10:35am: Manfred has been unanimously approved for an extension through the 2024 season, tweets Nightengale.
Nov. 15, 7:34am: The vote is expected to take place today, tweets Fancred’s Jon Heyman.
Nov. 9: Major League Baseball owners are expected to meet next week to vote on a five-year extension for commissioner Rob Manfred, reports USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. He’d need the approval of ownership representatives from 16 of the 30 teams, though Nightengale reports that Manfred is expected to receive unanimous approval. It’s been four years since Manfred officially succeeded Bud Selig as the league’s commissioner, and the new agreement would effectively ensure that he’d spend at least a decade in his current role.
Nightengale adds that various rule changes will also be discussed, as is typical in the offseason, with a heavy focus on pace of play — which has come to be one of Manfred’s more focal issues during his tenure. The idea of a pitch clock will once again be discussed, as will limitations on pitching changes, defensive shifts and “openers,” per the report. Manfred has already implemented numerous pace of play initiatives, most recently including a limited number of mound visits per game.
MLB.com’s Jon Morosi has previously tweeted that Major League Baseball is also weighing various avenues to curb teams’ abilities to steal signs using technology; one popular idea, he adds, would be to limit real-time access to the center-field camera views in teams’ video rooms. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan hears similarly (Twitter links). Deputy commissioner and chief legal officer Dan Halem spoke with Nightengale about the subject, indicating that it was a frequently raised topic at this week’s GM Meetings and that he will bring several “good suggestions” to Manfred as the league looks to address the issue at next week’s owners’ meetings.
Halem also noted that roster expansion has been a frequent topic raised by general managers, although that issue is likely to be tabled until the next wave of collective bargaining begins. The current CBA spans the 2017-21 seasons, so any hope of additional bodies being added to the roster doesn’t seem likely for another few years, at the very least.
Best commissioner in sports except Adam silver. Those two are very progressive leaders. Though mlb should discuss bigger milb salaries
Man Fred’s an idiot.
Man, Fred is an idiot!
He sure is
He’s attacking the wrong issue! It’s not pave of play. It is the bad umpires that are overly arguementitive and incompetent in doing their job. And the biggest problem of not being able to eliminate them for fear of reprisal from their union.
More than most of them are great, but the six to 10 of them are ridiculous.
I’m not sure of your age, but I recall growing up in the 80s when the umpires felt they were Lords of the Game. The guys now dont even compare. Teams then had to play the opposition and the umpire.
Not a fan of him myself. This pace of play stuff is nonsense. Replay could go away too. Talk about a waste of time. I’d much rather see a 5 minute tirade from a manager over a potential blown call than watch a silly replay. Even if it’s my own fav team. Some of the games go well over 3 hours regardless of his ideas. He’s not very smart if he thinks limiting mound visits and pitching changes and pitch clocks are going to entice more people to watch on television. I hope there’s a miracle and he’s voted out. I’ll give him one thing, he makes Selig look like a lot better commissioner than I viewed him when he was still around.
This guy gets it. A sane fan! It’s a tragedy that I can only upvote this once.
These two guys don’t get it. Sports should never cater to men who are 50+. It’s a good way to have your sport die in 30 years. These old dudes between yelling at clouds will yell and say don’t change the game! See the game changes every year regardless of their opinion. That’s why they hate shifts, analytics the opener everything that’s in vogue now. They probably hated when black players were allowed to play or when the mound was lowered or the wildcard.
While I agree with you…and I’m not an old dude….your tone is the exact reverse form of negativity. Because a person doesnt want a timer on pitches doesnt mean they hated when black players were allowed to play. In fact, if a person on here can REMEMBER the color line being broken in 1947….I commend them for their advanced technology use in being on a website like this.
If you want to make a case…make it…its not necessary to mirror ignorance.
Myself? I’m not sure where this game time issue is coming from. I’ve never once heard someone say they wish they didnt have to be in a ballpark longer. It’s quite a logistic ordeal to get there and away anyway…what’s an hour? Most of the game time issues seem to stem from the postseason….games cant go past midnight or whatever. Well, start them at a reasonable hour! Kids arent staying up that late anyway.
