fc OT Baseball to change the rules? bat anyone you want in the 9th

[sluggo72]

what say you?

Forget about pace of play rules in baseball, how about adding more excitement?

Apparently the MLB is kicking around ideas to completely change the way the ninth inning is played.

Rich Eisen, on his radio show Wednesday, said an MLB executive told him of an idea about allowing the manager of the trailing team to bat whomever he chooses in the ninth inning in an effort to ramp up more excitement.

“Baseball is the only sport by mere randomness and happenstance, the best players are not out on the field with the game on the line,” Eisen said. “Potentially down by two, ninth inning, you got 7-8-9 up. You can pinch-hit but sometimes your best hitters are not coming off the bench. In the ninth inning, the ninth inning only. Not eighth inning, not the seventh, not extras -- ninth inning only, you are allowed to send up to the plate as your first three hitters whoever you want. … If 3-4-5 hitter goes out in order in the eighth inning, ninth inning the manager sends 3-4-5 right back out there.”

Eisen prefaced the idea by saying this rule is being “whispered” and that he does not know how close it is to being realistic. He also added that there are other wrinkles that would need to be ironed out in order to implement this rule, such as where things would pick up should the game go into extra innings.

It also seems to penalize the team with the lead for simply having a lead.

One of Eisen’s producers pointed that out and used the argument that if the other team has a no-hitter or perfect game going you are “penalized for having such a great performance through eight innings by having to get out the 1-2-3 or 2-3-4 or whatever. That’s preposterous.”

Eisen said the crux of the argument is to get the best players on the field with the game on the line and read a message off his phone from an MLB executive.

“Best argument is that no other sport has its best players sitting on the bench in the final minutes of the game,” he said. “Imagine LeBron, Tom Brady, or Sidney Crosby or Ronaldo watching on the sideline.”

Most of MLB’s focus has been on trying to make the game faster by changing rules for pace of play.

Last year they eliminated throwing the four pitches for an intentional walk and earlier this week added a limit to the amount of mound visits permitted throughout the game as well as cutting down the time between innings and pitching changes.

 

[michnittlion]

This idea seems too insane to possibly be true.

 

[lj4heisman1]

No

 

[NittPicker]

The ninth inning rule would be a farce. As noted, it penalizes a team for having a lead. There's no fairness in that.

 

[78SweetRevenge]

That's just awful

 

[ILLINOISLION]

We already have the absurdity of the two leagues playing different games because of the Designated Hitter.

Letting anyone bat in the ninth is ridiculous.

What’s the next idea, giving a team an extra out or two or three based on how many runs they’re behind? Making a team remove an outfielder? Having anyone who walks go directly to third base?

 

[AWS1022]

Baseball is already a game where the best players aren’t batting for half the game usually anyhow. And in the majors, everyone on the team can hit or they wouldn’t be in the majors.

 

[bkmtnittany1]

never happen...

 

[Howie'81]

what say you?

Forget about pace of play rules in baseball, how about adding more excitement?

Apparently the MLB is kicking around ideas to completely change the way the ninth inning is played.

Rich Eisen, on his radio show Wednesday, said an MLB executive told him of an idea about allowing the manager of the trailing team to bat whomever he chooses in the ninth inning in an effort to ramp up more excitement.

“Baseball is the only sport by mere randomness and happenstance, the best players are not out on the field with the game on the line,” Eisen said. “Potentially down by two, ninth inning, you got 7-8-9 up. You can pinch-hit but sometimes your best hitters are not coming off the bench. In the ninth inning, the ninth inning only. Not eighth inning, not the seventh, not extras -- ninth inning only, you are allowed to send up to the plate as your first three hitters whoever you want. … If 3-4-5 hitter goes out in order in the eighth inning, ninth inning the manager sends 3-4-5 right back out there.”

Eisen prefaced the idea by saying this rule is being “whispered” and that he does not know how close it is to being realistic. He also added that there are other wrinkles that would need to be ironed out in order to implement this rule, such as where things would pick up should the game go into extra innings.

It also seems to penalize the team with the lead for simply having a lead.

One of Eisen’s producers pointed that out and used the argument that if the other team has a no-hitter or perfect game going you are “penalized for having such a great performance through eight innings by having to get out the 1-2-3 or 2-3-4 or whatever. That’s preposterous.”

