A handy guide to improving baseball
Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle offers up these suggestions:
1) About that "new" Wildcard playoff game: If you must have it, make it a three game playoff. But it only makes sense if ...
2) The season is shortened to 154 games. Totally agree. Though you could shorten the season and ditch the extra wildcard and I'd be happy.
3) Pick up the pace of play? Jenkins supports a 20 second pitch clock, but only if the umpire tracks timing (no huge ballpark clocks). The pace of play actually doesn't bother me. I'm neutral on this.
4) Ditch maple bats. Yes, I'm sick of seeing them explode into pieces. Maple is an accident waiting to happen.
5) Roster expansion from 25 to 28. Why not ... though even one extra player would be enough IMO. I like the idea of having all players (including starting pitchers) having to pinch run or lay down a bunt in late innings -- it adds immeasurably to the excitement of National League ball.
6) Add two teams and limit interleague play. I agree, and will add that match-ups should be of geographic/historical interest.
7) Music: None. Doesn't bother me, unless you count the Dodgers' annoying use of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony opening following every home strikeout. Stuff like that should be punishable by death.
8) World Series home-field advantage goes to the team with the best record. This is a no-brainer.
9) Revenue Sharing. All teams MUST spend money on players' salaries. Absolutely.
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10) And though Jenkins doesn't mention it, I'd eliminate the DH ...
11) And have a replay ump, on location, at every ballpark, for every game. This headset hoo-hah is ridiculous.
Your thoughts?
= new reply since forum marked as read
That wait ended quite a few years ago. Both a Cubs player and a fan at Fenway have been struck by shards of shattered maple bats. 
watching from the "home office."
