So we are about one third of the way through the baseball season and if you remember leading into the season the big news was the new rule changes. If you don’t remember those rule changes were adding the pitch clock, enlarging the bases, and finally eliminating defensive shifts in the infield. These rules were met with mix emotions. Traditionalists hated them and enthusiasts were unsure about them. But how did the average fan or someone who wasn’t really a fan think about them? I honestly think that last group is who MLB were hoping to draw in more.
I tend to put myself in enthusiast. I do tend to agree with a lot of the traditionalists on most things, but I wouldn’t put myself into that category all the time. I like the game the way it was. When you change things too often it loses its charm that drew me in in the beginning. We have seen other changes that I am not a fan of so are these rules good for the game? But first let’s talk a look from the average fan’s perspective. One of the biggest gripes from average fans or casual fans is that the games take too long. Well with the pitch clock games are on average about 25 minutes shorter. Because of the elimination of the shift, we are seeing more base hits and we are also seeing more fantastic defensive plays all over the field. These two elements give the game more overall excitement that I think is what a lot of casual fans or even nonfans have been wanting. However, there is a fine line to ride here. MLB has to not only attract the new fans, but keep the current fans.
I know what you are thinking…”Darn it Turbo! Are they working?” My answer would have to be yes. That is hard for me to say because I have always been a “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” type of guy. But in this case I think things have changed for the better. As I stated above, we are seeing more base hits, more flashy defensive plays, and an overall better atmosphere around the game. Yes, I know there are a handful of pitchers that the pitch clock has affected badly, but I have a feeling they will adjust. But let’s put things into perspective. We have a player that is projected to hit 40 home runs and steal 60 bases. That has never been done before. There is another player that, as I write thi,s is hitting .399 on the season. Baseball hasn’t seen a .400 hitter in quite some time and there have only been a handful of players to hit this close to .400 this late into the season. There are two players in New York that are on pace to hit over 60 home runs! All of this while the athleticism of the players is being displayed in a way we haven’t seen in a long, long time. Sportscenter Top 10 plays are fantastic once again! The best part of all of this is that these rule changes are barely noticeable. At this point in the season, we rarely see a pitch clock violation and the other rules have just played out in the background.
Ted Williams
MLB’s last .400 hitter
My advice to you is that if you haven’t been to a game in a while, give it another try because I think you will like the product on the field. Well, that is unless you are a Tigers fan that is…just kidding!!!
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Until next time, check out the podcast and YouTube channel. Search The Turbo and 2ks show wherever you get your podcast content or go to www.youtube.com/turboand2ks.
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