Growing up I was a huge Mets fan. But after the strike of 1994-1995 I never really fully came back. I have gone to a few games since then, but infrequently. It has now been a few years since I watched an inning of the game. My interest in the game is limited to updating my stoopidstats charts and tables after each season. Here are posts about such things. At this point, I couldn;t name a player on the Mets starting lineup.
So, on the one hand, I don't really follow baseball. Other than feeling deprived of the annual ritual of updating my stats, I wouldn't care if the baseball season got cancelled. In fact, I might have even gotten an odd little thrill out of such a cancellation -- if not for the fact that I know if would make a lot of my friends and a lot of small business owners unhappy.
At any rate, given my ambivalence, I'm probably not the best person to comment on the rules changes that are part of the season-saving agreement. To make matters worse, I am not going to do any real scholarly research before opining. I'm definitely leaving out some stuff, including the rules that I don't care about. The minutia of draft rules and waiver regulations are boring to me, so there's no reason to cite each of them just to say "I don't care." And there are likely some changes that I would care about if I were aware of them, but I'm leaving out because I'm not. So take this for what it's worth.
Adoption of the DH in the NL
I have never liked the DH, and I don't like seeing the NL adopt it. This change also includes the so-called Shohei Ohtani rule. According to it, if a pitcher is batting for himself, and gets replaced on the mound, he can continue as the DH. That makes sense to me. Or it would if not for the fact that there should be no DH at all.
Pitch clock (starting in 2023)
Probably a good idea if it will speed up the games. But in terms of game length the bigger problem is the commercial breaks.
Ban on defensive shifts (starting in 2023)
This is a terrible idea. There should be no rules about where the fielders can be positioned. OK, I suppose there have to be minimal rules for practicality purposes. Like, the pitcher has to be on the mound, the catcher has to be behind home plate, and no other fielder can stand between them. But if a team wants to position the other seven fielders down the rightfield line at the base of the foul pole, they should be allowed to. Interestingly, in talking about this with a friend I learned that, other than the catcher, all fielders are required to be in fair territory when the pitcher pitches. Keith Hernandez used to get in trouble for violating that one. I'd be all for rescinding that rule. Let the fielders stand where they want, and let the batters do what they can to hit it where they ain't.
Automatic ball/strike zone (starting in 2023)
What is this
Larger bases
My understanding is that the bases will expand from 16" square to 18" square, which represents an increase in area of more than 25%. I have no opinion about whether this is good or bad.
Expanded postseason
Really? To my way of thinking, you shouldn't be allowed in the postseason if you don;t finish in first place.
Extra innings ghost runner
One article says they will be eliminating the ghost runner (who starts on second base in extra innings. I wasn't even aware they had adopted this in the majors. I must really be out of touch. Some other article says that the ghost runner is back, which means they had it and it went away, which means I'm even more out of touch. At any rate, the whole ghost runner thing is an abomination that should never have been implemented at any level.
Facing every opponent
To make the schedule more "balanced," every team faces every other team for at least one series each season. If I had my way, teams would only play against teams in their own division, and division winners would be the only ones to go to the postseason.
All-Star game decided by a home run derby
If the All-Star game is tied after nine innings, it will be decided by a home run derby. Now, I already think the All-Star game is a load of bullshit, but this will just make it bullshittier.
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