Opinion |

MLB rules changes give new meaning to “Play ball!”

Hank Aaron, considered one of the greatest baseball players in history (and a personal hero of mine), once said, “In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.” 

In baseball today, seizing the moment has taken on a whole new meaning. If a player isn’t in the batters’ box before the pitch clock ticks down to the eight-second mark, they are given a strike. “You’ve just got to get up there and go,” said San Diego Padres star Manny Machado.

It’s one of several new rules implemented this season by Major League Baseball, intended to speed the pace of play and increase offense.

America’s pastime, it seems, had become too long and boring.

Now pitchers must throw within 15 seconds when bases are empty (20 seconds with runners on base) and are limited to two “disengagements,” such as a pickoff attempt, per plate appearance. Breaks between batters and innings have also been restricted.

The new rules are making a difference. During opening weekend, the average game time was 2 hours, 38 minutes — 28 minutes shorter than last season’s average. On Tuesday night, Tampa Bay beat Kansas City, 4-0, in less than two hours (1 hour, 53 minutes, to be exact).

Teams can no longer employ the shift, putting their players out of position against a batter who has a tendency to hit balls to a certain part of the field. Instead, all infielders must play in the infield, with two on each side of second base. Bases have gotten bigger, too, to increase stolen base attempts and reduce the likelihood of collisions.

The new rules come as baseball has slowly lost popularity. According to Statista data, regular-season attendance dropped from 73.76 million in 2015 to 64.49 million in 2022.

New York Times reporter Mike Schmidt recently appeared on “The Daily” podcast, where he blamed the decline on baseball’s addiction to the home run. It began with Babe Ruth, Schmidt said, and has only grown in the era of data analysis. Teams did whatever they could to optimize performance, rearranging their defense in ways that made it harder to get a base hit. It made the home run the preferred (if not only) way to score.

As baseball writer Steve Kettman put it, “The problem with that way of playing ball wasn’t just the tedium — it was the death of possibility.”

The success or failure of the new rules will lie squarely with baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. According to Schmidt, Manfred has been contemplating changes to the game practically since taking the helm in 2015.

But Manfred was an outsider — a labor lawyer who never played baseball or ran a team. He saw the folly in trying to hastily change a revered institution. So, Manfred launched what turned out to be a seven-year “research project,” getting input from all of baseball’s constituents.

That idea — taking time to get the perspectives of others, even those with whom you disagree — is at the core of the work we do at the National Conflict Resolution Center. It’s the best way to achieve a positive and enduring outcome.

Manfred put most stock in what fans said they wanted: quicker games, more balls in play, greater shows of athleticism by players. He tested the new rules in minor league play last year — 8,000 games in all. Of course, for Manfred and MLB, the stakes are high: Last year, baseball generated a record $11 billion in revenue, despite declining attendance.

Beyond the rule changes, the league seems more willing to let players cut loose. Some are wearing mics on the field, offering colorful commentary. As Kettman wrote, “The more (players are) unleashed, the more fans are pulled toward caring. The continuing relevance of baseball comes from its ability to represent, like movies or theater, a relatable glimpse into the everyday drama of being human.”

Of course, there are many more games to be played, in this season and years to come. I wonder if the “faster, freer” version of baseball, as it’s been described, will have lasting appeal for younger, instant-gratification generations. And I wonder if traditionalists will sour on an experience that might become more akin to watching a video game.

With any change — even a welcome one — there is a period of adjustment. On Tuesday, Machado struck out due to a pitch clock violation. He was ejected from the game for arguing the decision.

Next time at bat, he’ll seize the moment.

Dinkin is president of the National Conflict Resolution Center, a San Diego-based group working to create solutions to challenging issues, including intolerance and incivility. To learn about NCRC’s programming, visit ncrconline.com