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Potentially big MLB rule changes
Bankwalker
Posts: 5,348 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
in Off Topic
Starting in 2020, rosters now only expand to 28 instead of 40.
The bigger change, which would have irked Bobby Cox bigly, is that pitchers must now face a minimum of 3 batters. No more inserting a reliever for lefty on lefty matchups and then pulling him for another reliever.
This would have effected 674 relief appearances last season, 30% of which were in September during the pennant race (after rosters had expanded).
Any thoughts on how much effect this could have during crunch time of the season? Maybe we’ll start seeing more complete games, too.
Comments
I like that change -- the one where relievers have to face a minimum of three. Also, I'd like to see a rule change that prohibits the infield shift.
There are 40 players on each MLB roster? Holy crap... that can field 3 and a half teams.
Comparatively, the NFL can field maybe a 2nd.
maybe it'll mean some of these AL games will finish in under 4 hours
Just to clarify it's a minimum of three batters or until the end of a half inning.
I'm generally a traditionalist when it comes to rules, but I like the pitcher rule. Baseball games are way too long, especially considering there's 162 of them. The roster expansion rule could also help on pitching changes in September too, as there won't be as many pitchers to choose from.
I'm all for speeding the game up. Shot clock on pitchers/batters, etc. I'm all for. Can you tell I think baseball games are wayyyyyyyyyy too long?
You want to see the shift end? These guys are supposedly professionals, just start lobbing a couple singles to the half of the field that is literally empty.
Wonder how the will handle a struggling pitcher who walks the first 2 from having a mystery blister pop up to be removed from the game.
This could set up well for the Braves, and explains the extra bullpen addition by AA. What was a weakness a year ago should be a strength this season.
Hopefully they will sign Donaldson to keep the lefty/righty 3 and 4 spots going in the lineup.
I would assume an injury would allow for a substitution. Which then leads us to, will we see fake injuries to get a new pitcher in? If that becomes a problem, I guess you can require any "injured" pitcher that goes out before facing the minimum number of batters to sit out a certain number of games?? Like a special, temporary 5 day DL type thing.
They need to sign Donaldson, or make a move for similar production. Otherwise it will be a big step back.
@lmiked7 Absolutely I'd like to see the shift end. And these professionals you so highly tout? You would expect them to lob a few balls to the opposite side of the infield? Easier said, than done my friend.
Home runs are up, but so too are strikeouts. What are teams averaging now, especially in the NL? Twelve a game? So many times you see teams scoring runs and the pitcher still strikes out the side. It's ridiculous. The pitcher doesn't need any help getting hitters out.
Let's aid the hitters, starting with the pitchers mound. MLB lowered it in the 60's when strikeouts went up and BA's went down. Yastrzemski won the batting crown in 1968 with a .301 average in "the year of the pitcher" prior to lowering the mound. Why not change it again? Just make it flat.
Just wondering, will these potential changes be seen in the winter league play to actually see the "cause and effect" of a change?
I believe I once heard they usually test these changes in winter ball or lower levels first. Not 100% sure though
Be hard to test the effect on reducing roster expansion from 40 to 28 in that setting. I also don’t think the winter leagues are managed as hard as real major league baseball games
Can we get rid of the Wild Card game and make it a Wild Card Series? Min 3 games.
I feel the same way. Crazy to play 162 games then have one game decide it.
People that say that teams will stop shifting on you if you "consistently lob balls softly the other way" aren't getting it. You'd have to do it 100+ times to get the shift to go away. And it's actually what teams would prefer. They'd rather have the most dangerous hitters looking to hit a soft single then trying to swing hard for an extra base hit.
That is, unless you're in an RBI situation. That's where some try to change their approach.
There's more reasons to abolish the shift then to keep it honestly. When you try to pitch to the shift, you're getting close to hitting most guys' sweet spots. You try to stay away from them, but if you miss just a little bit and do get to the sweet spot, you'll have damage done to you. Then you get hurt for the opposite reason that I alluded to above if you don't take the shift away with men on. You stay shifted, a man's on 3rd, and because you're shifted, a guy chooses to look oppo and rolls a soft groundball that would be an out in normal situations.
I've never understood the complaints about the ball games being too long. I go to a game to enjoy it. Why would I want to shorten the amount of enjoyment I get. Makes no sense to me. None. Why not make FB games 3 quarters? they would get over quicker.
Well the constant glove adjusting by hitters and pickoff attempts by the pitchers gets old
I don't know if this is permitted by forum rules, but I agree 100% with both of you, @donme and @Kasey.