Eisen said the crux of the argument is to get the best players on the field with the game on the line and read a message off his phone from an MLB executive.

“Best argument is that no other sport has its best players sitting on the bench in the final minutes of the game,” he said. “Imagine LeBron, Tom Brady, or Sidney Crosby or Ronaldo watching on the sideline.”

Most of MLB’s focus has been on trying to make the game faster by changing rules for pace of play.

Last year they eliminated throwing the four pitches for an intentional walk and earlier this week added a limit to the amount of mound visits permitted throughout the game as well as cutting down the time between innings and pitching changes.

Crazy. I'm for speeding up the game, but don't eff with the way the game has been played for many, many decades. I still hate the freakin' DH.

 

[Howie'81]

Baseball is already a game where the best players aren’t batting for half the game usually anyhow. And in the majors, everyone on the team can hit or they wouldn’t be in the majors.

This is why a good team always looks to have a deep lineup. It's called lengthening the batting order. Don't eff with baseball.

 

[PSUSignore]

Hate it. This would be another example of tweaking the rules just to favor losing teams, similar to DRS in F1, computer assist in video games, the new freeze rule in beach volleyball, and whatever other examples you want to pick. I don't understand why organizations want to punish winning teams by giving the losers an unfair advantage, even if it's temporary. The rules of the game should be the rules of the game regardless of who is winning and losing, and both teams should play by the same rules. This is all about the almighty dollar at the expense of the integrity of the sports' rules. They think closer games will lead to more viewers. I absolutely hate rules like this.

 

[Bessmoney]

How about expanding rosters and having offensive specialists and a defensive specialists? Think about how many guys are stud infielders but never sniff the majors because they are perpetual .190 hitters in the minors. Conversely, think about how good the hitting would be if batters only had to focus on hitting. If they are really looking to add excitement, having the best offensive and defensive players on the field at all times is certainly a way to go.

Personally, I hope something like this never happens, but it also wouldn't surprise me if it does happen.

 

[wex18]

How about allowing the trailing team to challenge the leading team to a hot dog eating contest or a dance-off? Winner-take-all.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

How about allowing the trailing team to challenge the leading team to a hot dog eating contest or a dance-off? Winner-take-all.

You mean wiener take all?

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Courtesy runners. Send Bryce Harper up there three or four straight times and send somebody out to run for him if he gets on so he can drive himself in. Better yet, in the ninth (one inning only, mind you) let's have it be wiffle ball and if a thrown ball hits you, you're out just like when we were eleven years old.

One would think a MLB exec would be somebody who actually likes baseball but that's clearly not the case. No surprise though, lots of executives have no affinity for the organizations they ostensibly serve as we know all too well.

 

[psualt]

Perhaps its a slow sports week. It's as if people aren't interested in women's half pipe skiing.

 

[uhlerlion]

that has to be the dumbest idea. Lest chalk the problems up to randomness? ok how about football officiating seems random at times much less the schedule hate getting buffalo in december well someone has to do it? how about basketball bouncing around a rim??

A baseball lineup is the game within a game. Depth of roster matters.

it has nothing to do with getting the best players on the field. Ok in basketball why have fouls we want the best players on the court at all times

Or even better in football sometimes Tom Brady is on the sideline while the other team milks the clock thats how it goes sometimes. That too is randomness

This is stupid reasoning at best

 

[psualt]

After reading this again I would say Eisen is Not being truthful. I don’t believe anyone associated with baseball would think this is remotely a good idea.

 

[johnmpsu]

Stupid, terrible idea.
Want to speed up the game? Call the high strike and sell fewer commercials.

 

[psuro]

Anyone? I will select Babe Ruth circa 1927.

 

[kgilbert78]

We already have the absurdity of the two leagues playing different games because of the Designated Hitter.

Letting anyone bat in the ninth is ridiculous.

What’s the next idea, giving a team an extra out or two or three based on how many runs they’re behind? Making a team remove an outfielder? Having anyone who walks go directly to third base?

They used to for many years--both the strike zone and the ball differed slightly back in the day.

 

[Woodpecker]

I want the guy standing on second base who just hit a double to bat again. Maybe he can knock himself home.

