Major League Baseball has passed some new rules, which will be implemented either this season or next season. These rule changes have been very controversial. Let’s take a look at them.
The current limit on on non-pitching change mound visits is 6 per game. This year that limit will be reduced to 5 and possibly down to 4 in 2020. I don’t think the 5 per game limit is a big deal. Last year no one really reached that limit of 6 so I think that 5 a game would be fine. Reducing it to 4 next year might be too low. Catchers need to slow their pitchers down and review signs with them occasionally. Coaches need to relay advice and strategy. If the 5 per game limit works this year, MLB should just leave it there.
Starting this year the winner of the home run derby will receive $1 million. MLB hopes this will incentivize the best hitters to participate in the derby. I’m not sure how this will work out. On one hand, some people will do anything for money, so if there is a cash prize they will join in. On the other hand, the derby is notorious for messing up players swings (aka their livelihood). Countless players have altered their swing to do better in the derby and then gone on to have a slump in the 2nd half of the year. Also many players want as much of a break as possible in their long year. So many players will still not want to participate. I guess we will have to see how this works out.
This year commercial breaks will be reduced from 2 minutes, 20 seconds to 2 minutes, with the purpose of reducing game time. I like this rule. There were already too many commercials. This is a simple way to reduce game time without affecting the game too much. Also announcers could also do in-game ads. It’s been done before and I wouldn’t mind it when downtime dictates an opportunity.
Position players will be prohibited from pitching in games that don’t go into extra innings, unless a team is ahead or behind by at least six runs. This rule has not been talked about much, but I don’t like it. I think a manager should have the right to use his pitching staff how he deems suitable. If a bullpen got overused the day before and the team is losing bad again the next game, even if it’s not 6 runs, a team should be allowed to used whoever they want to pitch. Ultimate this rule shouldn’t have too much of an affect on the season but I can see it being annoying.
The injured list (Not disabled list. We can’t say that now) will have a minimum time of 15 days again, back from being 10 days. Last year the Dodgers occasionally put pitches on the 10 day DL who weren’t necessarily hurt but they wanted to give them some extra rest. Personally I didn’t have a problem with that. It was clever and if the player is ok with it, then it shouldn’t matter. Also this inhibits teams from putting player on the IL who might only need 10 days, but don’t want to lose them for that extra 5 days. That can be a big difference. I liked when the 10 day DL instituted and I’m upset to see it go.
All-Star voting is changing. There will still be the regular voting but that will be like the primaries now. The top 3 vote-getters at each position will be put on a ballot, then there will be an “Election Day” to vote for the starters. I’m intrigued by this. My initial reaction is that I like it. It creates more drama for the voting without changing the process too much. Hopefully the execution of this idea works well.
There will now only be one trade deadline. All trades must be made by July 31. This replaces the initial deadline on July 31, the then waiver deadline on August 31 where a player had to pass through waivers first. MLB got this new rule half right in my opinion. Most baseball fans wanted 1 deadline. However the popular idea was to split the difference and have it be on August 15. This gave teams a little more time than the July 31 deadline to figure out their needs while still simplifying the process tons singular deadline. I feel like MLB messed up an easy one here.
In 2020 roster size will be increased to 26, with the September roster size being set at 28. This is a good change. This allows for one more full-time player during the year, one more guy getting to live his dream, and most likely one for pitcher for the bullpen. Also this fixes the issue of teams having entirely too many players available for a game in September, when their could be 10 relievers used and pinch hitters at every opportunity. It was just too much and too big of a difference from the way the game was played the rest of the year. Good rule.
Finally and most controversially in 2020 pitchers will have to pitch to a minimum of 3 batters, unless they finish an inning or are injured. Some people love this rule, some people hate it. Interestingly the players union did not agree to the rule change. MLB has the ability to implement it on their own since they warned the union about its coming the previous year. This rule will eliminate the “lefty specialists” from the game or force them to face right handed hitters. Admittedly the parade of relievers in the later innings of the game can be annoying but at the same time it’s players doing what they are best at. And as previously mentioned, I don’t think you should be able to restrict how a manager uses his pitchers.
Ultimately I think Commissioner Rob Manfred just needs to stop. In in my opinion; what he is doing is trying to get himself in the hall of fame already. He’s trying to find the one rule change that revolutionizes the game and makes a name for him. He will be the commissioner who instituted that great new rule. But he’s trying too hard. Since he took over, all he’s talked about is changing rules. The game is good. It works. Changes should be made when necessary. Not for the sake of change. People still enjoy the game. Rob Manfred, please stop and let baseball be.
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