Rule Changes Could Be Coming

SammyKhalifa · Post by **SammyKhalifa** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:03 pm

1C313C2D2A3B2C6C6F5E0 wrote: Commercial breaks between innings are reduced to two minutes in length for all games. (2019)

A pitcher must face at least three batters in his appearance unless he is removed due to injury or the half-inning in which he is pitching ends before three men have come to the plate. (2020)

These will speed up the game. They'll also reduce revenue. Fewer commercials. Fewer "This pitching change is brought to you by ...."

The local broadcast games's inning breaks are going to 2:00 ALL THE WAY DOWN from 2:05. What's even the point?

National games are currently at 2:25 which means that there is going to be shorter Yankees/Red Sox to not watch.

Wow, I didn't realize the change was so slight. Why even bother for 10 seconds per inning? Even at 25 seconds (50 per inning) it works out to 7.5 minutes saved.

. . . and they're probably not counting the bottom of the ninth as an in-game break.

NJBucsFan · Post by **NJBucsFan** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:52 pm

I really don't like the 3-batter rule. They simultaneously increase the number of players on the roster, and decrease the teams' ability to use them.

DemDog · Post by **DemDog** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:08 pm

I am too damn old to worry about these rules changes! But I do agree with the 3 batter pitching rule but does it matter that much when it comes to saving time. It only changes the strategy in the game as well as roster construction. One question is the 26th man. How do you construct your roster with that guy? One more pitcher? Another hitter?

SammyKhalifa · Post by **SammyKhalifa** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:15 pm

103139103B33540 wrote: I am too damn old to worry about these rules changes! But I do agree with the 3 batter pitching rule but does it matter that much when it comes to saving time. It only changes the strategy in the game as well as roster construction. One question is the 26th man. How do you construct your roster with that guy? One more pitcher? Another hitter?
My first reaction was to add another pitcher, but you probably won't be using as many of them because of the other rule, so . . .

I do think this is a roster-adjusting "bridge rule" to future DH, unfortunately

Ecbucs · Post by **Ecbucs** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:18 pm

50626E6E7A486B626F6A6562030 wrote: I am too damn old to worry about these rules changes! But I do agree with the 3 batter pitching rule but does it matter that much when it comes to saving time. It only changes the strategy in the game as well as roster construction. One question is the 26th man. How do you construct your roster with that guy? One more pitcher? Another hitter?
My first reaction was to add another pitcher, but you probably won't be using as many of them because of the other rule, so . . .

I do think this is a roster-adjusting "bridge rule" to future DH, unfortunately

the new rules limit pitchers to 13, I can see more teams going with 3 catchers.

SammyKhalifa · Post by **SammyKhalifa** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:29 pm

5D7B7A6D7B6B180 wrote: I am too damn old to worry about these rules changes! But I do agree with the 3 batter pitching rule but does it matter that much when it comes to saving time. It only changes the strategy in the game as well as roster construction. One question is the 26th man. How do you construct your roster with that guy? One more pitcher? Another hitter?
My first reaction was to add another pitcher, but you probably won't be using as many of them because of the other rule, so . . .

I do think this is a roster-adjusting "bridge rule" to future DH, unfortunately

the new rules limit pitchers to 13, I can see more teams going with 3 catchers.

I'd like to see a return of the speedy pinch-runner type guy, but yeah catcher makes sense.

UtahPirate · Post by **UtahPirate** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:42 pm

Whenever I hear about speeding up the game the first thing that comes to mind is how long it takes to make a replay decision.

We'll see the play from five different angles, the announcers will carry on and on about what they see – and the umps still can't make to a decision. It just can't be that hard. Nothing slows the game down more.

Whenever I hear "26th man," I think of this book I read many years ago about a pitcher named Steve Fireovid. It's getting a little old (and a lot cheaper!), but it is a great baseball read I recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/26th-Man-League- ... 0803268912

The AL might not need a 26th guy, but I think it's great for NL teams. Keep the DH out of "my" league!!!

SammyKhalifa · Post by **SammyKhalifa** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:52 pm

7A5B4E477F465D4E5B4A2F0 wrote: Whenever I hear about speeding up the game the first thing that comes to mind is how long it takes to make a replay decision.

We'll see the play from five different angles, the announcers will carry on and on about what they see – and the umps still can't make to a decision. It just can't be that hard. Nothing slows the game down more.

The games were getting longer before replay though.

I read a pretty convincing article about how a lot of the longer game time can be directly attributed to the newer "intimate" ballparks like PNC. Basically, closer fans=less in-play foul territory=fewer foul-outs=more pitches. If that's true I'm not really sure what they can do about it.

Ecbucs · Post by **Ecbucs** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:24 pm

12202C2C380A29202D282720410 wrote: Whenever I hear about speeding up the game the first thing that comes to mind is how long it takes to make a replay decision.

We'll see the play from five different angles, the announcers will carry on and on about what they see – and the umps still can't make to a decision. It just can't be that hard. Nothing slows the game down more.

The games were getting longer before replay though.

I read a pretty convincing article about how a lot of the longer game time can be directly attributed to the newer "intimate" ballparks like PNC. Basically, closer fans=less in-play foul territory=fewer foul-outs=more pitches. If that's true I'm not really sure what they can do about it.

here is link to article and comments on it:

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/new ... ing_about/

IABucFan · Post by **IABucFan** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 11:25 pm

Let’s be honest...the three batter rule has nothing, nothing, to do with speeding up the game. It’s a smokescreen to cover what they are really doing, and why I hate the rule. They’re manipulating the game by essentially removing the LOOGY/ROOGY role. Now, like that guy and his role on the team or not, his job is essentially to get the other team's best hitter out, because the fact of the matter is that platoon splits are real.

So, just to use one example, let’s take the Cubs since they’re in division and most observers know them. Let’s say that Maddon's lineup has Rizzo-Bryant-Schwarber-Baez at 3, 4, 5, 6. Lefty, righty, lefty, righty. That’s common managerial strategy, to split your lefties and righties.

Just for the sake of the thought experiment, let’s say Liriano is still on the team next year and we’re playing them. If we want to bring him in to face Rizzo, that means he has to pitch to Bryant, too. Someone is going to get to face a pitcher who throws opposite them. In my scenario, it’s Bryant. On another day, it might be Rizzo. Regardless, MLB gets what they want, better matchups for their “stars.”

I don’t believe for a second this has anything to do with saving time. I think it has everything to do with the fact that guys hit fifty to a hundred points lower against pitchers that throw with the same hand with which they hit. MLB wants Mike Trout facing the occasional lefty. They want Rizzo facing the occasional righty.

I couldn’t care less about Tony LaRussa, wasting time bringing in three guys to get through the seventh inning or anything like that. I care about winning baseball games, and if an MLB team wants to employ a pitcher whose sole job it is to come in and get the other team's best lefty or righty out, they should be able to do that.

This is manipulating the game, and I hate it.