The latest rule changes proposed by MLB and the player's union are so insignificant as to leave you wondering why even bother. Their impacts on the same itself are almost neglible.
They say they want to speed the game up. So, cutting down mound visits from six to five will shorten games by what, three minutes? Reducing tv commercial time between innings by 20 seconds, will save another six minutes. Are the people who complain about the length and slow pace of baseball going to even notice the game, which now averages 3:00:11 according MLB, is almost ten minutes shorter? MLB leadership, which trademarked gridlock well before the US Congress thought of it, is engaged in public relations more than substantive reform.
Except for one change, the rest, which to go into effect in 2020, are superficial, aimed at either getting fans more excited about the All-Star game or allowing teams to increase roster size from 25 to 26. Adding a player simply recognizes that the increased use of relievers and the consequent growth in the size of bullpens has squeezed position players out of the dugout.
What is interesting, less for the game on the field than the business in the back-office, is the elimination of August waiver trades which have functionally allowed dealing to slip by the July 30 deadline. No trades allowed after the deadline, although players can be waivered.
As usual, this is about business, not the quality of the game and the real news in all of this is that the owners and union are talking and a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is in the offing. Given the sluggish way free agency sorted its way out this season, with premier players like Keuchel and Kimbrel still unsigned, those negotiations should be hot.
Substantatively, the changes announced the other day allow MLB to look like they are doing something more than actually improving the game.
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