Let's talk about the newest set of rule changes released by Major League Baseball about a month ago. Baseball more than any other sport is steeped in tradition and thus is very polarizing when it comes to the slightest rule change, but for this very same reason, is in major need of modernizing. Not everybody is going to agree with all of the new rules (myself included), but years from now, we will look back and the vast majority of these rules won't have adversely affected any baseball fan's enjoyment of the game. Lowering the mound in the 1960s or adding the Designated Hitter in the American League in the 1970s were both very controversial at the time, but are now commonplace in the game. And you can find this in any sport - mandatory helmets and nets behind the goals in the NHL, for example. Just as I don't see these rule changes really affecting the hardcore base of MLB fans, I also don't see these measures drawing large amount of fans, which I feel is an unstated goal. You either like baseball or you don't - reducing the game by 5 minutes or removing defensive shifts isn't going to all of a sudden make somebody love the game. It's been well documented that NFL games are getting longer and longer every year due to commercials and play stoppages (the 2018 average was 3:12), but you never hear anything about wanting to reduce the length of a game because the NFL is so popular. Now firmly off of my soapbox, here are the rule changes being implemented starting this season:
2019:
- Between-inning breaks reduce from 2:05 to 2:00. Whoopee.
- The waiver trade period has been eliminated, which in effect makes July 31st the last day of the season that trades can be made other than those claimed off of outright waivers. This is largely in response to the Astros picking up Justin Verlander on the last day of August in 2017, and dominating in his 5 starts with the team en route to their eventual World Series Championship. I think this is a good rule that will force teams to commit to being "in or out" of playoff contention earlier in the year and will thus increase competition late in the year.
- All-Star Voting now culminates in an "Election Day" where fans pick the starters from the top 3 vote-getters at each position. I like this as it will avoid runaway vote-getters and allows for players who get hot closer to the break to have an even chance. It gets more fans involved.
- Home Run Derby now has massive payouts to encourage more participants. There's no reason that Bryce Harper shouldn't be doing this every year, but perhaps after this past offseason even $1 million wouldn't be enough to sway him.
- Mound visits reduced from 6 to 5 per game. I don't think I've been to or seen a game where all 6 visits were used so not a big deal.
2020:
- Roster provisions - active rosters increase to 26 and September rosters increase to 28. This essentially eliminates mass September callups. The goal is to create a level playing field, but really the advantage is to the large market teams that have all of their payroll invested in the 25-man roster. The small market teams that generally have deeper farm systems will be hurt by this. Increasing rosters to 26 just makes sense with how pitchers are used today.
- Limits on position players pitching. Commissioner Manfred thinks this is embarrassing, there's really no other reason for it.
- Perhaps the most controversial of all the rules, there will be a 3-batter minimum on all pitchers starting next year. Perhaps Wade Miley facing one batter to start a game of the NLCS last year was the final straw. And somewhere, Tony LaRussa is laughing.
- Injured list moves back up to 15 games from 10. This is largely in response to teams abusing the IL to cycle through fresh relievers, which I don't see a problem with. Oh yeah, the DL is now called the "Injured List." Way to take 150 years to realize that the word "disabled" is insensitive.
There are still way more crazy rules that I think are going to come down the pipeline by the 2021 CBA agreement. For instance the commissioner seems hell-bent on banning the shift, which is extremely short-sighted. But despite what you or I may think of any of these rules, they represent something much larger - they mean that the players, owners, and the league office are talking, and anything we can do to avoid a lockout - even if that means a DH in the National League - is a welcome compromise.
2019 GAMES ATTENDED:
STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 4/10/19:
Brewers 8-4; 3 @ Dodgers, 3 v. Cardinals, 4 v. Dodgers
Twins 6-3; 3 v. Tigers, 4 v. Blue Jays, 3 @ Orioles
2019 GAMES ATTENDED:
Erik - 0
Peter - 4
touch with baseball when his childhood heroes Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Jim Gantner retired but the Great Home Run Chase of 1998 reignited his passion. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Erik became involved with the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. With this group Erik traveled to Portland, OR and Baltimore, MD to work on construction projects and help the group raise $25,000 to partially sponsor a house in Milwaukee. Also at UWM, Erik met Peter Nagel. The two attended their first Brewers game together during Opening Weekend 2003. Despite their failure to ignite the coals at their first tailgate, the two had a blast and were soon making weekly trips to the ballpark. Erik has gone on to several colleges and changed careers several times, and has moved all the way out to New Hampshire, but has always stayed true to his baseball roots by holding part-time stadium usher jobs. To this day he looks back fondly on his incredible cross-country journey.
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