 

[CF LION]

I want the guy standing on second base who just hit a double to bat again. Maybe he can knock himself home.

We called that a ghost runner in two man waffle ball.

 

[heckmans]

what say you?

Forget about pace of play rules in baseball, how about adding more excitement?

Apparently the MLB is kicking around ideas to completely change the way the ninth inning is played.

Rich Eisen, on his radio show Wednesday, said an MLB executive told him of an idea about allowing the manager of the trailing team to bat whomever he chooses in the ninth inning in an effort to ramp up more excitement.

“Baseball is the only sport by mere randomness and happenstance, the best players are not out on the field with the game on the line,” Eisen said. “Potentially down by two, ninth inning, you got 7-8-9 up. You can pinch-hit but sometimes your best hitters are not coming off the bench. In the ninth inning, the ninth inning only. Not eighth inning, not the seventh, not extras -- ninth inning only, you are allowed to send up to the plate as your first three hitters whoever you want. … If 3-4-5 hitter goes out in order in the eighth inning, ninth inning the manager sends 3-4-5 right back out there.”

Eisen prefaced the idea by saying this rule is being “whispered” and that he does not know how close it is to being realistic. He also added that there are other wrinkles that would need to be ironed out in order to implement this rule, such as where things would pick up should the game go into extra innings.

It also seems to penalize the team with the lead for simply having a lead.

One of Eisen’s producers pointed that out and used the argument that if the other team has a no-hitter or perfect game going you are “penalized for having such a great performance through eight innings by having to get out the 1-2-3 or 2-3-4 or whatever. That’s preposterous.”

Eisen said the crux of the argument is to get the best players on the field with the game on the line and read a message off his phone from an MLB executive.

“Best argument is that no other sport has its best players sitting on the bench in the final minutes of the game,” he said. “Imagine LeBron, Tom Brady, or Sidney Crosby or Ronaldo watching on the sideline.”

Most of MLB’s focus has been on trying to make the game faster by changing rules for pace of play.

Last year they eliminated throwing the four pitches for an intentional walk and earlier this week added a limit to the amount of mound visits permitted throughout the game as well as cutting down the time between innings and pitching changes.

What a ridiculous notion. I have a few more other ideas to add excitement.

In the last two minutes of a football game, the team that is ahead has to play with one hand tied behind their backs.
In basketball, the team that is ahead has to sit one player of their choice and only go with 4 .
In hockey, in the final 2 minutes, if a team is losing they get an automatic power play. If they are down one, they get a one man advantage. If they are down 2, they get a 2 man advantage. If they are down 3+ they get a 3 MAN advantage.

Think about how exciting these sports would be!!!!! SMH

 

[gamblepsu]

I'm wondering if Rich (or the person he talked to) misunderstood the proposal. I think by letting 'anyone' play in the 9th they might mean you can pinch hit someone who hasn't played and not have them have to take the field if they are successful. Or, a little league substitution type rule could happen as well, where when you come out, you can come back in a different spot.

I don't think you could throw out the ordering of someone who is already in the game. It doesn't make sense for a number of reasons.

Thinking more on this, while i like the idea of expanding rosters, I think it would create more substitutions and actually slow the game back down again. Maybe limit the amount of pitchers on a roster... it's gotten ridiculous that some teams barely have backups that can play each position yet we have three guys in the pen that throw 2 innings a week.

 

[Talpsu]

The year the phillies won the WS, I recall always thinking we still had a chance in the ninth inning if they were down. It didnt matter who was up in the lineup or how many runs they were down. They would somehow pull out wins when you would think it would never be possible. Made for some GREAT baseball. This idea sounds like something they would be doing in little league or tee ball.

 

[PSU95alum]

This could be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. But IF, and that's a big IF.... IF they were to implement this completely stupid rule, it would have to be fair so BOTH teams could do this in ONLY the 9th inning.Why limit it to just the one team that is behind?

 

[PS4814]

How about expanding rosters and having offensive specialists and a defensive specialists? Think about how many guys are stud infielders but never sniff the majors because they are perpetual .190 hitters in the minors. Conversely, think about how good the hitting would be if batters only had to focus on hitting. If they are really looking to add excitement, having the best offensive and defensive players on the field at all times is certainly a way to go.

