By JOSH WHITE
The beautiful season of baseball is upon us. With pitchers and catchers reporting for all 30 teams, it’s almost time for days at the ballpark filled with Nathan’s hot dogs and Cracker Jack.
While it is a very exciting time for the history of baseball with the Cubs coming off their first World Series Win in 108 years, the integrity of the game is in jeopardy. Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke about a few rule changes that could be present this year in baseball.
Manfred, who is in his third season as commissioner, pushed a series of potential changes that he hopes will create more action and less dead time.
Of these possible modifications, Manfred has emphasized reducing the time managers are allowed to challenge a call, altering the strike zone to the top of the knee, potentially putting pitchers on a pitch clock and experimenting with starting extra innings with a runner on second base in rookie level baseball.
The only change of the proposed ideas that would help the game of baseball would be limiting times for challenges. It is ludicrous that they’ll be a significant halt in action because a manager will take time (what feels like an hour) to make sure the play is right before they challenge the call.
Other than that one change to a modern rule, baseball needs to remain the same.
The luscious sport that bonds fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, should not be altered. It’s a heavenly sight to see greats like Clayton Kershaw throw a no-hitter or a perfect game. Perfect games are already once in a blue moon considering there have only been 23 in the history of baseball.
To ever put a timer on baseball is absurd. Baseball is unique that it is the only one of the four major sports to not be under a constricted time. Don’t put pitchers on a pitch clock that isn’t baseball. Don’t start extra innings with a runner on second base. That is just ugly. Imagine saying in football we’re going to start overtime with first down on the 5-yard line. Or just playing half court in basketball.
Baseball is a sports where anything can happen and it’s magical and unique for that very reason. Robert Manfred, please leave this beautiful game untouched.