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What Changes Would You Make to Make MLB Better?
1985fan
Posts: 1,952 ✭✭
in Sports Talk
I have been a fan of baseball for seemingly forever, and there are so many issues around the game that need addressing to help the sport come back to national prominence. As it stands now, baseball is losing attendance at a record clip, already down this year 1.3 million over last year through and on pace to lose 2 million fans for 2013 as opposed to 2012. 20 teams have seen attendance fall from last year, and it's happening across big markets as well as small: Boston, despite being in first place for a good part of the year, has seen a decrease in over 3,000 fans a game, a similar number for the Yankees as well; Philadelphia has seen nearly 6,000 less a game. The ratings numbers continue to decline as well, with Yankee games drawing 40% less viewers year over year, and the trend of playoffs and world series numbers being abysmal are nothing new either.
The owners and commissioner are seemingly blind to these facts. They hold up record TV contracts as some sort of beacon, but the underlying numbers show a sport in freefall. What I think needs to happen is an aggressive and bold path to the future. Instead of resisting change, MLB needs to embrace it and show baseball fans that they are indeed important, and it's not just their money.
First, and foremost, the immediate implementation of instant replay, and using a system like the NFL has. Each manager gets two replays per game, and if both upheld, a third is available. The whole manager/umpire argument on the field benefits nobody, and fans surely hate how it bogs down the game and adds absolutely nothing to the game. Baseball is the only sport that still allows this nonsense. Can you imagine an NFL head coach showing up a football official the way they do in baseball? Neither can I. Use the replay system, and any manager who comes out to argue gets tossed immediately.
I'd love to hear some others' ideas on what you'd do to get the excitement back in baseball.
The owners and commissioner are seemingly blind to these facts. They hold up record TV contracts as some sort of beacon, but the underlying numbers show a sport in freefall. What I think needs to happen is an aggressive and bold path to the future. Instead of resisting change, MLB needs to embrace it and show baseball fans that they are indeed important, and it's not just their money.
First, and foremost, the immediate implementation of instant replay, and using a system like the NFL has. Each manager gets two replays per game, and if both upheld, a third is available. The whole manager/umpire argument on the field benefits nobody, and fans surely hate how it bogs down the game and adds absolutely nothing to the game. Baseball is the only sport that still allows this nonsense. Can you imagine an NFL head coach showing up a football official the way they do in baseball? Neither can I. Use the replay system, and any manager who comes out to argue gets tossed immediately.
I'd love to hear some others' ideas on what you'd do to get the excitement back in baseball.
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There are some bugs to figure out, but I think this would be a good start.
<< <i>Promotion and relegation- bottom two teams each year go to AAA, and the two WS participants brig their AAA teams to the bigs (with pro-rated TV money, etc.). >>
Ah! An EPL model. I love it!
I would find a way to make the games take less time. I know this is not very likely with all the commercials for the networks.
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<< <i>Promotion and relegation- bottom two teams each year go to AAA, and the two WS participants brig their AAA teams to the bigs (with pro-rated TV money, etc.).
There are some bugs to figure out, but I think this would be a good start. >>
I wanted to put this as my first, but it is right up there...it would make so many more games interesting at the end of the year, just like EPL. Can you imagine the ratings and drama around the bottom two records in the last month of the season? I'd love it.
First, they have to shorten the game. If that means having a pitch clock, then so be it.
Second, they have to adopt a wider-format instant replay. Basically, everything but balls and strikes should be reviewable.
Third, they need to start suspending umpires for either A) misinterpreting the rules and making bad calls, and
<< <i>Let's be realistic about this, though. As cool as the EPL system is, it will never happen in MLB.
First, they have to shorten the game. If that means having a pitch clock, then so be it.
Second, they have to adopt a wider-format instant replay. Basically, everything but balls and strikes should be reviewable.
Third, they need to start suspending umpires for either A) misinterpreting the rules and making bad calls, and
I agree the games need to be shorter, and complete replay in my opinion would do exactly that. Another way would be to toughen up on physical altercations. After the warning like they get now, any pitcher who throws at a guy, gets tossed and suspended. Any hitter charging the mound gets the same punishment. Anyone involved, whether its the pitcher, hitter, or any teammates, ejected and suspended. These 'fights' are completely irrelevant to the game and only detract from the sport and add unnecessary time to it. Time to get rid of it.
Now, that said, MLB definitely needs changes:
1) Get rid of inter-league. It detracts from the All-Star game and the World Series.
2) Speed up the games. It's ridiculous how slow they are. Whether that's pitch clocks, rules against stepping out, rules against adjusting equipment, clocks for getting hitters into the box after the completion of the previous at-bat, clocks for getting new pitchers into games (how about you've got 90 seconds from the time the manager signals for you until your first pitch must be thrown?), and so on - do it. The games are TOO. DARN. SLOW.
