MLB

MLB Fans Rejoice While Players Oppose New Rule Changes

Fresh Videos

By

Peter Aiken - USA TODAY Sports

Peter Aiken – USA TODAY Sports

One of MLB‘s bigger issues in recent years when it comes to its ability to engage and stimulate fans is the pace of play. Baseball games spanned an average of just over three hours per game in 2014, an all-time high for the league. Fans have noticed the steady increase in the length of games over the years and have since urged change with nearly overwhelming conformity. Various reports have come out that many players aren’t thrilled with the changes, but baseball is siding with the fans by instituting rules that will speed up the pace of play without compromising the game. This is a big step in the right direction. 

Four rule changes have been introduced to try to speed up pace of play in baseball: 

- Managers must challenge play calls from the dugout. It has become customary that managers would rush to the field to argue a call with umpires, all the while other coaches and bench personnel will look at the play and determine whether or not it’s worth using a challenge on. Now, a manager will have to make a decision on the spot. 

- Hitters must keep one foot in the batter’s box between pitches. Although not yet determined, exceptions will be made for this rule (likely things such as foul balls, wild pitches, etc.) but for the most part batters will have to stay put between pitches. 

- Play will resume as soon as commercial breaks end. Baseball is becoming dominated by sponsorships and advertising opportunities. This rule will attempt to limit the effects advertising has on the actual game while also raking in profits. 

- Pitching changes will be timed. With the number of pitching changes that occur in games, a big chunk of time can be cut out of a game’s length simply by putting players on the clock to ensure that the game continues to run smoothly regardless of how many substitutions take place. 

It’s no secret why players are opposed to such rule changes, especially initially. Players will be asked to alter the way in which they play in order to appease these new rules, and if they don’t do so, they’ll be solely responsible. Failure to adapt to and play by the new rules will result in financial penalties for players, including fines up to $5,000.

However, despite initial opposition, players will have to adjust to the rules, which in my opinion will help the game of baseball. According to a 2014 article by FiveThirtyEight Sports, the length of baseball games has skyrocketed since 2005, going from an average of 170 minutes a game to close to 190 in early 2014. How can this sharp increase be explained?

Every year, baseball is turning more and more into a game of specialists. Bullpens are ripe with pitchers whose services will be asked only in very particular and specific situations. A pitcher may come in and throw five pitches, and after he’s done another will come in to do the same. The obvious side effects created by such strategies are the painstaking minutes tacked onto a game for numerous pitching changes.

To add onto those delays, the speed at which pitchers reset after each pitch and the necessity for batters to remove themselves from the plate after each pitch for various equipment adjustments and/or habitual routines doesn’t help.

Lastly, the addition of instant replay has significantly added more time to games as managers are now afforded the opportunity to have calls reviewed and overturned. No single factor is responsible for the state of baseball’s lethargy, and despite initial player opposition to the new rules, it’s a much-needed step that baseball has had to take in order to keep fans engaged.

I look forward to seeing the effects of these initial rules, however, if successful, I hope that the league doesn’t make additional changes that may potentially compromise the integrity and nature of the game. The process of changing the game in such a way has to be handled carefully, and hopefully those responsible will be sure to plan and execute new rules without changing the game.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on