Baseball can be traditional AND progressive at the same time…its not an either or…and ramping the rhetoric doesnt help….no one is listening anyway. Its strangers rambling.
iverbure………………
I can’t wait until you are 60+ and you are seen as yelling at clouds simply because of your age. Of course I won’t actually be around to see it as I am old as it is, but with your rant you’ve got a pretty good start
I was one of the original regulars on this site, and enjoyed it for quite a few years. It was a place to discuss baseball with others. When mlbtr did site work earlier in the decade it became almost immediately flooded with those who couldnt start a comment without stating “you idiot” the moderators dont care…and its sunk the ship. I RARELY get on here much anymore…perhaps a couple times a year. The comment section is a pit. I tried to warn them that this would happen, but my advice doesnt mean alot.
I’ve moved on. I’ve said my peace….and I’ll be going again.
How on earth anyone could enjoy arguing with strangers on the internet is beyond me.
True thinkers look to bring all age groups in especially when the sport prices itself out of the market it craves. The 50+ group will always be needed with other age groups as who usually finances the family trip to the ball park. How many 30-40 year olds are established enough to have season tickets? How many corporations are run by that age group? Of course there are some but the age group mentioned above will always be needed. Speed up the game? Force managers to manage and make an immediate challenge. 30 seconds max. No use of replays. Get quick info from the player and nearby coach and decide. Other change? Limit pitching staff size and sensible September roster expansion.
I agree with what you are saying, and I am an older guy.
However, it’s a simple matter to understand why MLB is worried about total game time.
The reason for concern about the pace of play is broadcasters want it. Outfits like FOX need to know they don’t lose viewers and they know that with long games they do lose viewers.
So, MLB simply is recognizing that concern and trying to get the game times down.
It’s a simple matter of good business.
Fox is their own worst enemy then by extending between inning commercial times.
I mean….the solution in game is simple….the umps need to crack down on backing out of the box. NFL games are incredibly boring to me because of the lack of action. Its baseball…what audience are they really losing?
@iverbure idiot much?
No. FOX just upped their yearly pay to MLB by 36%. That’s a huge revenue gain for MLB as well as a serious commitment by FOX..
They do that so they can sell ads.
The problems begin and end with pace of play. Shorten the games and MLB, the players and the broadcasters all benefit.
MLB created most of this mess. Had they not allowed replays before a challenge, loaded up the ball for extra home runs, allowing teams to have 13 pitchers on a staff i. some instances when teams used to have 10. Allow shifts and force players to hit around the shift but also get rid of the DH (i realize the DH is not going anywhere but it does help increase the game length. Biggest culprit is the pitching changes and in their continued quest to increase the mph, they have increased their wildness and walks. I also am convinced the ball is juiced. So many smaller guys hitting moon shots and opposite field homers. Juiced balls combined with the faster pitch means higher exit velocity.
Baseball’s beauty is like tennis is there are no ties. Baseball is simply a regional sport with double the amount of games as compared to hockey or basketball. Fox televises so few games compared to regional networks and those regional networks were in many cases formed for baseball (at least in the NE, NESN, YES and SNY for example).
The main issue with replays is the umpires at stadiums that call for a replay dont look at the play themselves. Give them a tablet and dont rely on a set of eyes that could potentially be bias. Imagine if Joe west retired from being an on field umpire and went into the booth in New York. White Sox ask for a reply the call is safe on the field. He reverses the call. The end result the Indians win the AL West because of Joe Wests hatred for Chicago. (He hates the Cubs as well.
Case in point 2017 game 2 NLCS. Schwarber throws a guy out at home. The play isnt even close. As the runner touched home and 2nd contreas got the ball 2 secs prior to the runner getting there. Clean tag. Out was the call. Whether he blocked the plate or not was irrelevant. He never touched home to score a run. How do you award a run when a runner doesnt even touch the plate
Would it have mattered in the end if the call made in new York was correct or confirmed. Maybe maybe not..
The point is the replay needs to be done at the stadiums and the umpires at for the game need to watch it themselves
Silver… ugh.
Hey Rob, nice of you to join us.
Alex’s comment might get the most downvotes in MLBTR history.
It just might get the most downvotes cause most people commenting on here dont watch baseball and are generally young and stupid. Not to mention poor…im looking at you st louis lol
What’s wrong with being poor!?
You’re insane. So you think we’re all what, nascar fans? And bored and lost on the internet and wound up here on mlbtr? I for one watch baseball, and enjoy every mound visit, every time a batter readjusts his equipment, every defensive shift, and every single second I can watch that my hard earned money paid for! Manfred is ruining America’s favorite past time and I can’t wait for a new commissioner.
