5 things you would change to fix MLB if you were Commish

[Juliooooo]

1. Universal DH. It's cool to see pitchers hit HR every 200-300 AB. It's cooler to see DHs hot HR every 10-15 AB.
2. Automated strike zone. We have the technology
3. Salary cap with maximum contract lengths for guaranteed money. Make the players prove they are worth their contract. You can have a 10 year deal, but there are outs every 3-5 years for the team and the player.
4. You don't lose a pick to sign a free agent. Lots of guys going unsigned the first 2 months of the year because teams don't want to pay them and lose a first round pick and the signing pool money that comes with it.
5. Reliever must pitch to minimum 3 batters or finish the inning. Cut down on the multiple pitch substitutions per inning for time purposes

[D-train]

1. Universal DH. It's cool to see pitchers hit HR every 200-300 AB. It's cooler to see DHs hot HR every 10-15 AB.
2. Automated strike zone. We have the technology
3. Salary cap with maximum contract lengths for guaranteed money. Make the players prove they are worth their contract. You can have a 10 year deal, but there are outs every 3-5 years for the team and the player.
4. You don't lose a pick to sign a free agent. Lots of guys going unsigned the first 2 months of the year because teams don't want to pay them and lose a first round pick and the signing pool money that comes with it.
5. Reliever must pitch to minimum 3 batters or finish the inning. Cut down on the multiple pitch substitutions per inning for time purposes

#5 sounds good but you could still use your entire bullpen if you wanted every game so I like my idea better. Max of 4 pitchers per game.

[XpertDBA]

1) Victoria Secret models serving concessions
2) 25 cent beers
3) All spectators catching a foul ball during the game, win $100 cash on the spot
(The Victoria Secret models have to run around paying out dough)
4) Any little kids or adults yelling out 'HEY Number XX !!' (without knowing their name) for autographs or for those same players to throw them a batting practice ball before the game, will be escorted out of the stadium immediately
5) If you've been a Mariners fan since 1977, you should be given a lifetime pension from MLB baseball of $852 a month until the day you die, for having endured the worst suffering of any sports fan the last 40 years.

[Juliooooo]

1. Universal DH. It's cool to see pitchers hit HR every 200-300 AB. It's cooler to see DHs hot HR every 10-15 AB.
2. Automated strike zone. We have the technology
3. Salary cap with maximum contract lengths for guaranteed money. Make the players prove they are worth their contract. You can have a 10 year deal, but there are outs every 3-5 years for the team and the player.
4. You don't lose a pick to sign a free agent. Lots of guys going unsigned the first 2 months of the year because teams don't want to pay them and lose a first round pick and the signing pool money that comes with it.
5. Reliever must pitch to minimum 3 batters or finish the inning. Cut down on the multiple pitch substitutions per inning for time purposes

#5 sounds good but you could still use your entire bullpen if you wanted every game so I like my idea better. Max of 4 pitchers per game.

That will ruin a team if they have an injury to a starter early in the game though. I don't know what you are trying to accomplish with your rule. Just higher scores?

Are you saying 3 relievers per game, or only 3 relievers on the team total?

[Oso Dorado]

5) If you've been a Mariners fan since 1977, you should be given a lifetime pension from MLB baseball of $852 a month until the day you die, for having endured the worst suffering of any sports fan the last 40 years.

Great idea, I can use the money, too.

[:::]

1) Get rid of the DH;
2) Get rid of inter-league play altogether or at least significantly change it;
3) With the current 9 inning games, I would limit extra innings to 4 innings - if you can't beat your opponent by then, it's a tie;
4) For a variety of reasons I won't go into, I am up for shortening the games to 7 innings with an additional max of 4 extra innings;
5) In one fell swoop get rid of the Yankees and mandate that the M's get to represent the American League in the World Series every year no matter how bad they suck.

1. This would mean a world without Edgar and Vogey. I would sooner choose to cease to exist. Though watching AL pitchers try to hit is so enjoyable.
2. I have always liked the play the rules of the visiting team idea.
3. So few go beyond 13 I don't see it as a significant issue. You can always just stop watching after 13 and not ruin it for those that want to watch.
4. See above. Stop watching after 7.
5. Sounds great. Just switch Yankees for Astros.

For me the suggestion of shortening the games and putting a cap on extra innings has nothing to do with the length of the games. In regards to extra innings, I hate seeing teams having to completely burn their pens in a way that has long lasting effects. I can't remeber what season it was but a few years back the M's had several long extra inning games close together and it completely derailed the bullpen for almost a month. That sucked. No team should find itself in that situation imo. Given the way pitchers are used today and the physical of demands of throwing as a hard as they do, I am interested in reducing the innings so that there will be more opportunity and emphasis on pitching complete games. Obviously that would shorten the games which some would argue is needed formthe short attention span of the public these days but I don't really care about that. As a spectator sport, MLB does have some issues. If I was 20, I'm not sure I would be as much of a fan.

[Ziskmagic]

1- Universal DH. I'd even add an option for a 2nd DH, to hit for a position player who's presumably either terrible or injured.
2- Higher salaries throughout the minors. Long overdue.
3- Shortening the game would be nice, but not at the expense of changing how the game is played. How about getting rid of extra innings during the regular season, and going with ties instead? Instant replay could be quicker too I think.
4- Computerized balls and strikes. I will miss the good umps and the human element, but the game would be VASTLY improved.
5- Can cheaper beer and a billion dollar salary count as 1 thing? If not...keep beer prices where they're at...

[desbcoach]

more regional divisions, East Coast NL, West Coast AL and work your way to middle. create better rivalries with closer foes.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

1. Institute a review and evaluation process for the umpires so they can't get away with cheating like they did tonight when Swarzak got squeezed (and we all know this is routine for games played at Yankee stadium).
2. Prosecute and fine umpires who cheat
3. Fire umpires who suck at their job
4. Conduct investigations into possible pay-offs influencing how games are called
5. If any team (meaning anyone connected with ownership) is found to have unduly sought to influence how games are called, ban them from the playoffs for 5 years and impose a cheater's tax on them to be shared with other teams in the league in a similar way to how the luxury tax works.

[Bil522]

1. Take away anything having to do with automated umpires. The game was pretty popular for 130 years before the addition of replay.

2. You are drafted and sign a 3.5 year deal with the club starting when you sign the deal. After the first contract is up, the team gets 2 years of right of first refusal. After that everyone is FA and free to sign for whatever deal they can get.

3. Short season A ball makes $15k/season after expenses. Full season A makes $25k....Double AA makes$37,500 and AAA makes $50K ....these are minimum salaries.

4. Ticket prices are based off of the number of wins you had last year. The more you suck the less your fans have to pay for tickets

5. In each ball park they must offer a hot dog and a soft drink for $4 or less.