MLB team owners are set to decide on two rule changes for Major League Baseball. They’re relatively minor changes but worth noting.
The first rule change only codifies what essentially took place during the rainy Game 5 of the World Series between the Phillies and the Rays. Under current rules, these games only become official when the trailing team record 15 outs.
Selig used rules governing suspended games at the time, but said had it been stopped with the Phillies leading, 2-1, in the fifth, the game would have gone into a rain delay until it was safe to resume.
“We’ll stay here if we have to celebrate Thanksgiving here,” he said.
After the last owners’ meetings in New York in November, Selig said he told the owners that his interpretation of the rule would be codified.
The second change under consideration regards how the decision is made who hosts one-game tiebreakers. Currently, coin flips a few weeks beforehand are used to make the decision.
Teams are asking that head-to-head records be used instead.
I propose a rule that requires the person covering second base, during a double play attempt, either tag the base first or tag the runner. The Phantom double play is way too common and should be eliminated.
Lou,
At the Big Ten tournament two years ago, the Illini shortstop was called on that. I realize that umpires give some leeway but apparently the shortstop didn’t get close enough to the bag.
As you probably know, the umps do this to avoid injury-causing collisions.
Throw caution to the wind! :)