Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday the implementation of several rule changes that will take place in 2020 — most notably the previously reported three-batter minimum for pitchers, the expansion of standard roster size from 25 to 26 players, a two-way player designation rule and a longer injured list/optional assignment minimum for pitchers and two-way players.
From the league’s official release:
- Three-Batter Minimum: The Official Baseball Rules have been amended to require the starting or any relief pitcher to pitch to a minimum of three batters, including the batter then at bat (or any substitute batter), until such batters are put out or reach base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the substitute pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the umpire crew chief’s judgment, incapacitates him from further play as a pitcher. The three-batter minimum will become effective in 2020 Spring Training beginning on Thursday, March 12th.
- Rosters through August 31st and Postseason: Active Roster limits from Opening Day through August 31st and including Postseason games shall be increased from 25 to 26. In addition, Clubs will be permitted to carry a maximum of 13 pitchers from Opening Day through August 31st (plus Postseason games).
- September Rosters: From September 1st through the end of the Championship Season (including any tiebreaker games), all Clubs must carry 28 players on the Active Roster. In addition, Clubs will be permitted to carry a maximum of 14 pitchers during this period.
- Two-Way Player Designation: Players who qualify as “Two-Way Players” may appear as pitchers during a game without counting toward a Clubs’ pitcher limitations. A player will qualify as a “Two-Way Player” only if he accrues both: (i) at least 20 Major League innings pitched; and (ii) at least 20 Major League games started (as a position player or designated hitter) with at least three plate appearances in each of those games, in either the current Championship Season or the prior Championship Season (for 2020 only, this will include 2019 as well as 2018). The Club must designate that player as a “Two-Way Player” in advance of that game. Once a Club designates a qualified “Two-Way Player” that designation will remain in effect, and cannot change, for the remainder of that Championship Season and Postseason.
- Position Players Pitching: Any player may appear as a pitcher following the 9th inning of an extra inning game, or in any game in which his team is losing or winning by more than six runs when the player enters as a pitcher.
- Extra Player Rule: The previous “26th player rule” will be replaced with the “27th player rule” for all applicable Championship Season games prior to September 1st. The 27th player shall not count toward any pitcher roster limits described above. Thus, a Club may designate 14 pitchers in games under circumstances where the Major League Rules would permit a 27th Active player.
- Injured List Reinstatements and Option Period for Pitchers: Clubs may not reinstate pitchers or Two-Way Players from the Injured List until 15 days have elapsed from the date of the initial placement for such injury – an increase from 10 days. In addition, the option period for pitchers will be lengthened from 10 days to 15 days.
- Reduction in Challenge Time: Managers will now have up to 20 seconds to challenge a play instead of 30.
Most of these rules were known in advance, but the league’s announcement today formally brings them into MLB canon. The three-batter minimum is perhaps the most controversial of the bunch, as it’ll greatly reduce the presence of left-handed relief specialists — commonly referred to as LOOGYs (“Left-handed One Out Guys”) — and place a considerably greater emphasis on relievers who lack substantial platoon splits. The usage of left-handed specialists, though, had generally decreased in recent seasons.
The newly implemented three-batter minimum is yet another “pace of play” initiative from commissioner Rob Manfred — put in place in an effort to reduce the average time of games and decrease the downtime within. To date, however, games have yet to see any meaningful decrease in average time, while walks, strikeouts and home runs are at an all-time high. Fewer pitching changes could theoretically reduce game times, but there’s no guarantee that the rule will have that effect and any reductions figure to be rather minimal. It’s certainly possible that the new rule results in fewer time-consuming pitching change and additional balls in play, but the increase of balls in play could also have an adverse impact on a given game’s overall length.
The two-way player designation — sure to be referenced as the Shohei Ohtani Rule — will impact players such as Ohtani, Michael Lorenzen and Brendan McKay while also perhaps slightly reducing the frequency with which position players appear on the mound. It’s certainly possible that additional players will eventually qualify for such designation, but few will be impacted up front.
As for the return to a 15-day IL minimum and an expanded 15-day option minimum for pitchers and two-way players, that rule has been put in place to reduce the frequency of phantom IL stints that have been used to effectively carry extra arms in the bullpen. The Dodgers have paced the game with regard to usage of that tactic, and the Giants, under former L.A. GM Farhan Zaidi, were more regularly employing the move as well.
Managers have long bemoaned the previous iteration of roster expansion, which allowed MLB clubs to carry anyone from their 40-man in the Major Leagues. It was common to see teams nearly double the size of their bullpen under that rule, thus greatly increasing the number of pitching changes and generally making it more difficult to gameplan. The new rule will still afford teams some additional flexibility — but on a much smaller scale.
