Baseball Rules Ain’t All Perfect
Tom Brennan here.
Baseball has 7 billion rules currently, give or take a few.
What rules changes would you like to see?
I’d like 3 changes:
1) Increase rosters by one spot, to 27, but it has to be an extra hitter. Why?
- Because teams had 15 hitters in my first 30+ years as a Mets fan. Now they have 13.
- Reduce underemployment- raise it from 13 to 14. Give more guys a good job.
2) Start runners in extra innings for the 10th and 11th inning at FIRST BASE, not second.
- If it goes to the 12th inning, THEN start guys at second base.
3) If you bean someone, the batter and any base runners automatically score. And it you hit a guy and he goes on the IL, due to that injury (think Marte September 2021, Pete June 2022), you (the pitcher) get suspended without pay for 7 games.
Do you agree? Disagree?
What are your rule change requests?
Happy Quattro de Mayo.
Love it Tom and really don't have anything more to add or subtract. Baty last night had a game now hopefully this will start his HOF career as I can dream can't I. I live in Sarasota and have been to "The Trop" what an ugly ballpark and their trying to replace it but nothing yet. Glad their moving Houser to the pen because far to often in the past they'd push this to try and rectify a bad signing so times have changed. Looking forward to the Scott debut today and what could be better than saying "Great Scott" every 5 days. I know he won't be up for long now but hey you never know. The Fish are in a complete tear down and can't even imagine how bad attendance is so how do they expect to pay for that stadium? Really sad situation down there.
ReplyDeleteIf batters swing hits catcher, automatic ejection.
ReplyDelete1. I would accept the increase in rosters as you have outlined.
ReplyDelete2. If there are changes in the runners on base in extra innings - do away with it.
3. The pitch clock - I believe the pitch clock can put too much pressure on the pitchers leading to too many injuries.
4. Hitting a batter and beaning a batter are two different things in my opinion. I believe that batters getting hit occasionally is all part of the game. Not every pitcher can throw like Greg Maddox. Intentionally hitting a batter or beaning a batter should have a large consequence much larger than a seven-day suspension without pay. Seven days really does not affect the team: just pushes the pitchers start back a day or two. How about 30 days for the first offense. Problem - what is intentional and what is accidental?
Gary, can we play all our games against the Marlins right now, and get back in it?
ReplyDeleteI've driven by Trop Stadium, never went in. Odd looking arena
ReplyDeleteRay, I think Alvarez was hit once on a swing, but he was way far up. If catcher is where he is supposed to be, I agree. But it would have to be all the batter's fault.
ReplyDeleteGood morning guys. My pet peeve for years is how catchers use their shin guards to guard the plate. I equate it to fighting a hockey goaltender that’s all decked out in padding. That Francisco Lindor play was very reminiscent of AJ Pierzynski breaking Wilmer Flores’ jaw and then retiring and passing out cigars. The biggest a-hole I ever saw; no wonder no one liked him and Michael Barrett pancaked him. This you can go into the baseline to get the throw has to go. The base runner has the same rights you have. Figure it out. Then, blocking the plate once you get the ball? No. Setup higher and give A FCKING LANE! Once the base runner commits to sliding to protect your ass, what do you want them to do? I would love to see a cat her totally flattened soon to wake the rest of them up. They have gotten way too comfortable with that “Buster Posey Rule”.
ReplyDeleteOther rules include if you foul off three pitches after the getting to two strikes, you’re out. Seeing scrubs flick pitches is annoying. Put it in play or let the next guy get a turn. You’re getting five strikes…
Anything should be reviewable. You have one challenge, what ever you choose to debate should be debatable.
Lastly, I’d like to see a microchip installed in the baseball so on replays we can follow it easier.
Ray, I like that comment about backswings hitting catchers. That’s negligence and setting up outside the back line. Which is another pet peeve… what’s with erasing the back line?
ReplyDeleteGus, interesting points. I'd set that automatic out after 4 or 5 fouls after 0-2, not 3, as there are too many Ks already. But it would prevent 12 pitch at bats.
ReplyDeleteLane to plate s/b fixed - it cost Alonso the tying run the other day.
I especially like at least one review a game for anything currently not reviewable - I'd even welcome 2. Some key punch outs on balls off the plate could be challenged, for one thing.
Steve, I would leave the extra runner on base just to avoid too many extra innings, to protect pitchers' arms. But I think a guy on 2nd almost is like a sudden death shoot out. That I don't like.
ReplyDeleteI added in the IL thing, because pitchers can "accidentally" try to take hitters out. Last year's injury to Alonso in early June? He was screwed up for 6 weeks and it cost the Mets the Wild Card and the team was blown up. Was it accidental? I wonder.
The year before, with Atlanta bearing down on the Mets, Marte was hit just like Alonso was - a boring-in, "accidental" fastball that broke his hand - and was just enough to cost the Mets the Division.
Suspend the pitcher 7 days without pay. That'll stop quick. Of course, replay would have to come into play. If it showed the hitters was virtually in the strike zone, then the pitcher should get a pass on suspension.
1. If a player leaves the dugout with an on the field fight, automatic ejection and suspended one game. If you leave the bullpen, automatic ejection and 3 games suspension.
ReplyDelete2. Allow 30 players on roster but only allow 24 for a game. That way you can remove a starting pitcher from your day line up since you can't use him anyways if he pitched the previous days or scheduled to pitch the next day. Now you are down to 26. Then if you aren't going to use a reliever because they have pitched 3 straight days, you don't have to call one up from the minors to pitch for a day or two and be sent back. Maybe make it 16 field players and 14 pitchers as the limit.