I’d actually argue he’s the worst other than Goodell, who deserves a category of his own anyway
Manfred is the worst commissioner MLB has ever had. And it’s not even close. Vincent was much better and he was terrible.
Honestly, even if you hate him he may already be the best they’ve had… Baseball commissioners have not historically been intellectual luminaries in their field..
The commissioner is the CEO of MLB. Once you recognize that fact, you’ll spend a lot less time worrying about whether one commissioner or another is/was better for the game, because you will know that everything the commissioner does is done in the interests of the owners. His job security depends entirely on how well he serves those interests, and not at all on what fans think of his performance, knowledge, love of the game, or anything of the kind.
Best they ever had? You got jokes.
Well, yes,it was a joke. And also a chance to point out that MLB has had more than one god awful commissioner in the past.
Giamatti before cigarettes and Pete Rose killed him.
Do fans ever like commissioners? I am with you Alex. I lean on the side of being a traditionalist when it comes to MLB changes but I appreciate Manfred and I feel he has an eye for the future. You have to do what has to be done to protect the game. I don’t mind 4 hour games but I can understand how it hurts the game and see the necessity for pace of play rules
Pitch clock will do more good for MLB, than 3PT to NBA
yep. And limiting visits to the mound and the number of times a batter can step out of the box or call time will do wonders in speeding up pace of play.
WHICH NEEDS TO HAPPEN for gods sake! 60-70 years ago games rarely went beyond 2 hours now they average 3-3-1/2 which is absolutely absurd. And shorten the season back to 152 games while there at it.
Baseball didnt need time rules back then because if you kept backing out of the box someone like Sal Maglie or Don Drysdale would knock you on your rear. But in today’s game if a guy throws on the inside corner he gets charged. Pus**s are to blame
No argument here.
Manfred is awful!!!…quit messing around with the on field product under the guise of “helping the fans”…You want to help us??…Do something about Dynamic Pricing “, $4 bottles of water and $12 beers…JAG
Alex can you name anything good he has done. How is he good let alone the best?
I couldn’t disagree with you more.
See how Mlb just got fox to pay them 714mil a year. That’s why the game has to speed up. TV like all sports runs the sport. If tv tells you changes need to happen the changes will happen.
Please tell me you’re joking!
Adam Silver is probably the worst sports commissioner in the last 30 years. Bud Selig wasnt as bad as Silver.
Fix the DH (in both leagues or none).
Or both DH and Pitcher in same lineup. Also Wavier Trades just for Waviers and move Draft before or in Off-season,have Teams come up and announce their picks and Manifred the Trades,Insiders on the floor,also on ESPN and a different site every year.
Why would “the draft in the off-season” be a good thing?
Players are ready to go in June, after the college season ends.
MLB doesn’t allow (most) picks to be traded.
Moving the draft makes no sense. I do feel more should be done to make the draft an event, like the other sports. And trading draft picks would be fun too. Both DH and pitcher in the same logic seems like a terrible idea to me
So you want the DH and pitcher so now batting ten people in the lineup? The dumbest idea I ever heard.
Even worse than having the draft at the end of the season (November) or before beginning (March).
So rather than draft players after school and the season end (June) where they are free and can also play in short league seasons you want to draft them in March? Before you can evaluate them during the college baseball season? Huh?
And of course you draft a pitcher in March and sign him? And he cant play that season? Can you think of anything dumber than your two ideas if you try? I doubt it.
I think I must be the only fan in all of baseball who likes the fact that the two leagues have slightly different rules. I think it’s fun! I find myself wishing that there were 1 or 2 other small variances.
I like that they are both different too.
I’d love it as an AL fan. They have a huge advantage in player development.
AL teams have a big disadvantage when playing in NL parks since their pitchers are typically worse for having spent less time working on hitting and they have to bench one of their best hitters
OTOH, AL teams can draft and develop (from rookie league to Triple-A) hitters with no defensive ability at all. Just DH them.
NL teams have to use them in the field. In games.
An AL team can sign a 16 year old from the Dominican exclusively on his bat. The NL team has to consider where to play him.
Also, AL teams don’t have to double-switch in Double-A and Triple-A. NL teams need to roster an extra no-bat 2B/SS for those situations at two levels. AL teams? Roll through the guy that mashes from the DR.
NL teams have an even bigger disadvantage when playing in AL parks.