Broadly speaking, today’s announcement does little to impact the fabric of the game — particularly relative to prior rule changes (e.g. the advent of instant reply) and proposed rule changes (e.g. pitch clocks, beginning extra innings with a runner on second base, etc.). It’s a further reminder, however, that Manfred and his charges aren’t afraid to implement changes they deem best for the sport. Larger-scale changes — be it the implementation of the DH in the National League, the recently reported alterations to the postseason structure, expansion to new markets or something that has yet to come to light — feel inevitable down the road.
QUIT CHANGING BASEBALL! Come on guys, Dump Manfred while you still have fans left.
Why? Please elaborate.
Is baseball really going to lose fans over 3 batter minimums, challenge time reductions or an extra roster spot? I doubt most casual fans will even notice.
Its not going to matter because somebody will get “injured” frequently.
I really don’t understand all the fuss about the rule change. Same people complaining now, probably been complaining since the 70s when they changed the rule of players wearing helmets and the DH implementation.
Sk8… no it wont. It actually avoids injury. Relief Pitchers will now have to get up much less frequently in the bullpen. It will actually prolong careers, not shorten them.
He said “injured” in quotes meaning guys will fake injuries to get around the rule.
Same thing I was thinking. Will they start to fine people who they deemed faked an injury? What if its during a playoff game and the game is on the line? Its a terrible rule to say the least. The proposed playoff changes are even worse.
Put me in the anti DH box. AL has it, fine. Leave the NL alone.
It’s not so much that players fake injuries. It’s more that teams “create” injuries as an excuse to ferry players up and down from the injured list so they can call another player up to replace them.
Be wise it’s perfect as is. Shortening the game by 10 minutes isn’t going to suddenly bring in a surge of Millennials
It’s gen z now, but these generation designations don’t make any sense really.
Shortening the game may allow existing fans to actually watch the end of a game. Not sure I like what they’ve done but it’s a start. I would rather that a roster have been limited to 11 pitchers. They and managers would have adjusted and learned how to pace themselves to pitch deeper in a game.
You’ve obviously never been a pitcher ! 11 is nuts – ruins arms faster ! But who cares ? Non pitchers & neófitos !
Well, Yankee, you’ve never been an Relief Pitcher that had to get up several times a game and are never used.
Relief pitchers are going to have to warm up in the BP much less often.
The three batter rule will probably make it longer. I think their true intention must have been to increase scoring and not making the game shorter with that one.
@youngTank15 Just an FYI, millenials were born before 1995 and gen Z were born after 2000. Folks in the middle like myself share features of both generations.
I think that’s the consensus definition.
In 1973, the Orioles started the season with 8.
Because he’s making these changes to speed up the game. Please tell me how and when a mangers challenges a call and when it takes the umpire back in NY 10 minutes to make the decsion, that’s speeding up the game.???
The beauty of baseball is the eb and flow
That ebb and flow wasn’t so beautiful in 1985 World Series. The problem I see with I see with the replay is they all go to the same place, and they could be waiting while they review another game at the same time. I agree that if it isn’t obvious they should move on and go with the call on the field though.
One series 35 years ago is your argument?
In 85, the call would have been reversed quickly. Problem is replay calls were designed for correcting the obvious mistake but has been extended to get every call right. My biggest complaints are when the runner lifts the foot or hand momentarily and also the call at first base. The ball is not actually caught when it first appears in the glove but actually when it sticks in the glove palm or web and an an ump should be able to hear that sound to indicate it’s actually been caught. I guess they consider it caught until it’s dropped…
If it wasn’t broke, it doesn’t need fixing.
Agreed
I mean I didn’t like the rumored changes to the postseason but all of these changes seem reasonable. The fake pitching injuries were annoying the last few years
These changes seem reasonable. Translate the following for me:
The previous “26th player rule” will be replaced with the “27th player rule” for all applicable Championship Season games prior to September 1st.
What in the world is a Championship Season game?
Teams have been n allied a 26th player for a doubleheader. now they will be allowed a 27th
Baseball has always been changing
The Shift affects baseball more than anything anyone has done in decades. It makes it a worse game.
As far as the three batter minimum, it adds strategy, it doesn’t take away from it.
I really like it.
I don’t mind these rules. At all but agree he needs to go.
Don’t worry old man, you’ll be dead soon, and the fans these changes bring in will replace you.
Winner! Comprehensive Jerk! Way to go Jleve618!!!
Change is a good thing so long as it isn’t drastic… most of these are a non-issue or needed to be addressed anyways. Doesn’t really effect the game negatively from a fans point of view
I get not allowing teams to call up all 40 men on the roster in September, but would still rather see them allowed to have at least 30
Players association really lost out on the last contract negotiations. Hopefully it adjusts after 2022.
