MLB has announced a few interesting rule changes which will take effect as of the 2023 season. This short article will contain my thoughts on the matter. I will first make the disclaimer that the following are my opinions and disagreeing does not make you stupid or a bad baseball fan. I am simply giving my two cents worth based on my personal preferences and what I believe to be best for the game.
Pitch Clock
A resounding yes here for me on this one. There is no reason why pitchers have to take so long between pitches. A 15 second time limit nobody on is appropriate although I would have even been fine with 20 seconds. I also like that they accounted for when runners are on, giving 20 seconds in this case. I also like that they put limits on hitters asking for time outs constantly each at bat. Once is enough and once you're in the box, you're ready to hit. I shouldn't see umpires calling time just when pitchers are getting into their deliveries. This rule change will help with the pacing of the game. I'm not sure the pick off limits are really needed though. I'm also fine with limits on stepping off the rubber and pick off throws.
Bigger Bases
I don't hate this, but I'm not sure I get why this is even needed. I guess there will be more base stealing with the slightly shorter distance to the bag and that will add excitement to games. If so, I guess that is fine. Hopefully it will also motivate certain hitters to run out ground balls properly who otherwise wouldn't do so. I fail to see how this would prevent injuries though from sliding into the bag.
Shift Restrictions
I thought baseball was supposed to be a game of adjustments. The league adjusts to you and it is incumbent on you to adjust back. If hitters want to dissuade teams from shifting on them, they should adjust their approach at the plate to punish teams for shifting on them. (or simply be like Ted Williams and dominate anyway) All this shifting ban does is take tools away from a manager's toolbox. It takes science and strategy away from an inherently scientific and strategic game. Baseball is a game of thought as much as physical prowess. The league probably wanted batting averages to come up and offense to increase. After all, people like offense and so do I really. But I also personally like the strategic creativity of defensive shifts, openers and so forth. We should not be slaves to analytics to the point where "the script" replaces real time strategic thought and instinct but the league should not be taking tools away from managers because they want more runs on the board. It's on hitters to adjust. The complete ones don't get shifted because they just use the whole field.
Other Quick Thoughts
I look forward to the pitch clock. I don't know what to feel really on the bigger bases. I don't like banning shifts. Instead of banning shifts I wish they'd do away with the ghost runner in extra innings already. It's something that feels so unserious in a big league game. They should operate like in Asia if they want to avoid long extra inning games. If it's tied after 12 innings, call it a tie. On the automated strike zone, perfect the technology and then roll it out. Once we have full confidence that it is fully accurate, no need to have at bats or full games decided by bad ball or strike calls.
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