Fix Baseball

[MaineDolFan]

2) If you want a hard cap, you have to have a hard floor. No more receiving $30 Million checks for luxury tax/revenue sharing and then fielding a team with a $29 Million payroll.

My man never lies. 

+1

[Dave Gray]

^ Yeah, agree.

[MaineDolFan]

Speeding up the game is pretty simple.  A lot of fans don't know this, but pitchers are supposed to be held accountable for the amount of time in-between pitches.  They get fined quite often for infractions, it's not something you hear a lot about.  I say this needs to be stepped up.  Put this in the laps of the ump.

"X" amount of time to throw a pitch.  If it doesn't happen in "x" amount of time, a ball is automatically called.  If the ump doesn't properly follow this rule, the ump is held accountable with fines, suspensions.

This was actually put into the last CBA and removed because they simply couldn't arrive at a time.  It needs to be done, it would be a first good step.

Additionally, teams should be allotted a specific number of "time outs."  Those are the only times a pitching coach or manager may be on the field to approach the mound.  They get, say, three a game.  Use them wisely, a violation is an automatic ejection. 

Catchers and pitchers constantly meeting will be taken care of by the "x" second rule.  By the time they are done yappin' the ump would have awarded the batter 1st base.

Baseball games, under almost no circumstances, should never exceed three hours.  Three hours is pushing it.

[Sunstroke]

I find it amusing that every time I bring up a hard salary cap, the Boston and New York fan watch their blood pressure go up about 25 points as they start immediately screaming for the hard floor.

And...I always agree. I have no problem with a hard floor at all, and see it as a natural counterbalance to the hard cap. I just want to get rid of the whole "We'll just outspend you for the star players" attitude that is prevalent among the high-salary squads in baseball.

[Dave Gray]

More than outspending, I am bothered when teams make mistakes and don't pay for it.  I'm OK that the Redskins drop serious coin for every big name free agent that comes along.  But that's only because when it doesn't work out, they end up screwing themselves. 

I wouldn't mind the Yankees picking up these overpriced guys.  It's when the don't pan out and they can just spend for the next big name guy, without consequence, that I get bothered.

[raptorsfan29]

If i had my way,

Alignment - Do a Radical realignment that puts teams from the same city/state in the same division, (Mets-Yanks, Cubs-White Sox, etc). It would certainly cut the distance a team would travel.

Hard Cap/Hard floor. 100 million dollar hard cap, 50 million dollar hard floor.

Playoff teams - 6 for each league, like the NFL, the top 2 teams get a bye while the rest play 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5. Best of 5. Although i have heard that there will be one wild card added next year that will play a 1 game winner takes all against the other wild card team.

[Tenshot13]

Salary cap

Eliminate all press coverage of the Yankees and Red Sox, because those two teams are all you fucking hear about.

Make home plate a pool of melted chocolate and have a slip and slide run halfway between 3rd and home.

[masterfins]

Speed the game up.

Put a "pitch" clock behind home late. Once the pitcher receives the ball the clock starts, 15 seconds should be plenty.  Batter not ready..too bad.

[raptorsfan29]

Put a "pitch" clock behind home late. Once the pitcher receives the ball the clock starts, 15 seconds should be plenty.  Batter not ready..too bad.

What would the penalty be for the pitcher if he doesn't throw it in time. Automatic ball?

[Sunstroke]

What would the penalty be for the pitcher if he doesn't throw it in time. Automatic ball?

That is exactly what the current rule calls for.  I personally think that a low-voltage taser would go further toward ensuring compliance...

[tubba marxxx]

I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with baseball, outside of a hard salary cap and instant replay. 


Now, I'm the furthest thing from a financial wizard.  I'm 25 years old and I don't think I've ever seen a comma in my bank account.  So I'm not going to touch how to imply a salary cap.


Instant replay however, here's what I think should be done:  Don't think football and "challenge flags" and all that nonsense.  Simply put, have a 5th umpire watching the game like the rest of us.  If the call is wrong on the field, the 5th umpire would be able to chime in and instantly correct it.  With that being said, you make sure the other 4 umpires know that this "head umpire" or whatever you want to call it has final say and over rule anyone's "human error." 

[Landshark]

1.  Instant Replay used for home run calls, foul/fair calls, plays at the plate, base running, but not balls and strikes.  Make it like the NFL where managers get two "reviews" per game.  If the manager wins both his reviews, he gets a third one.  If the game goes into extra innings, an extra review will be granted for each manager for every five innings.

2.  Put the DH in both leagues.  The pitcher hitting is basically an automatic out 99% of the time.  Pitching is a specialty that takes a lot of time to develop, as is hitting, and there aren't enough hours in a day to do both.  That's why you rarely, if ever, see pitchers hitting once they make it to the professional level.

3.  A hard salary cap to prevent teams like the Yankees and Red Sox from buying championships, and a hard salary floor to prevent teams like the Marlins, Pirates, and Royals from pocketing that luxury tax revenue.

4.  Charging the mound after getting hit by a pitch is an automatic minimum 5 game suspension, as is the pitcher (or anyone else) throwing a punch.  Anyone leaving the dugout or their position on the field during an altercation will be subject to a minimum 1 game suspension.

5.  HGH testing to go along with steroid testing.  The consequences for a positive HGH test is the same as a positive steroid test.  First time is a 50 game suspension.  Second time is a 100 game suspension.  Third time is a lifetime ban.

6.  Allow the use of aluminum bats

7.  Allow the trading of draft picks

  

[tubba marxxx]

As far as the speed of the game is concerned.  Baseball games and Football games are almost identical in length.  The difference is, the NFL gives you a commercial ever 15 seconds, where as MLB stays with (for lack of a better word) action.  If the NFL eliminated commericals after every change of possession, would you guys complain about the speed of the game in football?

[EDGECRUSHER]

More than outspending, I am bothered when teams make mistakes and don't pay for it.  I'm OK that the Redskins drop serious coin for every big name free agent that comes along.  But that's only because when it doesn't work out, they end up screwing themselves. 

I wouldn't mind the Yankees picking up these overpriced guys.  It's when the don't pan out and they can just spend for the next big name guy, without consequence, that I get bothered.

What, are you saying that just because we signed Kei Igawa, Damaso Marte, Pedro Feliciano, A-Rod for 100 years and AJ Burnett that it didn't prevent us from winning championships and divisions? Oh yeah, it didn't. You're right. I understand your point and would never argue with it. The Nationals were dumb and gave Jayson Werth too much money. They are and will pay for it. Boston gave Carl Crawford too much money and while they will pay for it, it didn't hurt them this year, excluding the September collapse.

If a hard cap was put in place, guys like Crawford and Werth can kiss those contracts goodbye.

[Fau Teixeira]

Instant replay for balls and strikes. Tennis style.