The difference in offensive talent between an AL pitcher and an NL pitcher is much much smaller than the difference between guy signed just to hit and a guy who spends most of his time on an NL bench.
I’m good with it also. The Junior Circuit has always been about being different. Plus I like a stodgy old Senior Circuit too.
Gives fans the option of which they like. There’s no clear consensus of which is more popular, so why does it need to be uniform until there is?
It needs to be uniform because they are all keeping for the world series championship and should play by the same rules. Get real.
So Petrie would you he ok with one league changing the rules to have 4 strikes for an out and 3 balls for a walk? Why be uniform?
ridiculous levels of hyperbole don’t really prove any points, just fyi.
personally i think Baseball was just fine for the 100 years before the AL came up with the whole DH marketing gimmick anyways. So if people just want uniformity for the sake of uniformity, why do they always assume that defaults to DH in the NL?
What is fun about it
I’d vote for establishing two distinct leagues again….make baseball special. I recall how neat it was to see the ASG and World Series growing up…the NL team in the AL park and other way around. Inter league play just isnt a novelty.
Dont put a dh in the NL ever. Theres no strategy with a dh. We need double switches and weird s*** to happen. We would never be able to see travis wood in left field for one batter then brought back the next batter to pitch. Same with Sean Marshall when he played. He played left field. The “bleacher bums ” song we are marhaalal.
And you think there’s strategy involved with a pitcher bunting in every at-bat with 99% striking out? And we are trying to entice new fans and viewers with boring baseball play?
Better commissioner than Goodell.
Damning with faint praise?
Way to set a high standard
Why limit openers?
Why limit shifts? Because the power hitters can’t hit the ball the other way, league has to figure out how to stop it. It’s stupid.
It’s supposed to be a tactical game. No where in the rules does it say where a player can stand on the field. That’d be like saying the NBA has to move the 3 point line because teams have finally figured out there’s an advantage to spreading the floor and that 3 pointers are worth more than 2 points.
Shifts are the opposite of stupid but they make the game less exciting to watch IMO
So, because a handful of players are only able to hit the ball to half of the field, the rules should be changed to cover it up?
Next you’ll argue for the free throw line to be moved forward because some 7 footers cant hit more than 50%.
I’m starting to get annoyed w/ “pace of play” as that’s not the issue with MLB. It’s the damn commercials and cost of going to the games.
I don’t get why anyone thinks people saying “baseball is boring” has anything to do with the pace of play. People who don’t really get the sport don’t see why it’s cool when a pitcher throws a curveball over for a strike on a 3-1 count… so anything that doesn’t create an immediate result seems boring and pointless.
People are going to love it or hate it regardless. Making these weird little tweeks to the game aren’t going to bring ’em in. Manfred is a bozo.
Bozo. Haha. Amen.
I feel like if they got people to call the big national games who are interesting, knowledgeable, and good at explaining what’s happening, a lot more people could appreciate all that nuance. ESPN, Fox, TBS, and MLB Network seem to just go for big names in the booth, who seem to spend most of the time complaining that the managers aren’t doing what THEY would do. It’s so not engaging.
The issue is isn’t that. Bill James did a lot for analytics but he also did more to kill the game by reducing players to numbers. A high batting average says the ball is likely in play a lot. A low one not so much. And that’s the issue. Not putting the ball in play. Shifts and the idea of a homer or nothing mentality should both be banned.
No he didn’t, it’s just the opposite, to be frank
Before sabermetrics baseball players were basically steroetypes. They either fit some preconceived mold or they were considered bench players.
Bill James opened peoples eyes to different ways of being successful, nothing more
He did do those things. I wasn’t denying that. Then he tweets how players are replaceable and aren’t the game as if humanity and character don’t matter. They do matter. What I’m saying is that James outlook for baseball doesn’t value the things we as fans like to see. It makes winning very effective but not very exciting.
Metrics can go to heck too
Character doesn’t matter in terms of wins and losses, honestly. James was just the first one to say that out loud.
Yes, he took the romanticism out of the game, but frankly that’s still holding it back
I think James was misunderstood. All he was trying to say was that if every MLBer stopped playing tomorow, there would STILL be a HR leader, a MVP, a Cy Young winner, etc. in 2019. You can stratify the “best” players in a Little League.
