Some people know me as a bit of a baseball fan.  Really, I’m a fan of whichever sport happens to be in season between baseball, basketball, and football.  But yes, baseball is one of the sports I follow closely.  For evidence of this, you can read about my baseball vacation from this summer, in which I traveled the Midwest attending seven Major League Baseball games in six different ballparks in one week.  This past week, I have watched the World Series between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Cheaters…Astros, which just ended with the Braves winning, 4 games to 2. Congratulations to the Atlanta Braves!

As much as I like baseball, there are some things about the sport that I would like to see changed to make it even better.  Fortunately, I have just been appointed the new Supreme Emperor of Major League Baseball.  This allows me the ability to change anything I want about baseball without needing permission from the owners, players, or TV networks. As such, I would like to announce several changes to the sport, starting next year.*

*I may not have actually been appointed Supreme Emperor of Major League Baseball, and may not currently have the authority to implement these changes.  Let’s just pretend that I do, though.

Before I announce these changes, I want to put in a plug for Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion and let you know that you can get a free taco on November 4.  Every year when this promotion has been in place, if a stolen base occurs during the World Series, everyone in America can get a free taco at participating Taco Bell locations on a particular date.  I even wrote about my experiences with this promotion last year as well.  This year, the Braves’ Ozzie Albies became the 2021 Taco Hero by stealing a base in Game 1, so feel free to get yourself a free taco from a participating Taco Bell location on November 4.

Now that I’ve given Taco Bell some free, unsolicited advertising, let me get back to the changes I am instituting for baseball.  As I see it, the biggest problem is that the games are becoming too long and that they end too late.  Games should not typically last more than three hours or end after midnight.  People in the Eastern time zone should not have to choose between watching the end of a World Series game or going to bed before 11:00 p.m., let alone midnight.  Sane people will choose a decent bedtime, and baseball is losing viewership because of it.  As such, many of the changes I am implementing below are designed to address this problem.  My main focus will be to shorten the game to under three hours, get rid of excessive delays, and end all playoff games before 11:00 Eastern Time.  While I’m at it, I would also like to reduce the annoying number of pitching changes.  Many of the ideas below have those goals in mind.  So, without further adieu, I would like to announce the following changes:

1. Starting times for playoff games will be scheduled for a time that virtually guarantees that the game will end by 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time (as long as the game does not go into extra innings).  Currently, World Series games start after 8:00 Eastern Time, and some 9-inning games may last four hours and end after midnight.  I realize that the TV networks decide the game times for the playoffs; but assuming that I have the authority to change this, World Series games will now be scheduled for 7:00 Eastern Time.  If TV networks have a problem with this and want games scheduled for their precious 8:00 time slot, then I will say, “Let’s get the games under three hours first, then we’ll talk.”  If people on the West Coast have a problem with this and say this is too early for them, I will ask them, “Which would you rather see – the beginning of the game, or the end of the game?”  The answer should be, “the end of the game.”  If we move the games up to 7:00 Eastern Time, everyone should be able to see the end of the game.

2. Now for my ideas on how to shorten the game.  First, an at-bat should not last 5 minutes.  Going forward, all at-bats will start with a 1-1 count, so each at-bat will potentially be shortened by two pitches.  I actually played under this rule during one of the years I played church league softball, so there’s at least some precedent for this.  You might ask, “Why start with a 1-1 count?  Why not simply make three balls be a walk, and two strikes be a strikeout?”  And if that’s how you want to look at it, that’s fine – it’s really the same idea either way.  But then we would then have to change the 7^th inning stretch song to “For it’s one, two…(brief pause)…strikes and you’re out at the old ballgame!”  So, I’m going to say each at-bat starts with a 1-1 count.

3. There will be a 20-second pitch clock, which will be enforced.  Currently, if the bases are empty, the pitcher is expected to throw a pitch within 20 seconds, but this is never enforced.  I’ve seen 20-second pitch clocks in the minor leagues though.  Going forward, on all levels of baseball, if the pitcher does not deliver a pitch within 20 seconds, it’s an automatic ball, and this rule must be enforced.

4. Currently, for reasons I don’t understand, the 20-second clock (which, again, is never enforced anyway) goes away completely if runners are on base.  This slows down the game significantly.  I say, let’s enforce the 20-second pitch clock at all times, even with a runner on base.  The pitcher will have 20 seconds to either deliver a pitch or attempt a pickoff throw on the runner on base, or the penalty is an automatic ball.

5. Sometimes, a pitcher will attempt several pickoff throws to first base, causing the game to drag out.  Going forward, the pitcher gets one pickoff attempt per at-bat without penalty.  Any additional pickoff attempts during the at-bat must actually get the runner out, or the penalty is an automatic ball to the batter.

