Ways to improve MLB

  1. Force umpires to call he official strike zone.

  2. Make the SS or 2B actually touch the bag when turning a double play.

  3. Limit pitching changes to 2 per 1/2 inning, unless there is an injury involved.

  4. Eliminate the DH.

  5. Award the batter a ball if the pitcher and catcher “conference” more than once in an at-bat.

  6. Award the pitcher a strike if the batter steps out of the batter’s box more than once in an at-bat (the umpire can make certain that the batter has time to reset his feet and look over to the dugout for signs without being quick-pitched).

  7. Allow 1 foul bunt with 2 strikes.

Daily steroids testing.

Note–I watch maybe one or two MLB games per year, so take this for what it’s worth…

  1. On “the official strike zone” - Why can’t we just get a robot or computer or something to do it? Surely that would be more accurate than an ump.

  2. On actually touching 2nd base bag - I’m sure that’s probably technically a rule. I’m not sure how enforcing it will improve the game.

  3. On limiting pitching changes - agreed

  4. On eliminating the DH - disagreed. Who really wants to watch a pitcher bat? (Unless it’s for comic relief.)

  5. On eliminating “conferences” - agreed, but how often does that really happen?

  6. On “don’t step out of the batter’s box” - agreed. But how would you actually implement this?

  7. On allowing a foul bunt with two strikes - If you can’t bunt the ball in play, then you deserve to be out.

Diet control for players.

Invent a pill that ensures that the arms of Masahiro Tanaka, Clayton Kershaw, Adam Wainwright and Yu Darvish never get tired and have them pitch every game

  1. Make steriods legal because everybody is doing it anyway

  2. Video replay system

  3. Too many meaningless games - shorter season

It’s not that anyone wants to watch pitchers bat, having the DH removes one of the biggest decisions a manager has to make during a game: do I send my ace to the plate with 2 outs and RISP so I can keep him on the mound next inning, or do I hit for him and turn it over to the bullpen?

No stepping out of the batter’s box is very easy to implement. The box is there, you step out of it more than once you get a strike. If you watched more baseball, you would likely become infuriated by the fact that nearly every player now steps out of the box after every pitch so he can adjust his helmet, gloves, and elbow guard which delays the game significantly. Now there is sometimes strategy involved by taking a fast working pitcher out of his groove and it would be unfortunate to lose that, but the equipment adjustments after every pitch are just too much.

Introduce one team comprised of members of the animal kingdom. One more team should be comprised of robots. It will be the ultimate battle of man vs. machine vs. beast.

drop 1st and 3rd base

bring 2nd base closer

make the field round

break for luncheon

play all in white

^ And change the name to hockey?

^not sure if you know but he’s describing cricket.

Seriously? You’re not pulling my leg are you?

http://www.analystforum.com/forums/water-cooler/91333215

See post 24

This. I am unsure about point #2. I think they could cut the season in half.

The MLB season is a bit too long, but cutting it in half goes too far. I think something in the 140 game range would be good.

fights allowed like in hockey

Agreed. Add this to how to improve soccer and NFL and NBA as well.

I remember seeing some footage of the good old days when the Raiders and Chiefs would go at it, throwing punches and all.

The home plate umpire shouldn’t be allowed to call ball and strikes anymore. We have the technology now to determine the strike zone.

The DH is interesting. Is there any level of baseball other than the MLB National League that does NOT use the DH? I also love the idea of a manager having a key decision about keeping a pitcher in the game, but it seems the game has evolved past that idea.

Baseball continues to gain popularity year over year, but I think they are losing potential fans by having the World Series on so late at night. It’s tough for kids to develop any love for MLB when they are unlikely to watch the most important games. But maybe that’s a biased opinion because I am old and go to bed early now.

Time of WS games is definitely an issue, but the alternative is to have the folks on the west coast miss the first few innings of every game. As an east coaster myself, I say screw 'em, but that would be a bad business decision by MLB.

DH is used almost everywhere now except the National League, but that doesn’t make it good. A lot of NCAA pitchers are actually really good hitters and they do bat, but they’re considered two different players (ie, you can pull the pitcher from the mound and he can continue as the DH or vice versa).

The MLBPA will never agree to abolish the DH. You will be removing a spot that earns a lot of money.