Rules changes designed to speed up games
As an aggressive showing of its intent to shorten games, engage more fans and slowly repair its contentious relationship with an angry players union this season, Major League Baseball on Thursday announced several changes to rules, roster sizes and AllStar voting.
Some will be implemented this year, with others taking effect next season.
Starting this summer, there will be a single trade deadline on July 31, an AllStar election day and a Home Run Derby with star players vying for a bonus of $1 million.
The most manipulative change to how games are played will be implemented in 2020: starting pitchers and relief pitchers must pitch to either a minimum of three batters or the end of a half-inning (with exceptions for incapacitating injury or illness).
The August waiver deadline used to attract a hive of opportunistic teams relying on a last chance for lateseason upgrades. Eliminating it likely will make teams more aggressive in the offseason, knowing that the fallback for August deals is not an option, which should appease a players union that has complained about owners deflating the value of free agents and prospects.
After experimenting with mound visits, MLB will cut the number from six to five a team may make per game.
All-Star Game fan voting will be conducted in two rounds.
During the “Primary Round,” each team will nominate one player per eligible position, who will be voted on by fans. The AllStar Game starters will be from the top three vote-getters at each position and based on the “Election Day” voting period in late June or early July.
Teams and players might be incentivized more than ever to spur their social media followers to cast votes. The league will issue bonus payments to the top three vote-getters at each position.
Additionally, the prize money awarded to players on the winning All-Star team will be increased. Total player prize money for the Home Run Derby will be raised to $2.5 million.
In 2020, baseball rosters will increase from 25 to 26 players and September’s 40-man roster will shrink to 28. Smaller rosters might quicken games and cut down on the manipulation of rookie service time. Also, the minimum time pitchers must spend on the disabled list will increase from 10 to 15 days.
Baseball’s joint committee has not yet decided but is determined to put a cap on the number of pitchers a team may carry on its active roster.