Personally, I hope something like this never happens, but it also wouldn't surprise me if it does happen.

I like the way you're thinking. At the pro level football doesn't run the iron man rule and baseball is slow enough, as opposed to sports like hockey/basketball/soccer/rugby, that you don't have problems with players transitioning between offense and defense rapidly.

For the initial proposal anything that has the potential to lengthen the game I'm 100% against. My personal thoughts on jazzing up the game besides those already mentioned by others:

- Time clock on the batter/pitcher. If the pitcher can't strike out the batter within a set time - let's say 3 minutes - it's an automatic walk. Once batter is in the box they can't leave unless they're hit by pitch. You leave the box - 1 strike.
- Shorten the games to 7 innings since the crowd starts to leave by that point anyway.
- Make the entire outfield no foul ball, in effect draw a line from 1st and 3rd base to the dugouts and any ball landing past that point is in play. Could still make the home run cutoff between 1st and 3rd. Add additional outfielder as needed.
- Home runs count as 2 points since it is the most exciting play after all - they don't shoot off fireworks for a double play.

 

[emrtmakesshiteup]

That would just be horrible, horrible, horrible, however, it would certainly solidify Mariano's legend for all of time!

 

[androcles]

...wanna shorten the game?...
...it's simple ... shorten a game to 7 innings...!
...as one who worked several years at a ballpark I could never understand the attempts to tweak the rules of the game...
...do you set out wanting to spend the fewest minutes possible at a game or do set out wanting to enjoy the time you are there?...
...probably depends on who's with you - your kids, your wife, your Dad, your best friends, your girlfriend, your boss, your customer, etc., etc., ...
...different strokes for different follks...

 

[harbest]

1 That would render the first 8 innings totally meaningless.
2 Baseball already has one foot in the outhouse with the wretched designated hitter rule.
3 Quit thinking about asshat ideas and JUST PLAY THE GAME THE WAY IT'S BEEN PLAYED THE LAST 150 YEARS OR SO.

I have never been a fan of looking at ways to speed up games like baseball. When I was younger, I was not near a large metropolis and to see a Phillies, Mets or Yankees game meant the need for a bus or long car ride. I usually had the opportunity to see only one game a year so I wanted to make that day stretch out for as long as I could. Maybe people who lived in New York or Philly had the chance to see more games and didn't like long, drawn out games but that one day I had to see a major league ballgame I wanted to hold onto it as long as I could.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Bring back doubleheaders.....let people get their money’s worth!

 

[Lionguy32]

What Eisen failed to disclose is that both he and the unnamed MLB executive were completely stoned during the course of the entire conversation.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

We called that a ghost runner in two man waffle ball.

I used to love waffle ball...with maple syrup and a side of bacon!!

 

[Talpsu]

What Eisen failed to disclose is that both he and the unnamed MLB executive were completely stoned during the course of the entire conversation.

It's really hard to comprehend that somebody actually came up with this idea and even harder to comprehend that a second person would even entertain the idea.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

And in the majors, everyone on the team can hit or they wouldn’t be in the majors.

Mario Mendoza may have disproved your statement.

 

[MAJoePa]

This is a terrible, terrible idea. One of the things that makes baseball unique is the ability to manage your lineup and your bench.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Better yet - slow pitch softball for the losing team in the 9th....and both teams get a trophy regardless of the outcome....oh, and hugs....everybody gets one!!

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Crazy. I'm for speeding up the game, but don't eff with the way the game has been played for many, many decades. I still hate the freakin' DH.

Agreed - this would be a very DH-like rule, which is already the stupidest thing to ever happen to baseball.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

Courtesy runners. Send Bryce Harper up there three or four straight times and send somebody out to run for him if he gets on so he can drive himself in. Better yet, in the ninth (one inning only, mind you) let's have it be wiffle ball and if a thrown ball hits you, you're out just like when we were eleven years old.

One would think a MLB exec would be somebody who actually likes baseball but that's clearly not the case. No surprise though, lots of executives have no affinity for the organizations they ostensibly serve as we know all too well.

Courtesy Runner? Is that anything like a "Courtesy Flush"?