Like a lot of “radical” thinkers, James started off well, shedding light where there wasn’t any. Then he fell in love with it, and started creating an artificial universe where everything behaved the way HE said it should; it didn’t matter if it did or didn’t in the real world.
And a NOT insignificant amount of people think that all you have to do is to build a roster based solely on WAR, and you win; plain and simple. Of course, in the real world, it’s neither plain nor simple.
And of course to buy into his theology, you HAVE to believe that a pitch thrown at the Tropicana Dome against the White Sox, when both teams are 20 games out, in front of 6,000 octogenarians is the EXACT same event horizon as one thrown in Fenway Park, against the Yankees, in a pennant race, in front of 40,000 screaming lunatics.
His stuff is good, as far as it goes. It just doesn’t go as far as some think.
You’re confusing the Bill James of today, with the Bill James who influenced the game 20+ years ago. His viewpoints today are soundbites, nothing more. They have absolutely no bearing whatsoever.
I watch a lot of games and stopping action for a dozen pitching changes is definitely a pace of play issue that fans find annoying and boring. Or when pitchers would take 10 minutes in between pitches (exaggeration)
Those who have watched Pedro Baez or Rafael Betancourt pitch would beg to differ, but I agree about commercials and ticket prices.
I agree. I get why other people think that baseball games take forever, but that’s what makes baseball what it is anyway and if someone can’t appreciate that then there’s no sense in trying to cater to them.
Also, I don’t think anyone would really be any more interested in a game if it took 2 hours and 55 minutes instead of 3 hours.
Yes a 5 minute difference isn’t a big one but the difference in the average length of a game between the 2 and a half hours in the 70’s to 3 hours and 8 minutes in 2017 is quite noticable. I’d rather watch a fast moving Mark Buehrle game than one of these pitchers that stretch it all out because they have OCD
I totally agree. I’m waiting for Manfred to propose 3 inning games that start with runners on 2nd and 3rd lol
I think he’ll suggest T-ball before that. Ought to really speed up the game.
“Getting paid” is the issue to players and owners.
Like always.
I have never once heard anyone complain that they had to be in a major league ballpark too long.
Mlb network found two games from history one from the early 80s one from 2016. Same score, same amount of pitches. Game from the 80s took 50 mins less. Why? Stupid fans will say commercials! No commercials accounted for just 10 mins more of time, and remember those commercials aren’t going away because the players were the ones who wanted more commercials. Players just move slower than players from the 80s. The batter constantly stepping out, adjusting his gloves. Or even before he steps into the box he waits in the on deck circle until his walk up song is over. The pitcher stepping off the mound between every pitch because he doesn’t know how to pitch, just knows how to throw as hard as his body will possibly allow him to do for 3 years before his elbow blows up.
I agree that length and number of commercials is most of the problem, but pace of play ISSSS definitely a big problem.
The dumb idea of putting a runner on second in extra innings should be put to bed for good. Especially after this World Series. Game three is one of the best ever for drama. Watching on TV until 3:30 am was different too.
What if the game is a no hitter/ perfect thru 9? Or just a complete game shut out going to extras?
I had mixed feelings on shift changes until recently. Having seen them now in old videos of games from over 40 years ago why break precedent? Granted they’re done more frequently now because of all the stats but that’s the game evolving. What I don’t like is when they shift to the right side they don’t make it mandatory the 3rd baseman fields the left side.
Pitch clocks? No no no no no.
That’s good for NHL NFL NBA but not MLB.
“Watching on TV until 3:30 am” ey can’t afford the quarters it takes to watch that long.
move to the better coast.
So start the games earlier, problem solved.
People care more about the end of the game then the beginning (and all the dreadful melodrama of the pregame).
They won’t start them earlier than 8pm. Gotta wait for all the left coasters to get home from work and their traffic jams
What year do you live?
Hopefully he lets teams trade draft picks soon. Rounds 1-10 only.
Imagine trading international money for picks or teams keeping prospects and trading picks for rentals or long term assets.
“He” won’t do anything of the sort.
If owners (23/30) and 50 percent plus one of the players want trades, they’ll happen. Until then, nope.
I’d like to see the opportunity to trade third day picks, as well. If (KC) trades a spare piece to (ANA), for instance, a 13th Round pick should be permitted as an alternative to “cash considerations”. Then, the deal can actually be tracked.
I would love to see trades thru round 10. I think that would really make the draft more interesting. One of the reasons the NFL draft is so watchable is because of the trades.