No more bouncing pitchers back and forth now that it has expanded from 10 to 15 days. Farhan can’t be happy.
Uh, this rule should be called the dodger rule, since gaming the system and using their immense payroll they had 7 full time starters who got a break on the IL every couple weeks. Hard to claim dodgers are as good as they are when they are obviously cheating.
Get rid of iPads in dugouts and fire Manfred
Amen!
Amen plus 1
Amen. Loved when Trevor Bauer blew him up on Twitter yesterday.
I also wish they’d have MLB be the pioneer in the “if you review it for longer than 60 seconds and still can’t determine anything conclusive, call on field stands.” Reviews shouldn’t take longer than 60 seconds.
I did hear one thing about reviews last year that I hadn’t considered. There’s only one location that does reviews on plays, and it’s not uncommon for them to get more than one play for review at a time. While I agree that reviews are often too long, this “wait til your turn” info helps explain some of the three or four minute reviews.
Why because MLB is too cheap to add personnel? It should be anticipated that calls would happen simultaneously and the time to correct a call should be limited to not one minute but thirty seconds. Again, the idea was to get the obviously blown calls right. Not to insure perfection.
The idea was to get the call right, period. Not just obviously blown calls.
I’d prefer they get the call correct. If that takes extra time, so be it. It doesn’t impact my enjoyment of the game.
What I hate is when runners leave the bag for a millisecond on a slide and it’s impossible for the naked eye to tell. As far as I’m concerned, those replays should not be reviewable.
The rule isn’t that the runner has to stay on the bag when tagged but he can come off of it a LITTLE BIT. Man, some of you guys just like to complain I swear.
still waiting for the Phillies to come?
Dude so uncool to appropriate my username…Mom is not going to happy…
This is all preparation for the MLB/WWE crossover pay per view.
There’s some wrestlers who can rake man
but have you seen Mike Trout’s sunset flip powerbomb?
Please don’t give Manfred any ideas! Playoff seeding will be determined by a “home field advantage” on a poll match between each team’s third worst relief pitcher will compete.
I actually like the three batter minimum. There will strategy involved and it’ll shorten games a bit. Relief pitchers with good LR splits are going to be in demand.
This rule SUCKS. Should be able to use whatever pitcher you want for as long as you want. If this shaves an average of 4 minutes off games, they will rule this a success.
They’re not doing it to shave time off games but to reduce breaks in action.
Reducing breaks will shave time off games.
But that’s not why they’re doing it. That’s a category error.
3 batter minimums may also increase fake injuries but just because that may be a consequence doesn’t mean it’s the desired consequence.
The desired consequence is to reduce breaks, not game length.
Increasing the minimum time on the “fake injury” list might deter some of that.
Totally agree
If people weren’t so impatient and expect the “right now” the length of game wouldn’t be an issue. If you don’t like how long a game is then go watch soccer. I watch baseball for the enjoyment not to watch the clock. Manfred’s tactics for shortening the game didn’t work last year & it won’t work this year.
Change sucks in baseball but this will be a good one
I would love to see little league rules too. 6 inning games and no walks with the coach coming out to underhand the pitch until the hitter reaches base role is thrown out
This, absolutely this!! I would love seeing Dusty Baker coming out and underhanding it to Altuve. Then he will know the pitch coming without using other means.
Exactly, solves part of the cheating issue
Rob Manfred has passed Goodell and Bettman for worst commissioner in sports. Its unbelievable how terrible of a job he has done.
Agree! Corporate moron!!
Totally agree and all 2017 Astro’s and management should be banned from baseball for life!
I dunno. Adam Silver’s “Let’s have a tournament in the middle of the regular season because they do it in European soccer” idea in the NBA may be worse than any of these. He just seems like a complete moron.
I haven’t followed the NHL in years, and I never was what you would call a real fan, so I can’t comment on Bettman other than he is not good at bringing in viewers from other sports.
Not that I am defending Manfred by any means. He is making Bud Selig looks good by comparison. And Bud Selig was one of the worst commissioners of all time.
However, Goodell drove me away from the NFL altogether. Before him, I would watch on Sundays 10 straight hours , regardless of the teams involved. I didn’t watch a single minute of the NFL, including the Super Bowl, this season and I did watch MLB and, to a lesser extent, the NBA. So I have to go with Goodell as the worst commissioner.
If Manfred drives me away from MLB altogether, then I would probably agree with you. But for now, Goodell still gets my vote.
