If you could change one thing about baseball to IMPROVE the game, what would it be?

Question

Examples:
-Add a salary cap
-Cut some teams from the league
-Fans not being able to vote for the all star game

What would you guys change about the game today to improve it?

Answer 1

even though im a big mets fan i gotta say that the salary cap is not something baseball needs. the yankees "empire" is part of baseball history and i wouldnt want to change that but i would change the draft make it bigger and televise it like nfl and nba they could get more viewers and maybe better ratings.
thanks
~Cherokee74

Answer 2

First off, the All-Star game is an exhibition game and should continue with fan voting. It should not however determine home field for the World Series.

They should just use interleague records to determine World Series home field advantage. For example, the American League teams won the most games this year, then the AL should have home field.

Another way make it simple, from the two World Series participants which team had the most wins gets home field.

Also they should have the baseball draft open to all players, high school, college and international. Instead teams with the most money are getting the international players.

They should allow high school players who get drafted the option to attend and play at college while their rights are still being held under their MLB team. Similar to how the NHL does with its draft.

Anyway, that's my $0.02

Answer 3

Contract the Yankees (not really necessary, but follow...) and install three new teams in the NYC/northern NJ area. (Or keep the Yankees and put in two new teams.)

The common lament is that the Yankees spend too much or buy up all the stars and the championships with them. Balderdash, but let's serve the notion -- the Yankees can do this because they benefit from being in the largest media market. Even shared with the Mets, the Yankee advantage is enormous... so let's cut it down to size. NYC once supported three teams, it could now handle four. The NY metro monies, split four ways instead of a lopsided two, would greatly dampen that advantage.

This will never happen, but it would work.

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Edit: "Get rid of the prima donnas who only care for a buck & not about the game or their fans." Heh -- that would certainly evict pretty much every owner and the entire commissioner's office down to the office supplies delivery boy.

Answer 4

This thread is the worst ever. The only thing you don't like about baseball is that you don't like the fans voting for the All-Star game starters and it determines home field advantage for the WS. It has to be the salary cap. It is the only major sport not to have one. With the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, etc... of the world, some teams are eliminated the first day of the season and will never be able to compete for a World Championships. There is no parity, and that is why the NFL is the most watched and greatest sport out there.

Answer 5

Check this out!

American League

East
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox
Baltimore Orioles
Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Central
Toronto Blue Jays
Detroit Tigers
Cleveland Indians
Louisville Sluggers (Expansion Team)

Midwest
Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals
Texas Rangers

West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners
Oregon Westerns (Expansion Team)

National League

East
New York Mets
Atlanta Braves
Washington Nationals
Florida Marlins

Central
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers

Midwest
Chicago Cubs
Colorado Rockies
St. Louis Cardinals
Houston Astros

West
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks

Every team will play each divisional rival 24 times and opposite division rivals 6 times each. They will also play 18 interleague games now that there will be enough teams to face off against each other in one day.

There will be a best-of-3 Wild Card Round in the playoffs. They will play the third and fourth best teams and the top 2 teams will get a week off. They will play the winners of the Wild-Card round in the Division Series.

Answer 6

I would speed the game up. I mean I love baseball but if you have ever seen a guy like Sidney Ponson pitch you know how a slow moving pitcher can truly suck the entertainment out of a game, while a guy like, Mark Buehrle say can keep a game pace moving along at a brisk pace, while maintaining his effectiveness. There are other ways in which to speed up baseball but if certain pitchers would just speed up their pace a little I think baseball could appeal to a wider demographic, especially my ADD generation.

Answer 7

1) Determine home field advantage for the World Series by regular season won loss record and not by who wins the All Star game.
2) Limited use of instant replay similar to that in the NFL. Ball/Strike calls would not be reviewable.
3) Stronger enforcement of the call when a runner slides outside the basepath at second base when trying to break up a double play. If the runner cannot reach second base with his hand a double play should be automatic.
4) Stronger penalties for bench clearing brawls, beanballs, and managers that go ballistic on umpires.

Answer 8

Actually, something kind of minor. There's a rule about the time a pitcher has to pitch when the batter is in the batter's box, like 10-15 seconds or so. I'd make the umps enforce that rule to speed up the game. Geez, sometimes it takes forever for the pitcher to throw a pitch. Then he gets it back from the catcher, checks it to see if he still likes it, walks off the mound and rubs the ball, spits, adjusts his cap, then looks in for the sign...etc. Make him pitch the ball!

Answer 9

1. Fans not being able to vote for the all star game
2. All Star game not determining the WS home team
3. Implement DH rule in both leagues or none
4. Put a radar system in place to call strikes, like in tennis

Come to RootZoo for smart sports talk. Head on over and ask this question there, you'll get some great responses.

Answer 10

A bargaining session was canceled, and Goodell called off an owners meeting set for next week. The talking heads on ESPN are saying a lockout is likely with the collective bargaining agreement expiring March 3.Only the naive are surprised to hear it."There is always a lot of public posturing in these negotiations," said Robert Walker, retired MGM Mirage sports book director. "I am hoping there will be no work stoppage.
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