MLB Rule changes

[LongIslandZagFan]

New rules for the upcoming season:

Pitchers will have to face a minimum of three hitters before their team can make a pitching change.

Rosters are expanding from 25 to 26 players during the regular season and postseason. With that, there’s a maximum of 13 pitchers.


R.I.P the 40-man roster. September rosters will be limited to 28 players with a maximum of 14 pitchers.


Teams can designate “two-way players” who won’t count toward the pitcher limitations on rosters. To qualify, players need at least 20 Major League innings pitched and at least 20 Major League games started as a position player or DH with at least three plate appearances in each of those games. For the first year, player stats from 2018 and 2019 could be used.


There are some limitations on when a position player can pitch. Now they can only pitch if their team is behind by six or more runs or if a game is in extra innings.


Managers will now have 20 seconds instead of 30 to challenge a call on the field.


My take on all but three batter minimum...

Roster changes don't really bother me all that much. I do like the pared down rosters for September... but will impact the bottom line for some AAA players.

Two way players IMHO is a meaningless one since I can think of only 1 player that actually does it. Ohanti... sounds to me like a giveaway to the Angels.

Limiting when a position player can pitch to blowout games seems a bit unnecessary.

Challenge call limtation... honestly, do we really think the 10 seconds are going to speed the game up? Really?




Now onto the biggie...

JMHO, but I just don't like it. It has been around for a long time. Yes, I get that it adds time to the game but so does the 1/2 hour or so of batter gyrations in the box between pitches in a game. See Nomar Garciaparra. It completely negates a ton of strategy that has been in the game for over a century. No Beuno.

[ProVeeZag]

Will it still be called "baseball"?

[sittingon50]

Anything about how many times Astros players are allowed to get plunked per game?

[LongIslandZagFan]

Anything about how many times Astros players are allowed to get plunked per game?

LOL... gotta think at least there will be 1 per game minimum.. What is the over/under of HBP in a season for Altuve?

[SorenTodd45]

I don't mind the 3-batter minimum rule. When you have multiple pitching changes late in the game, it just slows the game down.

[webspinnre]

Anything about how many times Astros players are allowed to get plunked per game?

One book set it at 83.5:

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/o...-william-hill/

[sittingon50]

Even I think 83.5 PER GAME is a bit excessive!


Those would be some looooooooong games.


It's gonna' be interesting though. When a guy as laid back as Mike Trout has something negative to say about it, you know it's serious.

[BayAreaZagFan]

I hate the Dodgers. Not as much as I hate the Cardinals, but I hate the Dodgers.

That being said, I wish the Dodgers played the Astros this year. I would personally support allowing them at least one plunk per inning (Umpire: "That's your 8th warning!).

[sittingon50]

I hate the Dodgers. Not as much as I hate the Cardinals, but I hate the Dodgers.

That being said, I wish the Dodgers played the Astros this year. I would personally support allowing them at least one plunk per inning (Umpire: "That's your 8th warning!).

As a Dodger fan, I SALUTE YOU.


You a Giants fan, BAZF?

[BayAreaZagFan]

I'm originally from Wisconsin, so I'm actually a Brewers fan. Of the two local teams, though, I do follow the Giants more closely.

[willandi]

As an Air Force brat, I learned to root for whatever sports teams were nearby. I root for the Mariners and Seahawks, having lived here in Spokane since 1987.

However...and it's a big one, I have been a Cardinals fan since seeing Stan 'The Man' Musial play in 1955. I was 7 years old, and have rooted for the Cards ever since.