6. The batter must keep the game moving as well.  The batter will have a certain amount of time to step into the batter’s box, or the penalty is an automatic strike.  Also, the batter will no longer get to call timeout and step out of the batter’s box just because they feel like it.  If the batter steps out of the batter’s box, the umpire shall not grant the timeout, and the pitcher gets to throw a free strike, even if the pitch is bounced to the plate or thrown 10 feet outside.  We are completely getting rid of both pitchers and batters delaying the game just because they feel like it.

7. Let’s get rid of extra-inning games that extend into all hours of the night.  Going forward, regular season games will not go beyond 12 innings.  If the game is still tied after the 12^th inning, the game simply ends in a tie.  Obviously, this doesn’t work for the playoffs, as the game will still have to go however many innings are needed to determine a winner.  But this at least solves a problem for the regular season.

8. A 10^th inning rule was put in place in 2020 in which an automatic runner is put on second base at the beginning of each extra inning.  The purpose of this rule is to try to end the game more quickly, since teams are more likely to break a tie in the 10^th or 11^th inning.  However, this rule is currently in place for regular season games only.  Let’s extend this rule to include playoff games as well, so that playoff games will not go all hours of the night.

For example, in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, I watched as my favorite team, the Boston Red Sox, battled the Los Angeles Dodgers for 18 innings in a game that took over 7 hours, before finally losing 3-2 at 3:30 in the morning.  Yes, I stayed up to watch it, only because it was a Friday night, I didn’t have to get up the next morning, and it was my favorite team, but I should not have had to choose between my bed and the end of the game.  If we have the 10^th inning rule for the playoffs, 7-hour games like that shouldn’t happen anymore.  Incidentally, I got over the 3:30 a.m. loss two days later when the Red Sox won the next two games to win the World Series that year.

9. Another thing we need to cut down on is the number of pitching changes, especially those that occur during the inning and therefore delay the game.  From now on, all pitching changes must occur between innings.  If a pitching change is made during the inning, this constitutes a delay of game, and the next batter automatically walks.  Managers will have a problem with this and say, “But what if my pitcher is having a bad game and I have to take him out?”  Well, then you should have put in a better pitcher.  If he’s that bad, then you have to weigh whether it will be worth it to accept the penalty for taking him out during the inning.

10. Speaking of pitching changes. I don’t like when the manager takes out the starting pitcher so early in the game, even if he’s pitching well. It’s especially annoying to watch if the starter is taken out after 5 innings when he still has a no-hitter going (for example, Game 3 of this year’s World Series). I miss the days of watching star pitchers from the ’90s like Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez pitch at least 7 innings, have a major impact on the game, and attract fans.  That doesn’t happen anymore. Therefore, to twist managers’ arms into letting their starters pitch most of the game, teams may now only use a maximum of three pitchers in a game without penalty – one starter and up to two relievers.  Starting with the team’s fourth pitcher, the penalty for every pitching change is, the next batter automatically walks.  (If the game goes into extra innings, then we will allow one more pitching change before the 10^th inning without penalty.)

11. Regarding the Designated Hitter.  Currently, this is used for American League games, but not for National League games.  I think baseball should be consistent and either use the DH for all games or get rid of it entirely.  And since it seems that we are going to a universal DH anyway, let’s go ahead and use the DH for all games.  Out of all the changes I am suggesting, this is the one change I actually do think will happen next year.  This brings me back to my next point on pitching changes…

12. Since I don’t care for the trend of starting pitchers being taken out so early in the game, let’s say that once a team takes out its starter, they lose the DH for the rest of the game, forcing the pitcher to hit for himself.  This should incentivize managers to keep their starter in the game as long as possible.

Note:  I am writing this post a bit at a time over several days. Just as I was writing this idea during Game 3 of the World Series, TV commentator John Smoltz just suggested this exact idea on the air!  Is he reading my mind?

13. Now that I’ve announced my ideas for shortening the game and for pitching changes, here are some additional improvements.  Next, we will use an automated strike zone.  I believe the technology is there – we see a replay of the strike zone on TV, so let’s put it to good use.  Going forward, balls and strikes will be determined by an automated system.  The home plate umpire will no longer call balls and strikes, although they will still have a job and be busy with things like enforcing the pitch clock and plays at the plate.  Also, this will make it more difficult for batters, pitchers, and managers to argue balls and strikes.

14. Regarding plays at first base.  When a batter hits the ball and runs to first base, he is expected to run in foul territory, but first base in fair territory.  Which means, if the batter takes the most direct path to first base by running in fair territory, he is at risk for being called out if a throw hits him, even if it’s not his fault.  This makes no sense. The most egregious example of this happened to Trea Turner of the Washington Nationals in the 2019 World Series, in which he was called out for interference on a play at first base, despite doing nothing wrong. I’m linking a five-minute video of this play here, in case you want additional context once you’ve finished reading this. While the call was technically correct based on the rule, the rule is dumb, so let’s change it.