I don’t think third day trades would work bc teams only get 30 seconds. That’s not enough time.
I don’t agree with Manfred that trading picks would lead to GMs making dumb moves. Umm, they already make a bunch of dumb moves. It’s part of the game. They are grown men who can make professional decisions. If a team wants to trade it’s top 10 picks for Realmuto, why not?
The “30 seconds” concern is valid.
However, it seems logical to allow Philly to flip Detroit a 3B in A-Ball for a 27th Round pick, with the trade being executed in March.
Props for “ANA”
Not the news I wanted to hear.
Nooo get rid of Manfred. Screw the pace of play crap
BLECH!
If you want to speed the pace of play, here’s an idea.
Cash fines for teams who have pitchers go over specified limits. The fines go up each time.
Pedro Baez becomes unemployable, because Rob Manfred hates baseball.
(I don’t necessarily like it either.)
Let’s remember the Commissioner works for the Owners, the Owners only. That he is the de facto bargaining agent for ownership vs. the MLBPA can’t be ignored.
I’m a bit surprised that Manfred is flowing through so easily. Under Selig, franchise value tripled, even the dregs. Under Rob, that growth has significantly slowed. And with value being so tied into broadcast contracts. and those contracts being for such a long period (30 years in some instances), that level of growth is pretty well done.
All the other stuff is just window dressing. Nobody really cares about pace of play or stuff like that. Pace of play slowed when “three-outcome” theology became the rage; it should change now that teams like Boston and Tampa have rediscovered that putting the ball in play is a good thing,
The REAL question is whether Manfred is capable enough the navigate the new CBA, details of which I’m sure are being negotiated now. I have my doubts. Roster size, expansion/realignment, public disclosure of financial records, salary caps and floors, are a whole lot more difficult (and significant) than pitch clocks.
My guess is that nobody wants to kill the golden goose, and they’ll be tons of compromise. But I’ve thought that way before…….
Spot on. I don’t see how any fan can expect the commissioner to look after their interests. The first commissioner Kennesaw Landis was hired by the owners to clean up the game’s reputation after the Black Sox Scandal. It was all about the money then and it’s all about the money now. This has only become more the case as the game has grown increasingly corporate. The only real counterbalance to the power of the owners as expressed through the commissioner is the MLBPA, which many fans love to hate, for some reason.
I’ll never understand how the average working guy, of which I very much am, could ever possibly side with owners over the pay issue. It doesn’t take a CPA to realize that if owners weren’t making it, they wouldn’t b paying it. Especially these days; these guys are brilliant business people. Really think they’d be passing out those contracts if they weren’t making gobs of money?
Look see how I was immediately downvoted for even mentioning the MLBPA, as if the point needed to be proven.
As the size of the revenue pie increases the players argue that their slice of it should not get smaller. Shocking! Knowing that it’s all about the money, I don’t feel a need to side with either of them, or to join into the phony controversy stirred up over the battle for pie slices. It doesn’t affect me as a spectator of the game one way or another, unless the two sides get so pigheaded that they end up in a strike or a lockout situation. I hated Bud Selig for that event happening on his watch, though I suppose the players deserved their share of the blame for it.
I suppose I’ve always been on the players’ side because it’s labor vs,. ownership, and I’ll probably always land there. That plus the Reserve Clause, the worst example of crony capitalism ever.
But I’d agree; watching the Bryce Harper circus is a giant yawn. Millionaires vs. millionaires; who wins? Who cares? And only a few teams are involved.
By far the worst commissioner I’ve seen in my entire life. And I’m old.
agreed
Selig was definitely worse
He’s soft and hands out way too many suspensions. Easily triggered human being from what I can tell.
You accuse him or being “soft,” and then you accuse him of punishing people too often. Which is it?
And your use of “triggered” as a pejorative speaks volumes about your lack of maturity. As much as bros like you think it’s edgy to make fun of triggering, it’s a real thing with real consequences for those who are affected.
Odds are, you probably have no clue how contradicting your statement is.
Tony Clark needs to get something out of limiting pitchers. He needs to push for DH in both leagues. This might curb roster expansion for more pitchers too.
Manfred’s a joke. He’s a perfect example of everything that’s wrong with this sport. From the stupid slide rules to the darn mound visits. All it’s done is make the game slower and more agitating for us fans who love the game (in my opinion).