3) Agree with the suggestion on suspensions for fighting. Anybody leaves their position - including a catcher coming from behind the plate - they get 15 games. Figure out a way to handle pitchers throwing at hitters on purpose that doesn't involve fighting.
4) Add a safety base at 1B so we don't get another Tim Hudson injury.
5) Electronic ball/strike calls. The technology is there, let's use it.
6) Change the save rule to eliminate saves if you enter the 9th inning with a 2 or 3-run lead and are starting the inning.
7) To help with #2, visits to the mound by other players will count as an official visit. This suggestion will need some tweaking so teams can legitimately hold strategic conferences. Maybe make this not count as a visit if there's nobody up in the bullpen.
8) Along with #7, require that pitchers face a minimum of 1 additional batter after an official visit.
9) Go back and give Galaragga his perfect game. For the love of God, Bud, changing that one play's outcome would not have opened the floodgates on anything.
10) Other than pitchers, require all All-Star starters play a minimum of 5 full innings in the game.
<< <i>9) Go back and give Galaragga his perfect game. For the love of God, Bud, changing that one play's outcome would not have opened the floodgates on anything. >>
Sounds like the real problem is that some people degrade Galarraga's performance because of that call
Having so much down time between action makes games unwatchable far too oftens
How about realigning the leagues into an A Division where six to eight teams make the post-season and a B Division where only two to four teams make it, with the top or bottom teams changing each year?
It also can't be that difficult to provide a strike zone, accounting for a batter's stance, height, etc.. to be accounted for, which would completely negate the need for such emotional calls that are routinely made calling balls and strikes.
The pitch clock is a no brainer necessity, baseball is getting pushed into the golf class as far as easiest things to fall asleep too on a comfy couch.
They either need to abolish inter-league, or go the other way with it, and have everybody play everybody. Now that there are 15 teams in each league, it cane be done. Battling for the wild card and having to play certain interleague teams every year is an advantage to some (i.e. Rangers), and detriment to others (i.e. Mets).
They have to do away with the ASG deciding home field. It is atrocious. It might be the worst response to a "crisis" that I've ever seen. Who cares if an exhibition game ends in a tie? And BTW, Bud...the concept is not working! Ratings are down from 9.5 in 2003 to 6.9 this year. Nobody cares is it "means something" or not. Was there really anything unfair about the old system? And if the NBA and NHL can have the team with the best record have home field, why can't baseball? I've never understood why they think it's so important to establish months ahead of time where the World Series is going to be played.
this is way overdue...
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<< <i>This idea of a "free fall" in attendance is false. If attendance is down 2,000,000 fans over 2012, that's a drop of 772 people per game - hardly earth-shattering. A lot of that is due to major market teams underperforming - the Yankees have lost their star power, the Red Sox have been average, and the Phillies have been terrible. The LA Angels have underperformed. >>
That right there is some common sense. Also, it neglects to factor in the stagnant economy, less overall wages/household incomes, and lower priced alternatives such as the MLB premium season pass (price is comparable to two seats at one game).
And if you're trying to take out the human element of umps, might as well go all in. Balls/strikes, home runs, balks, check swings, trapped catches, time between pitches, etc. The list can go on and on but all of that can be officiated via computers and laser beams. It needs to be completely black and white without any hint of grey.
Obviously, the umpires' union would have these reforms tied up in courts due to breach of Contract for years to come but that's another story..
<< <i>add the DH in the NL...
this is way overdue... >>
ESPN had a story over the weekend on how the NL almost had the DH. It got proposed in...either 1980 or 1982, I forget which...and some guy went on vacation fishing. He and another team had agreed to vote the same way and that led to a couple abstentions that made the proposal fail. The guy who went fishing said he would have voted in favor of the DH and his vote would have been enough to turn it around.
I could be mangling a couple of the details here but basically the NL doesn't have the DH because some guy went fishing and cell phones didn't exist back then.
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Ralph
-I've never liked inter league play. I thought it was crazy when it came about in, 1997? Baseball is suppose to be about TRADITION. I.e. the stories about baseball forming in the 1800's. Cooperstown. Look at the popularity of the Cubs and Redsox. Both teams with traditions that go back 100 years.
I'd much rather see the Yankees and Dodgers in the world series. Interleague play dilutes the all star game.
-They've got to protect the integrity of the game. There are so many other choices now. Why enjoy one sport where they cheat, vs many others that are "clean". Long term, the problems with McGwire, Sosa, Clemens are a terrible black mark on the sport.
-Too many teams. I'd contract at least 3-4.
-I agree about speeding it up.
I also like the DH in the NL. Imagine if Chin Mien Wang didn't have to run the bases where he might be today...