zone to the top of knee about two inches above the strike zone now in effect.
The reason given is the umpires have been calling strikes below the knees with too many borderline calls that need to shift back to an easier dependent strike zone. Some argue the strike zone should cover the letters across the chest because the pitch is in a swing and hit zone.
The low strike at the knees and the letter strike will force hitters to swing more and put balls in play instead of cheap walks. An increase in game pace is needed by putting these minor changes to test on the field. However, players and managers will proclaim a walk is as good as a hit and they have a valid point. There will still be walks and slow pace at times which is the nature of the game. Baseball is not a game of fast action but works well at a slower pace than other sports.
The intentional walk proposed change would eliminate the pitcher throwing four easy pitches outside the strike zone. A team could simply show a sign to the umpire they want to walk the batter. Would this eliminate the time it takes to throw four pitches ?
It seems minimal at best and why change tradition for something that takes less than one minute to accomplish.
A significant proposal to eliminate those long extra inning games will be tested in minor league games. When a game is tied after nine innings, the extra innings will start with a runner at second base with no outs. The away team will lead off the tenth inning with a runner in scoring position at second base. The strategy will change to moving that runner to score a run and more if possible.
Do they bunt him over to third base and play for the sacrifice fly or hit away depending on the batting order. A good position for teams to break the tie and shorten the game. The away team could strand the runner and not score. The home team starts the bottom of the tenth inning with a runner at second base. The game will continue in extra innings until the last out in the bottom of a deciding inning. But to start each inning with the extra runner is a rule change in favor of a possible quicker game result.
Extra inning games are the real reason for the long drawn out time period to reach a conclusion. A little extra advantage for each extra inning will help the game. Baseball is the only major sports without a time clock. Waiting for that last out can be exhausting for the fans (if they don`t leave) and the players who get worn out.
Extra inning games are common every week all over the league and are slowed down by multiple pitching changes and other factors.
The baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is not trying to alter the game but implement some minor changes to increase the pace of play. Major League Baseball needs to show their formal proposal changes are not changing tradition but adapting to faster and better athletes of today.
