MLB names Rob Manfred as new commissioner

[Dick_Pole]

How would you format the playoffs if you have 2 divisions of 8 or 4 divisions of 4?

 

Assuming we are bound by the same amount of playoff teams and rounds I would have the 2 divisions winners get a "bye" then the final three teams have a round robin tournament with the top two teams facing the division winners. In the fairly likely event all three teams go 1-1 the tiebreaker goes to the first and second WC so WC #3 is really at an incentive to get to #2 during the season. Or make it two games each so all three teams going 2-2 is a little less likely.

 

But the simpler format would be just to go back to 2 WC spots, but I doubt baseball is willing to revert back to less playoff spots.

[BlueJayWay]

Baseball's supposed to be the timeless sport though. I feel like an actual clock would make everyone antsy. I think they should limit timeouts instead to one per PA. The pitcher can't leave the mound and the hitter the batters box more than once per PA.

Agreed...don't really need a clock, just keep batters on the box. There's a lot of dead time that does nothing that's easy to eliminate if they want to. Just stop screwing around and play baseball.

[dineke]

I think people like the NFL more because you only have to commit to one game a week. Think of how many hours you spend watching the Blue Jays during a season.

 

I would think the MLB has to do something to attract young people. Wasn't the average age of a baseball viewer like 60 or something? And I only know one person around my age who likes baseball, all my other friends think it's a boring.

[Governator]

I'm not in favour of any game changes like so many. Shortening innings? Are you crazy? Pitch clocks, this isn't basketball. How about start by getting rid of manager delays to look at replays before challenging a play. Make your call on the spot.

 

One thing I've always wanted is when an East coast team plays on the road against a West coast team, game times for Sat/Sun should be played earlier in the day when appropriate. I'm not a fan of watching baseball games at 1AM, start the game at 4PM local time, 7PM EDT and I'll be watching.

[Sorrow]

My thoughts on the matter. Don't allow pitchers to walk around the mound during at bats and don't let batter adjust their s*** continually. If a manager comes out to challenge it must be done instantly, no waiting for confirmation -> give them 2 challenges per game. They can still come ask for confirmation for things but not a challenge if they did not signal right away. Have a dedicated two man team for every game for replay analysis. No more huge waits, if they see a challenge they can start reviewing instantly before headsets are even on.

 

As far as the season goes I'd say you could shorten the schedule 14 games (to 148 per season) and increase the first wild card series to a best of 3. I know a lot of Canadian's (and I think it's stupid) want to see more play off teams. I think a lot of other sports do it wrong. If 50% of the league is good enough for the post season you should have two leagues with the champion teams in each league in one league and the s*** teams in another. People complain about how long the baseball season is but f***, hockey runs from October to June, it's insane that people don't complain about that.

[BlueJayWay]

People complain about how long the baseball season is but f***, hockey runs from October to June, it's insane that people don't complain about that.

 

I know. A few times I've run into that complaint, and I point out that the hockey season is actually a full month longer yet. People just sort of blink in incomprehension. Hockey going into the middle of June would be like MLB going into December. At some point you just have to end it.

 

But anyway as I said somewhere else I wouldn't be against a slight shortening of the regular season if they could fit some more playoffs in there. I just don't think it's likely to happen because of lost revenue. Though a number of years ago the NHL did drop from 84 to their current 82 games, I'm not sure of the cause behind that.

[burlingtonbandit]

Assuming we are bound by the same amount of playoff teams and rounds I would have the 2 divisions winners get a "bye" then the final three teams have a round robin tournament with the top two teams facing the division winners. In the fairly likely event all three teams go 1-1 the tiebreaker goes to the first and second WC so WC #3 is really at an incentive to get to #2 during the season. Or make it two games each so all three teams going 2-2 is a little less likely.

 

But the simpler format would be just to go back to 2 WC spots, but I doubt baseball is willing to revert back to less playoff spots.

