5 ways to improve Major League Baseball

John Berger
Reporter

The numbers don’t lie. Baseball is losing popularity, and losing it fast. Attendance numbers have declined rapidly across the league and the World Series is losing viewers fast. In addition, since 1995, little league participation has decreased by 4 million.

So, with that in mind, how does baseball reverse the trend and increase it’s popularity? I proposed five ways to improve Major League Baseball:

1. Speed up the game. Baseball games are way too slow as it is right now. In fact, I’d say that’s the number one reason that baseball has suffered lately. In order to speed the game up, I’d propose setting a “pitch clock” similar to a shot clock in basketball and a play clock in football. The pitch clock would be anywhere from 10-15 seconds long and would result in a an automatic ball if a pitcher took longer than the time allowed. This would allow for the game to move a lot quicker and a lot more interesting.

Similar to that, I would add a rule that would prohibit batters from stepping out of the batters box once they begin the at-bat. Doing so would speed up the game and increase the intensity of the one on one, pitcher vs hitter matchup that is so prevalent in baseball.

2. Cut down on the number of games played during the regular season. 162 games are just way too many. Play a 130 game season and prevent injuries, lackluster play, and disinterest. As a downside, this would affect the hallowed single season records in baseball history, but improving the product on the field is the first priority.

3. Put the DH in both leagues. Simply put, fans want scoring, it builds excitement. Taking the pitcher out of the lineup and putting in a real hitter will increase the scoring across the board. The result will be a more unified league and a more exciting game.

4. Realign the divisions. Move the Astros to the AL West. That would give them a natural rivalry with the Rangers. The move would also allow for greater equality within both leagues, with all divisions having five teams in their division.

5. Put in instant replay. Opponents of instant replay often cite “the human factor” as a reason for not having instant replay across baseball. I’m confident however, that within a few weeks, nobody would be advocating against instant replay. Face it, instant replay allows for the best game and the fairest game, and that is what baseball should strive for.