Taking another page from my church league softball days, let’s have two first base bags; the regular white one in fair territory which the first baseman can stand on, and also a pink one next to it in foul territory.  The purpose of this is so the runner can stay in the runner’s lane in foul territory the whole time, step on the pink bag, and have that count as first base.  This way, he is not at risk for a collision at first base or for being called out for interference.  Or, an alternate idea for solving this issue would be to move the runner’s lane to fair territory because first base is in fair territory.  It’s only logical.

15. The pitcher’s mound shall be moved to the center of the diamond, so that the pitching rubber is exactly halfway between home plate and second base.  There may be a misconception that this is already the case; however, the pitcher’s mound is slightly closer to home plate.  The distance between the pitching rubber and home plate is a very arbitrary distance of 60 feet, 6 inches.  The distance between each base is 90 feet.  Using the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the distance from home plate to second base, we get about 127 feet, 3 inches.  Halfway between home plate and second base is about 63 feet, 8 inches.  We should move the pitching mound back about three feet, so that the distance from the pitching rubber to home plate is 63 feet, 8 inches.  This will be more aesthetically pleasing.  Also, the extra distance for the ball to reach the batter will result in an increase in the reaction time needed for the batter.  This in turn will result in more pitches where the ball is hit and put in play, which will make the game more interesting.

16. Pitchers need to stop hitting batters intentionally.  If a batter hits a home run and stares at it for a few seconds, that’s no reason for the pitcher to hit him the next time he comes up to bat.  There needs to be an extra penalty for a hit batsman, in order to dissuade pitchers from hitting them intentionally and causing both teams to get mad at each other.  Going forward, if a pitcher hits the batter, regardless of if it’s intentional (because the pitcher will always claim it’s not intentional), the next batter automatically walks.  This of course puts runners at first and second.

17. Going forward, the home plate umpire shall now be equipped with a microphone, similar to a football referee, so that he can explain confusing rulings or the result of a replay review to the fans over the PA system.

18. The regular season shall be shortened from 162 games to 140.  There’s really no need for 162 games.  140 is a nice round number, and should shave off about three weeks from the regular season.  15 games against the other 4 teams in your division (60 total), 6 games against the other 10 teams in your league (60 more), plus the current 20-game interleague schedule add up to a grand total of 140 games.

19. The All-Star break shall be an entire week, and the game itself will be moved back from Tuesday to either Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.  The reason for this is, some of baseball’s best pitchers tend to pitch on Sunday – two days before the All-Star Game – and then sit out the game because they are not able to pitch two days later.  Move the All-Star Game back to sometime later in the week, then this will remove that excuse and keep the best pitchers in the game.

20. Speaking of the All-Star Game, going forward, if the game is promised to a particular city, it shall be held in that city without Major League Baseball relocating the game somewhere else over a political issue.  Relocation of the All-Star Game shall be only reserved for the unlikely event that the city is unable to host, such as a hurricane or earthquake.

21. Regarding the playoff format.  Currently, there are five playoff teams from each league; three division winners and two wild cards.  The two wild card teams play one game against each other to see who advances to the first round.  I like this format; let’s keep it this way.  However, one change I would make is that the first round is currently a best-of-5 format.  Let’s change this to a best-of-7, consistent with the other playoff rounds.  This will make it more likely that the better team wins in the first round.

22. Currently, in the first round, the team with the league’s best record plays the wild card winner, even if the wild card winner has the second-best record in the league.  This year, the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, who had the best two records in baseball, had to play each other in the first round.  That needs to be changed.  Going forward, the team with the league’s best record shall open the playoffs against the worst available record, whether or not that team is a wild card. If we had that rule this year, the 107-win Giants would have played the 88-win Braves in the first round instead of the 106-win Dodgers. Granted, the Braves won the World Series anyway, despite having the worst record of all the playoff teams. But that’s an unusual occurrence. This is more about the principle of rewarding the team with the best record with a supposedly easier opponent, instead of having the two best records play each other in the first round.

That should about cover it.  I know that’s a lot of changes.  I’m sure many of them would not go over well with people who are actually in baseball, and that if I tried to make these changes, I might get overthrown as Supreme Emperor of Major League Baseball.  Perhaps you agree with some of these ideas, and disagree with others.  Perhaps you have some other ideas to fix baseball if you had the chance.  Or, perhaps you don’t follow baseball closely enough to really know or care, and you only read this far because you just wanted to read my blog.  And that’s fine too.  But if you have any thoughts on any of the above proposed changes, or would like to see other changes made, or if you think baseball is fine just the way it is, feel free to leave me a comment and let me know.  Until then, we have five more months to wait until the next baseball season.  I’ll be just fine – we have football and basketball to carry us through until then.  Meanwhile, don’t forget to pick up your free taco from your local participating Taco Bell location on November 4.