Sunday, July 15, 2007

If I was the Commish



Baseball's half way point has just passed, so it got me thinking. What would I change about the game if I was an omnipotent commissioner? (Think Kennesaw Mountain Landis with less racism, rather than Bud Selig with more of a clue).

How about:

  1. The Braves would always air all their games on TBS. Not only because that's what I grew up with and what made them "America's Team" even when they were stinking up the joint, but it also makes the games easier to find than having to flip around the 600s to see who is airing them. Plus, if I go out of town, I won't need to purchase the goddamned Extra Innings package just to watch one team.
  2. No DH.
  3. However, if you keep the DH, then I would feature AL rules in NL parks during interleague play, and vice versa. Part of the "charm" of IL play is seeing teams that you don't see ordinarily. So why not take it the next step, and make sure the home fans see other things they don't see every day? Manny Ramirez should be required to piss behind every outfield.
  4. Bonds and Sheffield. Banished forever. To a place without reporters, and from which no sound emanates.
  5. Replay on HR calls. How hard would this be?
  6. Not as much divisional play. A balanced schedule across the league.
  7. "Fair" IL play. Everyone in your division should play the same "other league" teams. Yes, I understand "rivalries" are part of the intrigue about IL play. Some match up naturally, particularly in places like NY, Chicago and LA/Anaheim/Orange County where there are two franchises. So if we must do this, then keep ONE rivalry component of IL, but then make sure the rest of your division plays the exact same other league teams.
  8. Home field in the World Series would go to the team with the best overall record. Pretty simple stuff there. The All Star Game is an exhibition, and it's a travesty that this determines home field (as was alternating leagues or a coin flip).
  9. Pants would not be allowed to touch your cleats. Jesus Christ how I hate the "pajama bottom" look. I wish MLB would employ the "uniform nazi" approach of the NFL. Baseball players should always show stirrups and sanitaries.
  10. Scott Boras would be taken off to Gitmo, and never heard from again.
  11. Home Run Derby at the All Star Game would be shortened. 5 "outs" each in the first round to get from 8 to 4 players. Then maybe 7 outs each to get from 4 to 2 players, with the count of HRs starting at 0 for the round. Then you can have 10 outs for the final, with the counts resetting at 0 again. And Berman should stick to football.
  12. You could assume the double play in scoring. So many other things are judgment calls, why not that? (Your long national nightmare would be over, Lee).

Wouldn't that be a better game?

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