All of the current commissioners number one mandate has been to increase revenues. Such has always been the case but with technology advances and the amazing current values of sport teams, the opportunities and rewards have increased exponentially. Such has at times hurt the beauty of every game. So has the influence of gambling. It wasn’t long ago that of the major sports only basketball and baseball were played to a winner was determined. Then soccer, football and hockey all implemented artificial rules. Nothing was wrong with regular season ties. Other than player health issues, I’d like to return to past generation styles. All defense in the NBA and NFL to be played and stop changing the game and make players adapt. Next thing to change will be the adjustable rim in basketball so Shaq like players could make free throws. Such theoretically would stop intentional fouls at the end of the game…
Silver’s stupid tournament is hands down the worst idea anyone has ever had regarding any professional sport. That guy is a string bean joker.
Lobby your congressman or senator. Throw Manfred out and restore baseball or they lose their legal monoply.
Thanks I hate it
I despise 3 batter minimum. It’s not gonna speed up the game. It’s delaying inevitable switches and will lengthen games.
I like the 26th man but don’t like the limit in September.
Other rule amendments just seem pointless.
It’s a change just for the sake of making changes. Leave the sport alone. Dump Manfred!
I fail to see how forcing a pitcher who doesn’t have his stuff, and consequently can’t get anyone out, achieves what they’re going for either. Just leave the game alone!!!
Three batter minimum rule sucks.
Forcing teams to have 13 and 13 sucks. They should be allowed to carry 1`4/12 or whatever combo they want.
Max 28 players after Sept 1 also sucks. This will cause some complaints down the road.
Two Way player rule would be null and void if you do away with 13 and 13 rule.
No reason to have the position player pitching rule. Sucks.
Extra player rule should be allowed for days playing a doubleheader.
Tinker to Evermore to No Chance this all improves the game.
“Extra player rule should be allowed for days playing a doubleheader”
I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what they mean by 26th man rule becomes 27th man rule.
Only during the playoffs according to said rule.
No – PRIOR to September 1.
That’s not what it says.
The “Championship Season” is the regular season.
The 27th player rule is in place all regular season. It’s null and void in September, as rosters are expanded at that point.
You’re right. My apologies.
@Steve Adams
That’s the first time I’ve seen the regular season referred to as “Championship Season” (though based on the context, I figured out that’s what they were referring to). I can see why that term would be confusing, and therefore why it isn’t widely used.
And I’m fully aware this is MLB’s language, not yours, so I’m not trying to kill the messenger here. No real point to this, except MLB’s phrasing just seems odd.
Not to brown-nose, but I enjoy your work. I like all the writers on MLBTR. Many articles on MLB.com, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, etc. are nauseating. I don’t really see any sensationalism from any writers on this site, and I respect you for that. Keep up the great work.
Also, new for the 2020 season…no cheating
Why? The Astros paid almost nothing for it (5 million), really?
Not that I think enough was done but it was 5 million (the max under MLB Constitution), 2 men were suspended for a year and then proceeded to lost their jobs and then 2 more after men lost their job after that, they also lost 2 first round picks and 2 second round picks,
Well then. I guess ee should just congratulate them on a job well done.
As long as this much money is involved in MLB (and sports in general), SOMEONE will be finding a way to get a competitive advantage. The 2017 Houston Astros and Carlos Beltran did not invent cheating. They found a new way to circumvent a rule. They were not the first and they most definitely will not be the last.
Yes, it was cheating. No, it will not stop the next guy from trying something else.
Think of the money Marwin made from that season. He literally parlayed his career year into 21 million dollars. That could provide his family in venezuela anything. Theres not a chance hes remorseful and i cant blame him. Its not just about winning and losing to players
Now that that’s settled, when do we start the search for a new commissioner?
Trevor Bauer was right, Manfred is a clown. He’s ruining the national pastime
These are ok to me but this proposed playoff thing is a joke. I can’t stand it and it’s gonna fail miserably
With all those minor leaguers that will no longer get a cup of coffee in September after the abolishment of the 40 man rule, just think of all the money saved!
From the lack of MLB roster time, to the hit to those players retirement, this is a huge get for the deep pockets and a gigantic loss for players.
And to top it off, they excusing it on pace of play? Comically brilliant
Oh yes! that extra 10 seconds made the games sooooo long.
Manfred is bad for baseball.
If you want to save time, get rid of the homerun trot. Have the hitter touch 1b and go back to the dugout.
The 3 batter minimum is dumb. The strategy changes but now lefty specialists dont have jobs now. The reason that less fans attend games is not because of the time that a game takes. It’s because it costs $400 by the time you get two tickets, two beers, and two hot dogs. Ridiculous – Manfred needs to go!
