The left-on-left specialist — a left-handed reliever who sometimes faces only one left-handed hitter — soon might be an endangered species in Major League Baseball.
As part of a Jan. 14 proposal to the players’ union on pace of play, baseball suggested a rule requiring pitchers to face a minimum of three batters, sources told The Athletic.
The Major League Baseball Players Association responded last Friday with its own comprehensive proposal that addressed the players’ concerns on competitive integrity and service-time manipulation in multifaceted fashion, sources said. A lowering of a team’s draft position for failing to reach a specified win total in a certain number of seasons is believed to be part of the union’s plan.
A universal designated hitter — something the players have sought for more than three decades, according to commissioner Rob Manfred — also was part of the union’s proposal. Under the plan, the National League would adopt the DH for the 2019 season.
If no agreement is reached, the collective bargaining agreement empowers Manfred to unilaterally implement three elements he formally proposed last year, according to sources — a 20-second pitch clock, a reduction of mound visits from six to five and a rule placing a baserunner on second base in spring training games and the All-Star Game when the score is tied after the 10th inning.
Baseball’s current proposal includes one slight modification from the above provisions, reducing mound visits from six to four in ‘19 and four to three in ‘20. It also includes an expansion of rosters from 25 to 26 in ‘20, with an accompanying reduction from 40 to 28 in September.
https://theathletic.com/802364/2019/02/05/rosenthal-three-batter-requirement-for-all-pitchers-universal-dh-part-of-proposals-that-could-bring-big-change-to-baseball/The most dramatic change, however, would be the three-batter minimum for starting pitchers and relievers.
The rule, as it applies to starters, would prevent the situation that occurred in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, when the Brewers used left-hander Wade Miley for only one batter before removing him for right-hander Brandon Woodruff in a game the Dodgers won, 5-2.
The introduction of “the opener” last season produced only five regular-season games in which starting pitchers faced fewer than three hitters, according to data compiled from Baseball-Reference.com. Baseball’s far greater concern is the slower pace that results from managers using multiple relievers in an inning to gain a platoon advantage, especially late in games.
Yes on universal DH, No on axing sept callups, no on the 3 batter minimum.. Axing sept callups will screw with service time
Jeff Passan also lists possible rule changes:
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association are discussing potentially drastic changes to the on-field game and economic landscape of the sport in the middle of a collective bargaining agreement, a significant departure from the past that speaks to the chasm between the parties but represents a thaw in the chill that has divided the sides, sources familiar with the talks told ESPN.
Dueling proposals from MLB on Jan. 14 and the union on Friday covered a wide range of topics, according to sources. Among them include:
- A three-batter minimum for pitchers
- A universal designated hitter
- A single trade deadline before the All-Star break
- A 20-second pitch clock
- The expansion of rosters to 26 men, with a 12-pitcher maximum
- Draft advantages for winning teams and penalties for losing teams
- A study to lower the mound
- A rule that would allow two-sport amateurs to sign major league contracts
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25935056/mlb-players-discussing-rule-changes-alter-gameLow-revenue teams that succeed -- whether by finishing above .500 or making the playoffs -- would be given greater draft positions or bonus pools under the union's proposal, according to sources. While the depth of the penalties were not clear, the union suggested teams that lose 90-plus games in consecutive years could be affected negatively in the draft.
In the wake of Oakland Athletics first-round pick Kyler Murray potentially leaving behind baseball to pursue an NFL career after a Heisman Trophy-winning season, the union also suggested the idea of bringing back the major league contract as an enticement for two-sport athletes to stick with baseball, sources said. Currently, all draft contracts are minor league deals subject to a draft pool that penalizes teams that exceed it
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