California Rule to the MLB?

[Tksjewelry]

Sorry I haven't been around, no Internet until maybe this summer at the homestead but I'm in town and saw this:

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/mlb-extra-innings-runner-on-second-base-report-joe-torre-020817

Personally, I don't think I'd care to see this as a fan at the MLB levels but I love using it in kiddie games.

Thoughts?

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[basejester]

Nope.

 

[kylehutson]

I understand the reasoning behind it. I still don't like it, even at youth levels. You want somebody on base? Get him there yourself.

[MadMax]

Without reading the article (yes, just from the title alone), I already know why this is being proposed. This is yet another attempt at packaging a regular season baseball game so it fits nice and neatly into a 3 hour time frame. This package is then much more attractive (ie. lucrative) to broadcast partners, who will then pay top billing to MLB so as to carry games with the (near) guarantee extended to the advertisers that at X time, Y -many eyes will likely be watching to see the end of the ballgame, find out the score, and then tune in to the start of the next program.

In this age of streaming, the only real programs left on the Live landscape of clout and consequence are Live sporting events. And of those sporting events, the NFL is king. The reason the NFL can get away with placing games on Thursday and Monday nights is because they can assure the broadcaster that the game will start at X time – rain, snow or shine – and will, within reason, end at Y time. Even if it's an absolute stinker (think Cleveland vs. Kansas City), it will end. People may have tuned out or changed channels, but they'll tune back to check the final score and then its on to the next program. We can't say the same about baseball, as we might be going into the 15th inning of a 1-1 ballgame that has seen eight pitching changes between two teams that were out of the pennant race after the first month of the season. Oh, and the game? Yeah, it was delayed by an hour ta boot by rain.

All this push by MLB to speed up and condense games has nothing to do with the attendance at the parks. Granted, the Millennial generation has the attention span measured in single-digit minutes, and parks have endeavoured valiantly to diversify the in-game entertainment options, but really, for the most part, those who attend games don't mind if a game goes 9 or 14 innings, or covers 2 hours 37 minutes or 4 hours. Sure, it's a pain in the @$$ that they cut beer sales off at the 7th inning... and we're now in the 13th with no end... wait, is that a hit? Could it... could it? Drat, caught... with no end in sight. No, the MLB is trying to maximize their revenue streams, understandably, but they're fixating on the television broadcast aspect and using the NFL as their ideal model... and it's just not going to fit, or end well.

[beerguy55]

As long as they don't go to a home run derby to decide the winner.

I have no problem with the concept at amateur/minor levels - especially in tournament play where you have limited facility use, volunteer time, finite hours, pitch count limits, etc.  And I'm guessing an umpire being paid by the game would rather not see their game go five hours.

At the pros - if you're worried about the health of your pitchers, don't go to extra innings.  Hell, there might even be an argument to lose in the ninth rather than risk going deep into extra innings.

[scrounge]

I appreciate the willingness to think outside the box, but these kind of silly gimmicks aren't the way. Plus it wouldn't really address the issues on a day to day basis anyway. Here's what I would do:

1. Limit reviews to 3 min (or 2 min) max, unless doing follow-up items like placement of runners, etc. If you can't determine in that much time, it couldn't have been that definitive.

2. One manager challenge per game, period. But also have booth/command center review as they choose. The things that need to be gotten will be gotten, there's a backup if the booth/CC is asleep, and it will force managers to focus on the really important calls, not just the runner in the 2nd inning who's 1 millimeter off the bag on a steal.

3. Make the IBB automatic, as is being discussed. Nothing ever happens on these plays - blind inertia like "that's the way it's always been!!!" isn't a reason to keep something where nothing almost EVER happens. Home runs used to count if it cleared the fence on one bounce too, we're not doing that anymore.

4. Limit catcher trips to the mound to 1 per inning. Any more than that and the pitcher has to be changed.

5. Investigate limiting roster spots for pitchers to 10 or something (perhaps only for reg season before Sep callups). More than anything, the proliferation of the 1 inning and even 1 batter specialist is slowing things down.

6. And of course - a great idea for NUMEROUS reasons - implement the DH in both leagues. End the scourge of the long gray line of mediocre pinch hitters. I don't think anyone would disagree with this, amirite???

[Umpire in Chief]

I like the idea at all levels.

And someone here with international experience can correct me..

But they also have a provision after X (I don't know the number) innings they also put a runner on 1st and 2nd.

International rules (I believe) also have a provision that after 8 innings if the home team is losing by (so many runs, 5 maybe???) they get a slightly longer break and the home team bats again potentially saving half an inning.  

[JaxRolo]

I like the idea.

[Tksjewelry]

I like the idea at all levels.
And someone here with international experience can correct me..
But they also have a provision after X (I don't know the number) innings they also put a runner on 1st and 2nd.
International rules (I believe) also have a provision that after 8 innings if the home team is losing by (so many runs, 5 maybe???) they get a slightly longer break and the home team bats again potentially saving half an inning.  

I love the flipflop rule! Not for the pros but I'd about kill to have it in kiddie tournaments. We used it in slow pitch and it really sped things up.

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