The only positive thing that I think Manfred has done is the intentional walk rule. Throwing 4 BS pitches was stupid form the get go and that is the one rule that has actually sped up the game.
Baseball is a simple game. It should be kept that way.
And to heck with the DH in the NL!
Viva NL!!!!
Manfred has one serious job–to make the owners money. He’s done that very successfully, particularly in the last round of CBA negotiations. He also has a secondary one–to make the game entertaining and deal with “disciplinary” issues. That he’s done less well.
Exactly
Cannot stand Manfred. Constantly trying to change the game.
Want to improve pace of play?
Simple rule change (to counter-balance pitch clock): Batters assessed a called strike if wrist straps are adjusted on batting gloves without swinging at previous pitch.
Could “save” about half an hour, maybe more, with some of these human rain delays ….
when i go to the ball parks i want the game to last longer. even though i don’t drink i want enough time for the people who drank there to sober up before driving home.
WHat you need is the game to go to a standard 10 inning (but they still cut the beer off in the 7th).
That should add another hour to the game. Or, you can just go to a Yankees/Sox game.
Catcher’s mask usually sits near the top of a batter’s strike zone. Pitches at the mask are rarely called, if ever. Pitches above the belt aren’t called and curves caught below the knees (but cross the knees) also aren’t called.
They can also stop switching baseballs. Do it when it’s out of play or a pitcher requests it.
Definitely tell batters to get in the batters box. Get ready to hit.
Terrible. This guy sucks.
with every rule change, or even possibility of one, I become less and less interested in baseball
Another ‘we’re only in it for the money’ commissioner.
That’s his job. Make the owners money.
Why is this hard?
Some people can’t fathom that. They expect the Commissioner to be a good guy, like they’re a wrestling character who does the right thing for the fans.
Reality is, the Comish is hired by the Owners to represent their best interests. Why this is a shock to people, I don’t know.
It’s like asking why Donald Trump doesn’t have Canada’s best interests in mind. He doesn’t, because that’s not his damn job.
I’ve never understood the whole place of play issue. I’ve been a fan my whole life and rarely do I sit through an entire game on TV. Not many folks have that much time at once to do that. So what’s the big deal if the game goes 2:40 or 3:00?
On the flip side, if I’m actually attending a game, i want it to go as long as possible.
I guess I’ll never understand why the extra 10-20 minutes has ever gotten so much attention. Manfred….dude…
Get used to the breaks. Notice how Fox inserted those “quick words” in between batters in a split screen through the World Series?……
Brings back one of my fondest memories. Jim Woods was a broadcaster for the Red Sox (he had been a Pirate guy for 100 years), and was wrapping up his career in Boston. He also, ahem, drank a tad, and had a pretty good idea he was done at the end of the year. He HATED inserting commercials. Zimmer comes out to pull a pitcher, and of course pats him on the butt. Woods says “That’s right, boys and girls, when you take a pitcher out of the game, be sure to check him for hemorrhoids. And while we’re talking about hemorrhoids, this pitching change is brought to you by Preparation H!”.
He was suspended for a few, and fired at the end of the year.
His ever erudite co-announcer, Ned Martin, who felt the same way, said afterwards, “So……. he should have said Vaseline????”He was gone too.
Oh yeah, those little cut-ins between pitches were pretty bad. That’s a Fox thing though and we know how tacky they are w sports.
Lol…is there anything Fox is NOT tacky with?
Hooters….uh, wait a second…
Pace of play is different than time of the game. Its not about 20 min or how long the game goes. Its about the pace of play. Pace of the action. Flow of the game.
Every sport has shifts in defense to limit offense. The fact that baseball has a problem with it because offense can’t catch up (they have if you look at runs/game by season). what fans aren’t a fan of is the fact the game has been less about bloopers falling between defensive holes and more about HRs. Older fans hate seeing lower batting averages and strikeouts.
If the commissioner wanted to do anything to make singles and such more important they’d change the length of the bases.
Make them rectangular instead of square?
Flat instead of raised. Wait safety is a diff issue
Make first base 90′ x 90′ so you can’t round first base without running 180 feet
I’ve never had actual disdain for a commissioner before Manfred. Maybe that’s not entirely true. I stopped watching the NFL when Goodell became commissioner, and haven’t watched since. Point being, Manfred is terrible for baseball in my opinion. He is always talking about “what’s wrong with our game,” instead of promoting what is great about it
no
I’m fine with Manfred, and I do generally agree with where he stands. I like pace of play. I like forcing batters to keep a foot in the box. I like MV limitations.
