Good news everyone! MLB and the Players Association will meet next week to discuss pace of play!
MLB had some rule changes but…
.The changes had a positive impact in 2015, reducing the average game time by six minutes (Via ESPN)
…before last year’s games being the longest ever. Six minutes will not cut it.
I don’t expect anyone to accept my master plan to save baseball but let me propose some easy rule changes.
- No trips to the mound ever. Never ever. Never. Ever.
- Pitching changes signaled from the dugout. You don’t need someone to stroll to the mound and then a three minute break. Yell to the umpire and tell the reliever to haul his ass in.
- No warm up pitches. You don’t get to practice running the bases. You don’t get practice swings. We don’t hit you a few grounders to get used to the field. You don’t need practice pitches. Come in ready.
- No more TV commercial breaks during these changes. You have 30 seconds to throw a pitch once the manager asks for the change. Have your ass in the dugout and be ready. We don’t stop the telecast because there is a new batter. Come in ready.
Draconian? Sure. But it would save way more time than the piddly stuff they talk about now. Just come in ready, just like any other substitute player. Done. Me for Commissioner!
