The Diamond Marathon

One common complaint in the sports world is the fact that baseball games just don't seem to end...ever. And when the players aren't taking an exorbitant amount of time to complete their bevy of rituals, there are certain aspects of the game that also lead to even further delays. Now, I can honestly say I do enjoy watching baseball games, but there are still times when I will watch the result of a pitch, then flip to another channel because I know it will be another two minutes before the pitcher will be ready to deliver again. And heaven forbid there be a mound visit anywhere in that sequence, because I'll turn away for so long, I may just forget I was watching a game at all. So in this particular article I will explore some common suggestions for improving baseball, and determine if they are worthy of consideration.

1. There is no need for a player to run the bases after hitting a home run.

I don't tend to agree in this instance, mostly because I don't believe this change would cut down on game time much. Batters are usually at first, and possibly rounding the base, when the ball lands, so they would already be 90 feet away from home anyway. In that case, they may as well just keep going. I also foresee an increase in boneheaded plays if this rule were enacted, as we all know that many players who think they have hit a home run, would simply stand at home plate, only to have the ball bounce off the wall and turn their would be double into the longest single in baseball history.

2. Once a batter enters the box, he must stay there.

This seems to me like a good idea, because most batters tend to take a strike, step out of the box, adjust their helmet, grab their crotch, re-strap the Velcro on their batting gloves, eat a sandwich, update their Twitter profile, then step back in for the next pitch. No more! Unless the momentum of a player swinging takes him out of the batter's box, then he needs to stay in there until the at-bat is over, or he will be assessed a strike. This rule would definitely make Nomar Garciaparra glad he is retired.

3. Allow the use of designated hitters for both leagues.

I can already hear the moans and groans of baseball purists, but I really do agree with this particular suggestion. With the exception of the Reds' Mike Leake, nobody wants to see a pitcher hit. I would liken witnessing some of these hurlers in the box to watching a thirteen- year-old take on Tyson in his prime: it's just not fair, and is quite honestly a bit sad and tragic. I understand it's not really the pitcher's fault, because they get paid to pitch. So let's leave hitting to the guys who are paid to do it. It's not like you see NFL kickers playing nose tackle.

4. Use instant replay on the base paths.

I am for this suggestion, not because I believe baseball umpires are incompetent, but more because officiating at the bases is such a difficult task. Umpires must be aware of ball, runner, base, and fielder all at the same time, and make immediate decisions on plays that occur in fractions of seconds, with less than optimal viewing angles. I'm sure umpires would feel more relaxed, and would ultimately make better calls, if they knew they didn't have to be perfect on every play. I think Jim Joyce would agree (Editor's note: Stop piling on Jim Joyce).

5. Limit the number of visits to the mound.

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. As aforementioned, I am mot the biggest fan of mound visits. They take far too long, too many players get involved, and I don't really believe they are all that necessary. I concede that there are times when defensive alignments need to be set, but isn't that what all those goofy hand signals are for? And yes, there are certain situations when a catcher may need to explain how to pitch to a certain hitter, but that's also why teams pay scouts for their advanced reports. Personally, I enjoy watching Yadier Molina play the position, not only for his defensive prowess, but also how he handles the Cardinal's pitching staff. If the pitcher makes a good pitch, point at him and nod your head. If he makes a bad pitch, rifle the ball back at him and wake his butt up. Every catcher should learn Molina's techniques so we can cut down on all these mound visits. My suggestion: one visit for every three innings, and that includes pitching coach visits, unless the skipper goes out to give a pitcher the ol' yank.

6. Use a pitch clock, similar to the shot clock in basketball.

Surprisingly, I am not very supportive of this suggestion. While some pitchers do take eons to deliver a pitch (*cough*...Dice-K...*cough*) I believe the pace of an at-bat is set by the hitter, who has the option of stepping out of the box, calling for time, and generally, just plain stalling. If the need for the pitcher to wait for the hitter is eliminated, then they will be ready to pitch sooner, thus the pace of the games will naturally quicken.

So there's my master plan for “fixing” baseball. The truth is, I honestly think most sports fans do enjoy watching baseball. We just don't like watching it for four-and-a-half hours.