Latest information on the recent rule changes of The Atlantic League of Professional Ballplayers has mixed emotions and feelings from around the baseball world.
From Beyond The Boxscore (article by Matt Provenzano March 11, 2019)
https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2019/3/11/18259050/mlb-atlantic-league-rob-manfred-ducks-skeeters-mlbam-free-agency?fbclid=IwAR1-MFE2Bbn5uKaZvCcRpJRfWttkde-vyIQH_GOF9XiMNgg91UJX3fbtmpE
From My Central Jersey (part 2 article by Mike Ashmore March 11, 2019)
https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/baseball/patriots/somersetpatriotspulse/2019/03/11/part-2-atlantic-league-president-rick-white-reveals-new-details-in-mlb-partnership/39183851/?fbclid=IwAR1LEnZ7lN5S9Gb7kJuaYKtaYdqyL5cqpa_hDxJ4KyjXi_l1zXaIRrgkPCs
From The Orange County Register (article by J.P. HoornStra March 8, 2019)
https://www.ocregister.com/2019/03/08/dodgers-rich-hill-believes-atlantic-league-rules-changes-are-a-joke/?fbclid=IwAR2IFnpTi9bEP-YK7cRyRU9dFclcSsqW9n8e-LT-KZLZAaOpn_9KTV_VsME
There have been many mixed emotions on the recent implementation to take place this year. This is considered en experiment for the Atlantic League, while Major League Baseball has yet to consider incorporating any of the changes, over the three year experimental rules.
The pace of play, such as between inning activities and trips to the mound are the most legitimate. The three hour games seem to a bit much for most fans and many would like to see shorter games, spanning the 2 – 2.5 hour mark. The other changes seem a bit off the mark, such as moving the mound back (owners, manager/coaches and players think this to put more of a strain on pitchers arms and style of play and will enhance batting averages), larger bases (this writer does not see how this will enhance the game at all) and preventing infielder shifts (sort of takes away from the defensive strategy, MLB seems to believe this will enhance batting averages). As for the rest of the rule changes, such as mound visits and pitchers facing at least 3 batters (unless there are already 2 outs, from what is understood the pitcher does not have to come back the next inning for face the other 2 batters), this seems ambiguous. Managers and players will pretty much have to change the way they view the game in the traditional sense and come up with alternatives to how they approach the entire game itself.
Any opinions or views on this topic? Please feel free to comment.
Louis 