What would you want the new Baseball Commissioner to change?

[El Supremo]

It looks like it will be Rob Manfred who I don't know squat about.

And don't bring up the DH. A small minority here likes to polarize the issue.

I'd like the season become shorter so we don't have to watch the World Series in late October. And get rid of that extra Wild Card. One game series should only be for tie breakers.

[Auggie]

1. Here:

• The extra wild card for sure ... dumbest idea since the DH.

• I agree about the season being too long, but good luck with that.

• All-Star game determining home field advantage in the World Series. Should be by W-L record. Second dumbest idea since the DH.

• Keep interleague play as regional as possible. It's ridiculous for East / West Coast teams to constantly criss-cross the U.S.

• Speed up the game -- put a time clock on pitches.

• Salary cap and true revenue sharing

• Eliminate the DH.

[El Supremo]

2. Speed up the game by banning batting gloves.

You'd never see Ted Kluszewski wear any such pussy crap.

[madinmaryland]

4. Real Men don't wear gloves?

[madinmaryland]

3. DH?? I would love to see more

Double Headers, and not just the day-night double headers. Add 3-4 more players to the roster and it would be realistic to play several double headers during the season.

The though of seeing baseball played from 1 in the afternoon until 8 in the evening!!



As for the Wild Card, either add a team or get rid of team. If you can end the regular season one week earlier, you could then fit in another five game series. Wild Card Week, like the NFL has Wild Card Weekend.

[joeybee12]

5. Reinstate Capital Punishment so Selig can be drawn and quartered...

Dyin's too good for the likes 'a him.

[Auggie]

6. LOL

[TZ]

7. Eliminate the ASG

Determining home field advantage, that's dumb.
As for shortening the season- no way. Playoff baseball and October go together like peanut butter and jelly..
Also I'm one of those who actually like the extra wildcard. It makes the end of the season more exciting as teams fight for that last spot.often divisions get determined early

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Agreed. And What I Would Like To See Happen Is. . .

. . .tell the paying customers this is a NINE INNING EXHIBITION GAME and that if it's tied after 9, the game ends in a tie.

The year that happened in Milwaukee, the firestorm it created was because baseball didn't have the courage to just say it's an exhbition game. They could have just said that from now on it's nine innings and no more.

I doubt many fans would have objected. Instead they grossly overreacted and made it count for something when it really doesn't matter.

[bigwillq]

9. Career ban for anyone violating

banned substance policy.

The first offense is the last offense.

You get one appeal to prove your innocence. If found in violation, banned.

[Yavin4]

10. Contract 2 teams

The Oakland A's and Tampa Rays should not be in the league. Either contract them or move them, but there isn't a big market to move them to.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. You Want To Contract Two Teams in First Place?

Or at least near it. The A's have been in first place for weeks.

[Yavin4]

15. Yes. A ML team cannot exist in those markets.

There's not enough per capita income to make them competitive over the long term. Contract them or move them to better markets. Maybe North Carolina or Tennessee or Oklahoma.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. In Oakland?

They've been there for more than 40 years! How is that not sustainable? I realize the economy is changing, but the history doesn't support your conjecture.

Where's all the income in Kansas City? Why not Miami? The per capita may be higher, but nobody goes to the games.

Little city like Milwaukee, only 90 miles from two other teams in Chicago?

I can see your point about contraction, i just think you mistargeted.

[Yavin4]

17. Ever been to a game in Oakland?

It's the most depressing way to go to a baseball game. The stadium is literally falling apart. Last year, the plumbing backed up and spewed sewer waste into the dugouts.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. In fact, Yes.

But, admittedly it was a really long time ago. (Seventies)

[Jamaal510]

11. This is all a stretch what I'm about to suggest, but

one idea I have would include getting rid of divisions, cutting the regular season in half, and then having a 30-team postseason. The top 2 teams (record-wise) would get byes in the first round, similar to how it works in the NFL.

[chelsea0011]

13. There is nothing that will be done that diminishes revenue

Spring training won't be shortened, wild card games will not go back to the way they were (if anything look for the single game to expand to three), games will not be quickened to keep more and more advertising, and don't expect anything that makes sense. Look for more teams to switch between National and American Leagues for "balance". Look for expansion. Look for games in Japan. What would I like. Shorter Spring Training Season, shorter season, elimination of inter- league play, raise the mound, no second market ticket agency, 30 man teams, and night games that can't begin after 7PM. I was at an ESPN Sunday night game that began at 8:30 with Clay Buchholtz pitching. It was brutal, especially when Buchholtz had a runner on base. I thought the game would go to the Monday morning commute.

[Auggie]

14. Excellent points. But I think games will still be quickened.

I've heard a lot of talk about how youth interest has been dwindling due to baseball's sometime slow pace -- that has to have MLB scared shitless. Whether it's aimed at batters or pitchers or both I believe we'll see some sort of enforceable rule to speed up at-bats. Better TV ratings leads to higher ad rates, so it's possible to make more money from advertising without running more ads.

I like replay, but I despise the way it works. This needs to be quickened by making the call at the ballpark by an extra umpire dedicated to just that task. Completely destroys the pace.