They still have jobs, they just have to do them better. If you are a car salesman, but only attempt to sell to 20% of your customers, your boss is going to fire you regardless of the reason.
I get your comparison but it’s not quite the same. Most of those lefties didn’t even get a chance to face right handed hitter on more than a couple of occasions. They were hired for the lefty specialist role and that’s all they were given. Therefore, they did the job they were hired to do.
That’s a fair point. Of course now, they will have to prove they are actual MLB pitchers instead of sideshow attractions. If they can, good for them. If they cannot, then they don’t deserve the jobs anyway.
Who hired this clown?
I frickin’ hate Manfred so much.
Why all the hate for these changes?
Also if you’re going to hate Manfred you have to hate the committees that came up with the rules and the MLBPA for signing off on the changes. It’s not like Manfred has carte blanche and can just issue rule changes, it’s not really a dictatorship.
And Manfred ran those committees.
So you suggest that he stacked the committees? For what? Do you even know he chose the committee members? You don’t think that the MLBPA had a seat at those tables? Do you have anything to back this up with?
Yes, the results.
The challenge time reduction is a joke. Umps never enforced the 30 second limit, and now we’re supposed to believe they’ll enforce one even shorter?
take all the changes and shove them up to manfrpg’s behind!
I hate Manfred
They need to add the DH to the national league already!
3 batter rule is going to be very interesting!
I do wish we had dh
Why can’t you just watch AL games and leave the NL alone? I don’t like the DH, so I don’t watch AL games. I’m not saying they need to get rid of it, because I am aware some people like it for whatever reason.
This. Dont care for the AL, so I dont watch it. I’m not trying to get them to cater to the type of baseball i like
Well damn, this will certainly bring the fans in now!
Dump ManChild!
Umpires don’t enforce the current rules so MLB makes new ones.
Just limit the time outs, keep batters in the box, and call a ball on pitchers who lag too long between pitches. You know, the current rules.
I hate the 3 batter rule.
Why are they still allowing the batters to step out of the box after each pitch??
This eats up more time than anything
That and the commercial breaks. The break between half-innings doesn’t need to be as long as it is (especially in the playoffs), but you know MLB will never cut commercials and lose ad revenue.
As trevor bauer said “rob is ruining the sport i grew up loving.” Couldn’t be more true manfred is an absolute moron.
I don’t have a problem with these relatively minor rule changes (though 28 in Sept does seem a little low–I’d go with 30 or 32). The one that scares me is the stupid playoff proposal they just threw out there. With that idea, you’d think Vince McMahon was running MLB. That idea is almost as bad as making the ASG winner get home field advantage in the WS (Selig will never live that down). If you want to speed up the game a little, fine. But don’t mess with the game with stupid changes that can affect a team’s chances of winning the WS.
If they are going to count 3 at bat DH games toward being a two way players, then why don’t they count games where NL pitchers bat 3 times toward that goal? NL starting pitchers are two way players every single game.
They aren’t implementing rules like that when they’re going to have a universal DH in the next couple of years.
No one on Earth knows that. Well at the very least no one on this particular message board knows that. All that is is an assumption. Those have been known to be wrong.
But more importantly, it doesn’t matter what rules might come later. The point is that logically those at bats count NOW while there is not a universal DH.
Time to get rid of the shift
Shift is fine. Align the D any way you want. Up to the hitter to adjust. It’s time to get rid of arm and elbow padding on hitters.
Or at the very least, get rid of giving first base to anyone hit on any type of padding, except maybe the helmet. HBP’s are a reward for pain. You shouldn’t get a base for getting hit on armor. Unless there is a welt involved, it should just be a regular ball.
So why even have positions on the field. Just let everybody roam around like batting practice
The shift is horrible. Before long there won’t be any positions, everyone will just roam around like batting practice.
bobt, I love the cut of your jib……..that being said, these rules are good, but don’t go far enough……..if you like to sit in your easy chair at night, listening to the radio, while reading your daily newspaper, than these rules might seem kind of “jazzy” and over-stimulating, but for most people who live in the current century, watching baseball has become a game of watching relief pitchers jog in from the bullpen, and then warm-up ad nauseam…..the 3 batter rule doesn’t go far enough, but it’s a start
What happened to the pitch clock that was implemented in the minor leagues? I thought it was to be transitioned to mlb by now. That was one change that I wasn’t entirely opposed to.
I never got the disdain for what the Dodgers did with their pitchers league wide. The ultimate goal was just to keep everyone healthy not to skirt the system so much.
