Couple of things that I'd add to my list.

Replay on fouled 3rd strikes. No reason to not allow this. 

And this one, which I believe some minor league is experimenting with...a modified DH rule.  DH is in play as long as starting pitcher is still in the game. So nobody pitching well has to get pulled in order to try to generate some offense with a pinch hitter.  But, it also brings into play the manager's ability to juggle his lineup/bench once he goes to the pen.

On 4/12/2021 at 4:13 PM, ColonelMike said:

PLEASE, oh please, get rid of the asinine runner on second for extra inning games rule....

I haven't made up my mind on this one yet. At the moment I slightly lean to not a fan.

MLB has got to be better in getting the best umpires in the brightest spotlight.  No more of "he's got seniority" or "it's his turn" blah, blah, blah.  Laz Diaz was rated in the bottom 6% in accuracy and the bottom 12% in consistency for the entire year (in calling balls and strikes)...but, instead of watching game 4 of the ALCS from his sofa, he's actually behind the plate!  So, it really shouldn't surprise anyone if he missed a crucial game-changing call, right?

I know that everyone is human, and even the best umpire is going to miss calls.  But, when you have statistical proof that one guy regularly misses more calls than someone else...WHY HAVE HIM IN SOME OF THE BIGGEST GAMES OF THE YEAR?!?

We literally tell the players/teams that the regular season means something and that they need to be at/near the top in order to make the postseason.  But for the umpires...nah, let's forget about how they did during the regular season.  Joe West?  Sure, let's put the old guy in one more time behind home plate in a one-game, winner-advances, loser-goes home, situation.  Can we get Angel Hernandez?  Sure, why not.  How about Laz Diaz and CB Bucknor?  Absolutely.  Oh, and can we get Ted Barrett as a crew chief?  Consider it done.

Either give me the best that you've got, or bring on the robo-umps.

2 hours ago, CincySportsFan said:

MLB has got to be better in getting the best umpires in the brightest spotlight.  No more of "he's got seniority" or "it's his turn" blah, blah, blah.  Laz Diaz was rated in the bottom 6% in accuracy and the bottom 12% in consistency for the entire year (in calling balls and strikes)...but, instead of watching game 4 of the ALCS from his sofa, he's actually behind the plate!  So, it really shouldn't surprise anyone if he missed a crucial game-changing call, right?

I know that everyone is human, and even the best umpire is going to miss calls.  But, when you have statistical proof that one guy regularly misses more calls than someone else...WHY HAVE HIM IN SOME OF THE BIGGEST GAMES OF THE YEAR?!?

We literally tell the players/teams that the regular season means something and that they need to be at/near the top in order to make the postseason.  But for the umpires...nah, let's forget about how they did during the regular season.  Joe West?  Sure, let's put the old guy in one more time behind home plate in a one-game, winner-advances, loser-goes home, situation.  Can we get Angel Hernandez?  Sure, why not.  How about Laz Diaz and CB Bucknor?  Absolutely.  Oh, and can we get Ted Barrett as a crew chief?  Consider it done.

Either give me the best that you've got, or bring on the robo-umps.

The bolded and underlined is the problem to me and I've been talking to a buddy of mine all through the playoffs about it. I don't expect them to be perfect, and I actually appreciate the fact they they're not, but you have the technology to track the consistency and accuracy of these guys. The ones who have the privilege to work the best games should be absolutely cut and dry. 

The wildcard games would be a 2 out of 3 series.

 

I would spot the Reds a five run lead in every game.

On 2/3/2021 at 2:59 PM, Jumper_Dad said:

If you could implement any rules or changes that you wanted in MLB, what would they be?

This would not happen, and most would probably hate it. However, I think part of the reason why the interest in baseball is low is because it’s such a long season. 
 

So I would split up the season in two halves. If you are winning your division after the first half, you secure a playoff spot. Then once again for the second half, if another team wins the division, then they secure a playoff spot. If the same team wins the division in both the first and second half, then that creates a wild card spot. Which the wild card spot would be for the team with the best overall record that didn’t win their division in the first or second half. Also overall record for the whole year would still determine the seeds for the playoffs. 
 

I think it would make the season more exciting, because it would make more games feel like they matter. Plus say you have injuries or just have a bad first half of the year. You still have a chance to make the playoffs by winning the division on the second half of the season. 
 