I would like to see a rule for forcing pitchers to face multiple hitters. A matchup inning with three different pitchers for three hitters is garbage baseball. I get why teams do it. I just don’t like it as a viewer.
The dugouts and bullpen should have ZERO access to live game video. It completely perverts the replay system as teams regularly review footage before making a call — surely that wasn’t what was intended. In addition, removing that video access will help kill using that technology from stealing signs. Force teams to do it the old fashioned way — paying attention to the game with their own eyes, not a video production team.
Alternative idea. The first 6 innings are to be played at their current pace and the last inning you get 30 minutes to play the final 3.
10 second pitch clock or automatic ball. If the pitcher has more than 3 automatic balls he’s ejected.
Probably a smart call by the Owners – the way he’s bent the MLBPA over the table the last few years, is pretty hard to argue with.
Manfred was hired to kick Tony Clark’s *** at the bargaining table. He crushed him.
Like him or not, the owners are more than happy with him.
But, he needs to figure out how to get MLB back to playing baseball instead of TTO-ball.
Tony Clark has 1 job; ensure his guys get paid. He’s doing that. Manfred’s not kicking Clark’s butt. Manfred is kicking the fans instead.
Change to the DH in the National League. You pay to much money for pitching and they get hurt by possibly getting hit by pitch or foul a ball of their foot legs. Pulling muscles swinging and running the bases. As an owner and manager I don’t want my best pitcher hitting. He gets paid to pitch not hit
I second this idea. Will allow meaningful reorganization of MLB when the league finally is ready to expand to 32 teams and keep it there.
Or maybe we can add a DR…Designated Runner. Who wants their star outfielder getting hurt sliding into 2nd…..it’s just not right!!!! Yes that was sarcasm. Play the whole game or none at all.
So you think Pitchers in the AL don’t try very hard? Come on, throwing 90 pitches is a lot more work than what most Outfielders put in during the course of one game.
How in the world did you get that from what I said? I made it clear with my last sentence…play the whole game or none at all.
AL teams adopted the DH gimmick because their attendance was blah. My dislike for the DH has never been about strategy or such. It has always been about playing the whole game and that includes playing your position, batting and running the bases.
BTW, NL pitchers throw 90 pitches too.
So have him bunt and as an owner, use it as an excuse not to pay huge money for half a baseball player who does nothing but swing a bat
The NL doesn’t need that outdated marketing gimmick
‘Jingle Bells Manfred smells, the owners laid an egg, MLB lost some fans, and the game went away’
Machado, if all s true, would be a great fit for Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, or Saint Louis as this is practically the team philosophy, dirty play and dogging it.
Down with all commissioners! Let the players rule themselves. Oh wait, that pretty much already happens in the NBA.
Well he’s better than Selig I guess…which really isn’t saying all that much since Selig was the worst commissioner in the history of the MLB.
Selig was actually pretty middle of the pack as far as commissioners go
He was still awful, but MLB does not have a history of good commissioners…
mlb games have gone longer with pitching changes due to tjs. Old days it was called arthoscopic shoulder surgery. Now teams wont risk running a pitcher beyond 100 pitches. not too many mark burles or complete game 2 hour pitchers around anymore even today. limiting the mound visits and time between innings only knocks a few minutes off.
Ratings have also gone down for the playoffs. Now its a regional thing. No one outside of boston or LA except the baseball fans stay up for the extra innings game in the playoffs.
Move the 1st two playoff games to a neutral rotating site to generate some national interest, ala superbowl.
The regional model actually works better if you want to generate new fans. It’s a lot more profitable for the teams to get local TV deals than a portion of a dwindling national market
Plus the quality of commentary falls of a cliff between the local and national broadcasts. The announcers during the world series seemed to think everyone watching was either 70 or stupid….
By 2024 …. if we work on pace of play a little more, we could be halfway through the 2028 season! Long Live Manfred!
I do not like changing the greatest game ever invented. I don’t like that you can’t break up the double play. I don’t like ruining the exciting play at the plate. When we were kids we actually practice those plays. I sure don’t like having a clock in the game. The only thing I approved of was that fake throw to third by the pitcher when there were runners on 1st and 3rd. Let them play the game the way it was meant to be played!
That’s really too bad