Shouldnt that be the ultimate goal for Mlb? To save our better arms the best we can? I think all teams should proceed with caution with their arms in this way not shy away from it
Throwing a baseball is not natural like these guys do, these rules tighten the rope a little on guys who may not feel right in the pen on a off day but proceed forward and then get hurt….I dont see the ultimate payout in this…..Think we should be more liberal than anything with pitchers than tighten the rope
The ultimate goal of a lot of PED users was to just keep healthy or to help heal an injury. And yet, here we are.
Everyone on here complaining are the same people who complained about changing the DL to the IL.
Oh no, a professional athlete is going to be forced to pitch to three hitters, that’s not fair.
Oh no, teams aren’t going to be able to manipulate the IL and options system anymore.
Oh no, AL teams aren’t going to be allowed to carry 3 man benches anymore.
Y’all act like they’re changing the distance of the mound or changing the numbers of balls and strikes. These are minimal changes that are being put in place to prevent teams like the Dodgers from manipulating the IL or to keep there from being 3 pitchers in one half inning that ends up taking 20 minutes. Sounds like good changes to me.
You are missing the point. The three batter minimum takes out a whole level of stragety involved in the game of baseball. Decreasing the September roster limit only hurts minor leaguers trying to get their first taste of the bigs. This is only hurting players.
You’re missing the point. It doesn’t take out a whole level of strategy, if anything it adds a level of strategy. Managers now have to decide whether to bring in a lefty vs lefty with two righties due up next instead of bringing in a lefty for one hitter then a righty for the next two. How is that taking out a level of strategy?
As for September call ups, true prospects were still kept down in September for service time manipulation reasons. The 40 man roster in September was a joke. You have 25 men all year then in the most important month of the season you expand the roster size by 37.5%? Should football be a 55 man roster all season until December then expand to 75 players just to give practice squad players a taste of the NFL? I don’t know about you but I don’t go to games in September to watch AAA players get a taste of the majors, I’m going to watch competitive baseball at the highest level.
What a shame….change the game to make it more appealing to fringe fans who will probably never love it….while alienating the die hard fans….hate these new rules
We should clone Manfred and put one of him in every dugout. After all, he obviously intends to run every aspect of the game. Maybe this is being announced now just to take the focus off the cheating. That’s WRONG too. Manfred should come down on cheating and be much harder on the cheaters. Want to save baseball? Me too so ….. Dump Manfred.
Pace of play initiatives are not about “reducing the average time of games.” They’re about reducing the dead time between the action. If that dead time is reduced by increasing the action, then the pace-of-play initiative is successful. I think most would agree that replacing a 2 minute commercial break with 3 minutes of actual game play is a positive.
Having said all that, I don’t particularly like the arbitrary nature of the change, nor do I like that an umpire is now responsible for determining if an injury is legitimate. Presumably an umpire will never say anything unless he overhears something sketchy coming from the pitcher or manager.
These umpires couldnt decipher trash can bangs on off speed pitches for 2 years! I wouldnt expect anything positive from them
You’d think Manfred would be against the 3-batter rule. The old way allowed for the possibility of more commercials, therefore more ad revenue.
You need people watching commercials
No, they’ll find a way to keep commercial air time the same, no worried there!
The players union seems like they are rolling over on the 3-batter rule, which makes no sense. Guys like Adam Kolarek, Andrew Chafin, Fernando Abad, Luis Avilan… they should be outraged by this rule and the union should have stood up against this nonsense and fought for them. This three-batter rule ensures OOGY’s, who are only dominant against same-handed batters and can’t consistently retire opposite-handed batters but will now be forced to face them on a regular basis, could wind up out of a job over an absolutely terrible rule change.
They got an extra roster spot to compensate.
The extra roster spot, that is also unfortunate… that’s 30 additional minor league players now on professional rosters, it waters down the overall quality of the game.
I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the unintended consequences of the 3 batter minimum would be an increase in the number of intentional walks.
You mean the ones he changed so that you don’t pitch to them anymore? Heil to Adolph Manfred!
Can we call these the Sterns/Counsell Rules?
wait a minute, no Madison Bumgarner rule where you don’t watch the ball sail into the bay, you run dummy ! MLB decision makers are losing their minds, all the while padding their pockets.
If they want to improve pace of play give the batter and pitcher so long to get ready and the pitcher has to deliver the ball within another set time. How much do the batters need to do in between pitches? Step out, step in, pitcher get on the mound, step on the rubber and deliver the pitch. Problem solved and it has the added benefit of bringing back the stolen base. They aren’t trying to improve pace of play if they’re not doing that. Three batter rule is stupid and takes managing decisions out of the managers hands dumb rule. Let’s try to teach lefties how to hit lefties better instead.