 

We all know the MLB would never decrease the amount of playoff teams. I don't like that first scenario as:

1) The top 2 teams don't play for at least 3 days which would kill their momentum as it is pretty much an All Star break.

2) Having 3 teams play only 2 or 3 playoff games after a 162 game season is a massive crapshoot. At least with the current format it is only 2 teams that have a play in game but 3 teams mean the majority are playing less than 3 playoff games.

[o2cui2i]

 

is it true that the Yankees will subsidize his salary? It would be something new if they didn't.

 

wink wink, nudge nudge...

[NorthOf49]

is it true that the Yankees will subsidize his salary? It would be something new if they didn't.

 

wink wink, nudge nudge...

Yes, the Yankees will be subsidizing Manfred's salary (along with every other team).

[CJ-Freeway]

Although I love the idea of the Expos, I don't know how much you think he can do. The will for a baseball team has to come from the city and at least one rich inhabitant to take care of the glaring issues...like a decent ballpark for instance.

 

The good thing about that or a western Canadian team is the nonsense about the Jays being "Canada's team" would go away and the half-hearted fans like you who cheer for the team by default because they happen to share the border would cheer for their own team instead. I don't mean to be derogatory by that comment either. I liked the Expos growing up too, but if the Jays were the ones that were lost and only the Expos remained, I'd cheer for them, but the Toronto team would be the one with my true loyalty. The Expos would never be "Canada's team" in my eyes. So why should the Jays be that for Habs and Canucks fans? Same idea with the Raptors.

 

Well I disagree. This is the beauty of the MLB: you can be fans of an NL Team in addition to being a fan of an AL team. I was an Expos fan all my life but the Jays were always my favorite team in the AL. So I was also a Jays fan, even though I followed the Expos more closely, obviously. The two were never rivals since they weren't in the same league/division so there was no conflict of interest

[CJ-Freeway]

The NHL still exists?

 

Yes it does, and actually I think it's in the best financial health of its existence right now (if I'm not mistaken)

[John_Havok]

Step 1- implement the DH in the NL.

 

Step 2 - some sort of program to help umps improve their calling of the strikes zone, especially to left handed hitters. It speaks volumes when there's like 4 extra inches always being called strikes to lefties that RHB dont have to worry about, and scouting reports on umps to tell you how they consistently miss strike calls or call too many.

 

Step 3 - take a real stance on PEDs and the Hall of Fame. Give the writers specific guidelines to eliminate the "bacne" and heresay "evidence" so many writers use to prevent players they just don't like from getting in.

[Orgfiller]

J_Havok I think you mean implement the DH in the NL, agreed with your other points.

[John_Havok]

Yeah, I'd actually had " get rid of the no-DH in the nl" but the iPad autocorrect f***ed it up.

[abola2121]

The dynastic succession of 3 letter, 1 syllable named commissioners continues.

[FireAlexAnthopoulos]

Step 1- implement the DH in the NL.

 

No thanks. If anything, the DH needs to be removed from the AL.

[burlingtonbandit]

Step 1- implement the DH in the NL.

 

Step 2 - some sort of program to help umps improve their calling of the strikes zone, especially to left handed hitters. It speaks volumes when there's like 4 extra inches always being called strikes to lefties that RHB dont have to worry about, and scouting reports on umps to tell you how they consistently miss strike calls or call too many.

 

Step 3 - take a real stance on PEDs and the Hall of Fame. Give the writers specific guidelines to eliminate the "bacne" and heresay "evidence" so many writers use to prevent players they just don't like from getting in.

 

I don't think umps need help calling the strike zone. Maybe someone tells them to call the movement of the ball and not where the catcher catches it but from my TV without looking at pitch tracker I'd say I can call the actual strikes with almost 100% certainty so that leads me to believe the umps can.

[wilko]

1. Robo umps

2. Fix home plate issues with runners

3. Allow Pete Rose in the HOF

4. ???

5. Profit!