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Breaking Down the Feasibility of Proposed MLB Rule Changes

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Breaking Down the Feasibility of Proposed MLB Rule Changes

Rob Manfred
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New MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has made it clear he’s not afraid to be bold and will consider anything when it comes to trying to improve baseball. The sport’s biggest issue is that it has slowed down and become “boring” to the casual sports fan, mostly due to pitchers simply overpowering the hitters. Manfred and MLB recently sent a list of potential rule changes to the players union, so let’s take a look at which should happen.

Lowering the Pitching Mound

Pitcher's Mound
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Lowering the Pitching Mound

Pitcher's Mound
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MLB has tinkered with the pitching mound height throughout its history. Most recently, in 1968, the height limit was lowered from 15 inches to 10. A steeper mound allows the pitcher to throw at more of a downward angle, which is harder to hit than a ball coming in flat. After the dominance of pitchers in recent years and in hopes of increasing offense to draw more casual fans to the sport, MLB would be wise to lower the mound once again.

Moving the Fences In

Tony Gwynn Jr. Dodgers
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Moving the Fences In

Tony Gwynn Jr. Dodgers
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Moving in the fences at some notoriously pitcher-friendly ballparks would certainly increase the number of home runs, but is not the solution the league should be looking for. Shortening the distance to hit home runs won’t solve MLB’s biggest issue, the strikeout. Pitchers are overpowering and striking batters out more than ever, especially the matchup relievers in the late innings, and that issue is what is slowing down baseball the most.

Wrapping the Ball Tighter

Baseball
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Wrapping the Ball Tighter

Baseball
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Admittedly, I don’t have much knowledge on how much changes if the ball is wrapped tighter. The ball will travel further and increase the number of home runs, but as I said in the previous slides about moving the fences in, it won’t solve the sport’s biggest problem. Tinkering with how the ball is made could also have a negative effect on throwing, ground balls, and outfielders would need to become accustomed to the new way the ball travels.

Adjusting the Strike Zone

MLB Umpire
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Adjusting the Strike Zone

MLB Umpire
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This does not make much sense at all to me. By rule, the strike zone is just fine the way it is and if enforced properly by the umpires, there’s no need to do anything with it. The overpowering velocity and movement from pitchers and the swinging strikes is what has made it hard on hitters, not the strikes called by umpires. Move along baseball and don’t bother with this one.

Adding the DH to the National League

David Ortiz
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Adding the DH to the National League

David Ortiz
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It’s inevitable the designated hitter will be added to the National League, it’s just a matter of when. Baseball is hanging on, at least with half its teams, to its old history of having every player play on both sides of the ball. The DH in the American League is not my favorite and takes a lot of late game strategy like double switches out of the equation, but perhaps it’s time to increase offense in the NL to appease the casual fan.

Banning Defensive Shifts

Troy Tulowitzki
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Banning Defensive Shifts

Troy Tulowitzki
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Taking strategy and creativeness out of a sport that needs it more than anything is the last thing baseball should do. Putting a ban on defensive shifts just seems restrictive and completely unnecessary. What is the league going to do – draw circles at each position that the players can’t leave until the ball is hit? Please baseball – don’t ban shifts!

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