This also would probably force more teams to truly try more to win, and not be so quick trade away guys or dump salaries. 
 

This will probably never happen, and all the traditionalist would hate it. However, I think it would make baseball more interesting and exciting. It would probably help attendance, since fans wouldn’t be done with their team after a bad first half. Plus it wouldn’t mess with the overall baseball records, because it is still an overall 162 game season. 

11 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

This would not happen, and most would probably hate it. However, I think part of the reason why the interest in baseball is low is because it’s such a long season. 
 

So I would split up the season in two halves. If you are winning your division after the first half, you secure a playoff spot. Then once again for the second half, if another team wins the division, then they secure a playoff spot. If the same team wins the division in both the first and second half, then that creates a wild card spot. Which the wild card spot would be for the team with the best overall record that didn’t win their division in the first or second half. Also overall record for the whole year would still determine the seeds for the playoffs. 
 

I think it would make the season more exciting, because it would make more games feel like they matter. Plus say you have injuries or just have a bad first half of the year. You still have a chance to make the playoffs by winning the division on the second half of the season. 
 

This also would probably force more teams to truly try more to win, and not be so quick trade away guys or dump salaries. 
 

This will probably never happen, and all the traditionalist would hate it. However, I think it would make baseball more interesting and exciting. It would probably help attendance, since fans wouldn’t be done with their team after a bad first half. Plus it wouldn’t mess with the overall baseball records, because it is still an overall 162 game season. 

I like the two halves idea. Except that I think if a team wins both halves, they would get a bye and no one would get the wildcard. 

9 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

I like the two halves idea. Except that I think if a team wins both halves, they would get a bye and no one would get the wildcard. 

The only issue would be what if the same team wins both halves in two of the three divisions. That would mean just four teams made it, so you really can’t give a bye then. 
 

I think having a guaranteed 6 teams make it would work. You could have possibly 6 different division winners say in the NL if a different team wins each division in both halves. If somehow the same team in each division wins it for both halves. Then it goes to three wildcards for the three best overall records of teams that didn’t win their division either half. Then the top two overall records for the whole year would have byes in either case. 
 

I know for me it would keep me interested more. I honestly really liked how exciting the shorten season was for the 2020 year and how teams had to go for it right away. 

7:05 start times for World Series games. Starting after 8pm is just stupid. MLB needs to start dictating what's good for the game, instead of just leaving it to the broadcasters.

10 hours ago, CincySportsFan said:

7:05 start times for World Series games. Starting after 8pm is just stupid. MLB needs to start dictating what's good for the game, instead of just leaving it to the broadcasters.

I totally agree.  My habit now is to wake up and check my phone to see who won the night before.  Midnight finishes of games just don't work for me anymore.

24 minutes ago, nkypete said:

I totally agree.  My habit now is to wake up and check my phone to see who won the night before.  Midnight finishes of games just don't work for me anymore.

Same and I'm a baseball diehard. Kids, a job, just can't do it. 

11 hours ago, CincySportsFan said:

7:05 start times for World Series games. Starting after 8pm is just stupid. MLB needs to start dictating what's good for the game, instead of just leaving it to the broadcasters.

I understand the 8pm start times - between 15-20% of Americans live in the Pacific Time Zone. The bigger problem with MLB games is the amount of commercial time (I understand, it pays the bills) and the interminable time between pitches (shake off, shake off, shake off, step off; readjustment of batting gloves, etc.). MLB's problem isn't when games start, its figuring out a quicker, more enjoyable, fan-friendly way of getting to the finish line.

6 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

I understand the 8pm start times - between 15-20% of Americans live in the Pacific Time Zone. The bigger problem with MLB games is the amount of commercial time (I understand, it pays the bills) and the interminable time between pitches (shake off, shake off, shake off, step off; readjustment of batting gloves, etc.). MLB's problem isn't when games start, its figuring out a quicker, more enjoyable, fan-friendly way of getting to the finish line.

I've said this about the advertisements for a long while. 2.5 minutes per commercial break and you have one between each half inning. Even if the home team wins it in 9 innings that is 17 commercial breaks at a minimum, not including any extras you take for pitching changes, etc. That breaks down to almost 45 minutes shaved off without changing the game with clocks or anything else. It takes the 4 hour marathon game and shaves it to 3:15. 

Give umps a stopwatch like KHSAA does and give pitchers/teams a specific amount of time in between innings to speed it up more.