Baseball is ruining the game.They don’t realize that this is a game of great tradition and we played it like our great grandparents and all those who followed.When I played we didn’t have the DH if you could’t play the field you didn’t play.That gave players the incentive to practice and hone their skills.I’m appalled that most of the pro players are not smart enough to understand the nuances of the game.If they taught the players the fundamentals you would’t need these stupid gimmicks.
Not sure why there’s a 20 IP minimum to qualify as a 2-way player. There’s no incentive to use non-pitchers as 2-way. All it does is mess up guys like Ohtani, as evidenced by the fact they have an exemption for him this year.
Meddlin Manfred has to go! Stop bowing down to soccer moms who have to micro manage every second of their children’s lives, that when they take them to a night game that goes extra innings puts a strain on her schedule…piss on that!
starts off fine and then does down hill from there. (though the latter few are okay as well)
Manfred might just as well go Futurama on this and fully concert the game to Blurnsball.
Is it correct that they must carry _exactly_ 28 players in September?
> September Rosters: From September 1st through the end of the Championship Season (including any tiebreaker games), all Clubs ***must carry 28 players on the Active Roster***. In addition, Clubs will be permitted to carry a maximum of 14 pitchers during this period.
Or is it meant to be a maximum of 28?
I don’t mind the 13/13 rule because I never liked teams carrying 3 man benches and a bunch of relievers. I’m getting old because I remember when most teams carried 11 pitchers and 14 position players.
I also dont mind the 15 day IL and 15 day send down rule as that should cut down on phantom injuries when you place a player on the 10 day IL and retroactive it back 9 days just so you can bring up an extra starter or the shuttling players back and forth to the minors for “fresh arms”.
Somewhere in LA Friedman and Roberts are shaking their heads because the roster manipulations are going away.
HEY!!! THE SHIT AINT BROKE!!
Let’s get on with teams of robots or AI games since none of this has continuity with records kept for the first 130 years or so of the sport anyway
The 3 hitter rule is STUPID – strategy is key and it has been w out it since baseball started !
Manfred is clueless –
The rumored playoff changes to be proposed are absurd and shows. Again Manfred is lost.
Punish the Astro players dude ! Put in specific rule on this – “if you do this, punishment is that “.
Protect the integrity of the game !
Manfred is ruining baseball
I don’t mind the rule changes that much.
I think the post season and impactful games are ruined by the constant switch to a lefty specialist. Managers and teams use to deploy that to stop a team momentum, so it takes an element of the game out.
I don’t mind this rule change all too much. Of course the extra roster spots an amazing perk for every time. I’m glad every team can add another guy and give someone a dream to play in the big leagues.
But ROB MANFRED HAS TO RESIGN. The stros scandal and commissioners office coverup is beyond gross.
RESIGN!
Adding rules to make them feel important.
I like all of these changes, though I wouldn’t be opposed to them getting rid of the 3 batter rule in postseason. I always hated the LOOGY and teams who would overmanage the bullpen. Put focus back on the starting pitchers and let the relievers earn their paychecks by pitching an inning and to lefties and righties. Also thanks for putting a stop to the Dodgers roster manipulation which was a joke.
Three batter rule just changes the strategy. Now you have to determine how far into the next inning a starter can go and how many guys you think your reliever can get out to get to the next inning.
I think a change they need to make is that if a team pinch hits in an inning then it should become a 2 batter minimum.
Reviews of tags at any of the bags should be limited to if the tag was applied before the base was touched. The ump on the field should have to determine if a player leaves the base for a microsecond.
And we’ll see more switchitter bench players.
I like the 26 man roster to start the year but I always liked the 40 man expansion roster in September because it really was nice for those who are not going to the playoffs to be able to invite up younger guys to give them a taste of “the show”. Only being able to add two more doesn’t help those who are not contending.
This provision seems to be written by a lawyer sitting by the dugout well into his/her 4th drink.
Translation please.
The previous “26th player rule” will be replaced with the “27th player rule” for all applicable Championship Season games prior to September 1st.
What in the world is a championship season game?
The only thing I can think of is the minor leagues having their playoff games but that doesn’t happen until the second week of September
“What in the world is a championship season game?”
It’s what most call the regular season. Read the MLB rules, the CBA or the JDA. The “regular season is referred to as the Championship season in each of them.
Every time they propose rule changes to add excitement it reminds me of Blernsball.
Last year Trevor Rosenthall made 4 appearances before finally recording an out in his 5th game.
Outing #1, four batters faced, 0 outs recorded, 3 hits, 1 BB, four runs scored.
Outing #2, on the heels of that disastrous appearance, he faced just one batter, surrendering a home run.
Now he’d be forced to continue facing two more batters before he could be pulled.
Outing #3, 2 batters faced, 2 walks, 2 runs allowed.
