Sudden death baseball

[flash]

During the past few years baseball has had many fans leaving at the endo of the ninth inning evening if the score is tied. I believe these changes would make the fans want to stay.

At the top of the tenth the visiting team would automatically load the bases. The first batter to third , the second to second, the third to first. The fourth batter would have a maximum of 6 pitches to hit or be walked. During the at bat he may not leave the batter's box or call time. The pitcher would have 60 seconds to deliver 6 pitches or the batter would be awarded first base. The runners may not leave the bases during the at bat or call time out. The pitcher will only face three batters or record three outs whichever comes first.


The infield fly rule would be suspended. A triple play could be made, but only after the ball hit the ground and three throws were made. Knowing that the fielders would have to allow only one infielder to pursue the baseball.


The only foul ground during the visitor's at bat would be the home team' dugout. Everything else is considered in play. If a ball is hit into the home team dugout it can be returned to the field via throw and is still in play. If a fan retrieves a ball hit into the stands he can return it to the field via throw and the ball is still in play. The fans are the tenth fielder. If a ball is caught on a fly the batter is out. Runners can move up at their own risk. If a ball is batted in a non occupied park of the park it is a home-run.


If the visiting team scores 4 runs the game is over.


During the home team at bat only ball batted into the stands or out of the field of play will be considered foul along with the home team dugout. Everything else is in play.
It would also save pitcher's arms by eliminating very long games.

I think this would spur fans interest.

[flash]

after one play has been completed the following batter has ten seconds to get into the batters box or he is out. Then clock then start for the six pitches. the clock does not stop for passed balls or wild pitches. A new ball will be used for non retrievable balss.

[searay]

A hard pass on this idea. You know how difficult it'd be to get 6 pitches in 60secs? Pretty much impossible, especially if there's a foul. 

I much prefer leaving extra innings as its been for 100 or more yrs

[schellis]

These are horrible on all accounts. Nothing wrong at all with the way baseball handles extra innings. It also isn't like baseball is playing 15+ inning marathons nightly. Making such a dramatic change to shorten extra inning games when there aren't that many that go past ten innings seems completely unnecessary, and there is really no chance the MLBPA would approve it

I think if you want to shorten games they are going about it the right way.

Make pitchers face 3 batters (2 would likely be sufficient but I would want 3)

I would make starters have to face 15 batters or complete 3 innings

DH in both leagues, this would increase offense, but would also limit double switches

Limit trips to the mound and time between pitches, I shouldn't be able to go to the bathroom between them

For the extreme extra inning games, perhaps allow teams to activate anyone they want. Texas Rangers bring in Nolan Ryan to pitch mop up. Probably could still hit the low 90's

[crashdavissports]

I would rather they just call it a tie and then reward 1 point for a tie, 2 for a win like hockey does. Then have no extra innings. Would improve game times. I am not opposed to a pitch timer throughout the game to keep it moving, and to give the coaches a certain number of timeouts to visit the mound or to make a player change, and if you use up your timeouts inappropriately, too bad sucker, you are going to keep getting pounded with the guy on the mound. More offense, less game stoppage, more strategy, but limited game interruptions.

[schellis]

No ties in baseball. Only inferior sports allow that.

[crashdavissports]

Feb 18, 2019 12:14:13 GMT -5 schellis said:

No ties in baseball. Only inferior sports allow that.

I disagree.

[searay]

Feb 18, 2019 12:15:26 GMT -5 crashdavissports said:

Feb 18, 2019 12:14:13 GMT -5 schellis said:

No ties in baseball. Only inferior sports allow that.

I disagree.

I hate ties. It's one of the things that suck about soccer. When I pay to see a contest I want to see a winner and a loser. Watching them compete for 3 hrs and then going home as if the game wasn't even played sucks.

[crashdavissports]

Feb 18, 2019 14:11:39 GMT -5 searay said:

Feb 18, 2019 12:15:26 GMT -5 crashdavissports said:

I disagree.

I hate ties. It's one of the things that suck about soccer. When I pay to see a contest I want to see a winner and a loser. Watching them compete for 3 hrs and then going home as if the game wasn't even played sucks.

I am okay with it, because in a sense, it is worth 1/2 a point. It is about the destination not the individual game.

It also puts a lot more into the planning of the 9th inning, going all out to try and win that thing.

As a home team,

1) You can go all out in the bottom of the 9th, hold nothing back, because there is no 10th inning.
2) Take more chances on the base paths and extra bases.
3) Swing for the fences a little more.
4) Not plan for relief pitchers and backup players potentially 5 to 8 innings down the road on a game that has exceeded its limits with player restrictions.
5) Not worry about players over extending and wearing themselves out for the week due to one damn game at the beginning of the week.

As a visitor, you have to:

1) Really plan that 9th inning out. You need to be aggressive as hell to score because there is no 10th inning, but you also need to watch what you are doing with players because those players may have to play the field in the 9th.
2) Plus, all the other stuff the home team benefits from minus the last at bat.

Then you add a DH into the NL, and you no longer have to worry about that substitution if you do not want to, so that frees things up.

Cubs 91-61-10 = 192 points
Brewers 89-65-8 = 186 points
Reds 85-65-12 = 182 points
Cardinals 87-70-5 = 179 points
Pirates 75-82-5 = 155 points

Reds have less wins than the Cardinals, but more points due to ties. Just because I used the Reds here as the team that could benefit, I am completely good with this even if the Reds were to be swapped with the Cardinals and this happened to them. That 9th inning means something in a tie game. A half point means something to the visiting team that was not able to score in the top of the 9th, and that bottom of the 9th means a lot to the home team as they go all out with a guaranteed tie already there, and a chance to get an extra half game with a single run. Go all out, holding nothing back for that one half inning.

No more having to reserve guys for that potentially long game, use them as you can in the situation that benefits you the most. Of course, injury happens, so something whacky could happen like a pitcher covering LF, or 1B. I think it would speed up the game, make the 9th that much more interesting, while still giving value to something that seems like kissing your sister type of result.

Only other sport that doesn't account for ties in pro sports that I can think of is the NBA, and we all know what a Fecal Matter show that is.