14 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

Maybe adopt a rule like the Frontier League has for extra innings. The 10th inning is played normally, but if no one wins, they go to sudden death. The home team chooses to bat or play defense. A runner starts at 1st base. If the offense scores, they win. If the defense gets three outs with no runs scored, they win.

That's unique

14 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

Maybe adopt a rule like the Frontier League has for extra innings. The 10th inning is played normally, but if no one wins, they go to sudden death. The home team chooses to bat or play defense. A runner starts at 1st base. If the offense scores, they win. If the defense gets three outs with no runs scored, they win.

Very interesting concept, Hogan. Also, I've been meaning to ask a more general question, so if you don't mind I'll just toss it out there while I'm thinking about it... and again, I need to do "full disclosure" because I'm related to Sam A., and thus "a little" biased... 🙂 but, in his second at-bat in last night's game, Sam hit a sharp grounder that looked like it was going to be a single through the first base side, but the first baseman made a great play on it, and tossed to the pitcher (who ran over to cover first) for the put-out, as Sam made a head-first dive into first base. Steve Stone, with a noticeably frustrated tone in his voice, said (essentially), "I wish Sam wouldn't do that. It's not going to get him there any faster." Now, while I get where Steve is coming from, I thought that Sam was anticipating that if the throw were to be high and pull the pitcher off the base, or simply be off-line to one side or the other, so that the pitcher would need to try touching Sam with a "swipe-tag," Sam opted for the head-first slide in order to keep himself low to the ground and thus out of range of the swipe-tag. Do I raise a valid point, or am I just an overly-defensive great-uncle? Or maybe a little bit of both? 😊

In defense of Kaspar's idea, there is something very good about the "good point" in football (soccer). Genuinely think both Monday and Tuesday should have been draws.

17 minutes ago, Bill The Boy said:

Very interesting concept, Hogan. Also, I've been meaning to ask a more general question, so if you don't mind I'll just toss it out there while I'm thinking about it... and again, I need to do "full disclosure" because I'm related to Sam A., and thus "a little" biased... 🙂 but, in his second at-bat in last night's game, Sam hit a sharp grounder that looked like it was going to be a single through the first base side, but the first baseman made a great play on it, and tossed to the pitcher (who ran over to cover first) for the put-out, as Sam made a head-first dive into first base. Steve Stone, with a noticeably frustrated tone in his voice, said (essentially), "I wish Sam wouldn't do that. It's not going to get him there any faster." Now, while I get where Steve is coming from, I thought that Sam was anticipating that if the throw were to be high and pull the pitcher off the base, or simply be off-line to one side or the other, so that the pitcher would need to try touching Sam with a "swipe-tag," Sam opted for the head-first slide in order to keep himself low to the ground and thus out of range of the swipe-tag. Do I raise a valid point, or am I just an overly-defensive great-uncle? Or maybe a little bit of both? 😊

Diving into first slows you down and increases the chances for injury. It’s just not a recommended play even to avoid a swipe tag

Even more entertaining, select a combative fan from each team and have them slug it out on the pitcher's mound with the winners team declared victorious.

How about this? Starting pitchers much pitch at least seven innings unless he becomes injured. This way pitchers would have to start actually start pitching again and not trying to throw at maximum velocity every pitch. You might actually return some artistry to the craft. It would be more action in the game because more balls would be put in play. There’s nothing exciting about 1/3 of the outs in a game being strikeouts. Also with the increased velocity with the same dimensions that have existed for 100 years, why not move the mound back a couple of feet?

Another rule I'd like to see is if both managers think an umpire is doing a horrible job they can throw the umpire out of the game.

Another rule I'd like to see instead of a ghost runner on second, put three ghost runners on base and let's end the game a lot sooner.

Get rid of the infield fly rule, which could make things very interesting.

At the end of nine innings, do a rock, scissors, paper thing. Or maybe even a spelling bee.

18 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

Diving into first slows you down and increases the chances for injury. It’s just not a recommended play even to avoid a swipe tag

Fair enough, Kyyle.

Also, to add a little physicality to the game while the team is batting, they can have a player standing anywhere in the infield and one standing anywhere in the outfield with the ability to physically interfere with a defender, trying to feel the ball.