Outing #4, 2 batters faced, 1 walk, 1 HBP.
They lost the first game, but won the last three. If he had had to face another batter, though… ♂️
The three batter minimum rule WILL cost teams games.
Oh man…The Royals signed Rosenthal to a minor league contract…And since Matheny is the new manager, Rosenthal will probably have a better chance of being added. smh
Hate the DH! Hate the newly adopted rules! Does MLB really think that its audience is going to be so enthusiastic about the three batter minimum for relievers that they’re going to forget that the 2017 (and probably 2018) World Champuonship titles shoukd be vacated, the winning shares reclaimed and those rings surrendered!
If MLB had a living, breathing Commissioner, that’s what would happen!
The removal of the 40 man roster in September is bad for ballplayers. That’s a bad change.
Otherwise I’m okay with these decisions. I watch games, and like most people who watch games, I tire of endless pitching changes.
And I really look forward to the 13-position player minimum. Specialization, pinch runners, defensive subs, and one-tool players are some of the nerdy features I like about baseball.
The possible change to the playoffs is absolute nonsense though. Season’s long enough. That’s just my two cents.
September baseball was unwatchable before. Noone wants to watch the manager waddle to the mound 14 times a game.
This Manfred photo looks like Senator Palpatine, before the true intentions were revealed…stop changing the game
3 batter minimum… If a guy comes in and gives a walkoff homer to his first batter, they should make him pitch to two more batters just for punishment.
When the Founding Fathers made up the rules to the game… I bet they never thought, “Oh, we need a rule for so a manager can’t pull a pitcher if he’s faced less than 3 batters. I mean, that’s not fair changing pitchers so often. That gives one team an unfair advantage. And besides… think of the fans. That’s extra data they will be using on their cell phones.”
I may be in the minority here. I am good with the pitching rules here but leave the 25 man roster at 25, and 26 on double header games. Leave it at 25 in September too.
Fire Manfred.
My God, what will Joe Maddon do when he can’t have hitter-by-hitter pitching matchups for the final three innings during September games?
Shortening MLB games… sounds like Angel Hernandez may never be a MLB umpire again *Fingers crossed*. However… I guess most of his calls are overturned within a 5 second phone call so its not adding too much time.
so the three batter rule…doesnt that benefit the offense now? If they see you bring in a pitcher they can sub the next couple batters and force you to face them based on who you bring in…how is that fair to the defense?
I never liked the LOOGY & I think it was LaRussa with the A’s that popularized it so I welcome the 3 min batter change. I don’t consider shaving minutes the same as improving the pace. I feel LOOGY strategies wreck the pace because a LOOGY change for an out usually results in a pinch hitter. It can make the 8th & 9th innings seem like 30 min ordeals each. I’m always in favor of expanding rosters & the ability to carry 14 arms should result in quicker innings over a 3-4 gm series.
What I don’t like is the expansion of video replay. If Manfred is thinking more video replay means more ad time, the sport can easily support PIP ads during live play with the time spent throwing the ball around after an out between batters. MLB needs to ask this question on all plays that are currently reviewable: would another umpire
negate the need for a video replay? I’d rather see them add more umps than more reviewable plays. Video replay wrecks both the pace & flow of this sport.
The only play I feel warrants a review is a HR ball. When it’s close to a foul poul or
an OF basket it’s hard for a ground level ump to make the call.
I’d like to see an ump on the line at 1st, RF, LF, & 3rd. I’d also like to see one shadow the 2B, SS, & CF. That’s more than enough eyes to get a call right in real time. Let’s be honest, Collisions are exciting. If a player were to smash into one of these 3 umps regardless of the score it would draw your attention. Also end the all male ump club.
With 8 ump spots, let it be 4 males & 4 females. The inplay umps have to sprint & move quickly so let them were competitive runner attire. That will surely raise eyebrows on the sport.
If the idea is to make things more interesting, I have a suggestion for realignment after MLB goes to 32 teams.
All 32 teams have DH.
Eight Divisions – Realigned – no American or National
Regional Rivalries are Spotlighted, which will increase interest and revenues, while cutting down on travel and expenses
A rare suggestion pleasing Fans, Players and Owners
End of year the top Eight records going to the playoffs.
No wild card
1vs8
2vs7
3vs6
4vs5
New Divisions;
1. Bal Bos NYY NYM
2. WSox Cubs Det Mil
3. St.L KC Minn Col
4. LAA Oak Portland Seat
5. Mont. Tor Phil Wash
6. Cle Cinn Hou TexR
7. Pitts Atl Mia TBR
8. Az Padres LAD SFG
And… No garbage cans allowed in dugouts!