Finally a rule change I’m on board with

Phil Gurnee ♦ February 6, 2019 ♦ 2 Comments

When it comes to rule changes to speed up the game or add more offense I’ve often advocated that a pitcher must get at least one out before being lifted. I would have preferred that they have to get three outs but was willing to compromise on at least one out.

Out of the blue, it seems that MLB is now looking at implementing something between those two ideas. A pitcher must face at least three hitters per appearance.  MLB writer Mike Petriello brought this to my attention yesterday but I thought he was just running out his own thoughts.

The 3-batter minimum might kill the LOOGY. I think I can live with that. The flip side is that limiting the number of pitchers on a roster might help guys like Granderson get better deals; right now, there’s no room for a part-time platoon bat on a roster.

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) February 6, 2019

I didn’t know that MLB was actually considering it.

According to reports by The Athletic and ESPN, the specific rule-change proposals include:

The adoption of the designated hitter in the National League, making the DH universal across both leagues.

A rule requiring pitchers to face a minimum of three batters, except in the case of injury or when finishing an inning.

A 20-second pitch clock, a timesaving device Manfred has espoused for more than a year now.

A single trade deadline before the all-star break, to replace the traditional July 31 deadline and the Aug. 31 waiver-trade deadline.

The expansion of rosters from 25 to 26 players, with a maximum of 12 pitchers.

A reduction in mound visits from six to five.

A rule, which would be tested in spring training and the All-Star Game, in which each half-inning in extra innings would begin with a runner on second base.

Tweaks to the draft order to reward winning teams and penalize perennial losing teams

A rule that would permit two-sport athletes, such as Kyler Murray, to sign major league contracts as enticement to play baseball.

While I’ve been against the NL DH forever I would concede if it also meant the three batter rule.  Looking at all these rules I think the 20-second rule would be unnecessary if they implement the three batter per pitcher rule as that would be the biggest saving in time. I like the larger roster and the twelve man max pitcher roster.

I guess the only rule I’d really be against is starting the runner at 2nd in extra-innings. I guess they feel that fans don’t like extra-innings. My wife certainly does not, but I think real baseball fans enjoy extra-innings as each play gets magnified. This isn’t softball where you are playing under a time limit.