After Further Review...: More MLB Changes That Need to Happen

On Thursday, the MLB did the unthinkable - it joined the early 21st century and did something progressive by expanding the use of instant replay starting in 2014. This step is a huge one for MLB, who has struggled to incorporate technology into the game. Some of the traditionalists (ex-players, old and wrinkly writers who have covered the sport for way too long) will frown on this new element being added to the game, as they tend to do with anything that didn't come from the original roots of baseball (basically anything that doesn't involve cameras or advanced stats). Apparently, there's some charm to an umpire missing a call for these traditionalists, as if the human element should triumph common sense and getting the calls right (note: the replay is not being used for balls and strikes, nor should it. And any reasonable baseball fan would agree that this part of the game cannot be reviewed. I think the unreasonable baseball fans - yes, I'll pick on these traditionalists once more - were the only ones worried about balls and strikes being a reviewable item)

However, I believe it should be the start of many changes that need to take place across baseball - from attitude adjustments to the way statistics are perceived and much more.

In no particular order, here are some other much-needed baseball-related items that need to get reviewed and refined for the 21st century:

1.  Pitchers with hurt feelings (i.e. bitchers) - One of the pet peeves I've started to develop this year is the whiny pitcher (i.e. the pitcher who hits a guy because the hitter or one of his teammates got too excited about a home run or stared a little too long at the ball as it left the park). I would like to remove this part of the game, as well as other pointless beanball wars that serve no purpose other than get about 60 guys to run onto the field and pretend to fight. If you are a pitcher who allows a home run, you should be more mad that you allowed the home run than the guy who happens to enjoy what he just did to you (especially if it's a guy who hits about 3-4 home runs a year - he really can't act like he's been there if he only does it once every other month). This also goes for pitchers who get mad when a guy tries to bunt or steal when his team happens to be up by a decent lead late in the game. With baseball being one of the only untimed major sport (with its unit of time being "outs"), a team can theoretically come back from a huge deficit with almost 90% of the game complete a lot easier than other sports. This fact and this fact alone makes it perfectly ok for the Rickey Hendersons of baseball to keep running and bunting from Inning 1 till the end, no matter the score. After all, it's not as if the home run hitters stop trying to hit home runs, so why so mad at the bunters?
   
   Quit your bitching, pitchers. If you don't want guys celebrating or succeeding at bunts/steals late in games, how about you pitch better? Try that on for size and get back to me.
   
2. A new way of looking at statistics - He may rub some people the wrong way, but Brian Kenny is on to something when he presents his points to #KillTheWin (that is, the individual stat of a pitcher win) and bringing advanced statistics to the attention of the average baseball fan, who has grown up with the same stat lines that have been used for the last five generations of baseball players. Like the game itself, statistics have evolved into telling more of a complete story about players, which players may carry more value than realized, and which ones may be considered over-rated due to the static use of old-school baseball stats to judge players. I consider Kenny and Joe Peta, author of Trading Bases, to be among the tops in helping bring attention to this subject. I have been watching a lot more MLB Network this year and have noticed that some broadcasts have started to incorporate some of these new ways of judging players (like on-base percentage, slugging, OBP to name a few) into a player's normal stat line as he comes up to bat. In ten years, I believe that graphics that we see both at the games and on TV will look a lot different and incorporate this new age of baseball analysis.
   
   
   
3. Designated Hitter in Both Leagues - While the DH rule started as an experiment in the American League four decades ago, it brought a lot more offense to the league in general. Not only that, but it extended the careers of guys who could still hit but could not really do much else (see Paul Molitor, Edgar Martinez and Frank Thomas, among many examples). This offense has made the American League into the "hitter's league", and what do chicks like to see? As Greg Maddux can attest to, they dig the long ball. Meanwhile, in the other league, dingers by DHs give way to sacrifice bunts and double switches, which National League backers think makes the NL better for some damn reason (hint: it's not that hard to do a double switch - bring in specialist, put him in batting spot where a recent hitter was stationed in the order, and take that particular hitter out of the game for another guy who can take the pitcher's spot in the order). While I enjoy a well-pitched game more than most, I believe that these elite pitchers should have to face a line-up full of at least average hits. Some pitchers can swing the stick well, but not enough to make me think that pitchers should continue to hit.
   
4. Traditional doubleheaders - I can't believe I'm including something that was once traditional into my list of things that MLB needs to bring back, but I think that each team should have a couple of scheduled doubleheaders on their schedule, for old-time sake. And I'm not talking about those bogus day-night doubleheaders where they clear the stadium in between games. I'm talking about the way it used to be when baseball had no lights and they had to fit in all games during the daylight hours of summer. Let's start some of these games on get-away days at noon, then follow that up with a second game to give fans a chance to watch two games on the same day. You might say that this would not hold the attention of today's baseball fan, and I may not be able to argue that. However, if it's only a couple times a year that these teams have to do it, what's the harm in giving these fans two games for the price of one? My friend and his family attended the longest doubleheader in history between Cleveland and Chicago in the last week of June, and he seemed to enjoy himself (without alcohol on top of it).  Let's make this happen MLB.
   
5. Retractable roofs for all - You say that this would be too expensive for some teams to do? Yeah, you're probably right. But this is make-believe/ideal baseball world according to Brian, so let's say that this is a possibility in every team's budget. Baseball is a sport, like football, that is meant to be enjoyed outdoors. Unlike its pigskin counterpart, it needs the ideal conditions (no ridiculous rain/snow storms) in order to function. For those random weather issues, every stadium's retractable roof can be closed to keep baseball indoors and prevent any rain delays that seem to hold up a handful of games per week. This year more than ever, it seems like a lot of these games are not being called, but played after a 3 or 4 hour delay. Instead of dealing with these delays, let's skip that process and put up the dome for these occasions. Advanced weather forecasts should be able to tell you when bad weather will play a factor into a game, so close the dome ahead of time if it looks like a storm should be hitting around the 4th or 5th inning.

I'm sure I have a few more suggestions, but these are just a few that I've had in mind recently. What changes would you propose for review by the MLB's top brass?

The Unemployment Chronicles Chapter 3: Running for Sanity

It's been about a month since I gave an update on my unemployment goings-on, unfortunately because there has not been much to update.

There has been a few leads here and there, resumes submitted for this and that, but no major bites. In that time, I attended a social event of HIMSS professionals (i.e. people that are in the healthcare industry that I've been associated with for the past six years in some form). I did meet some great people there, including a few who I've spoken to or connected via LinkedIn since the event. One position would have allowed me to branch my writing off into subject matters involving healthcare and consulting-related matters, but would have been part-time had the opportunity not fell apart. While there were no other positions at that organization available for hire, I will make sure to keep in touch with these folks, who were a joy to speak to both in person and on the phone.

Then last week, a friend recommended that I submit my resume for some positions at his organization. The best part of the organization? Their focus on sports data. I received an email back and was informed that the job would be part-time (32 hours/week) and would have no benefits. I'm still in touch with this guy, although it would be hard to take a job with no benefits. If it fits into my schedule, should I decide to go this route, I would look into one of my old jobs (covering sports at the high school level) once or twice a week - this is something I'm still thinking about.

I've also been offered the chance to write for a couple of people who have recently-launched sports-based websites. Like the other opportunity above, this is something I am thinking about - I'm thinking I will do something of this nature since I have still yet to launch a website of my own and would really like to spread my writing to more outlets.

My new running kicks. These, along w/some Chuck Taylors, will soon be part of my shoe rotation

All the while, one thing I have had to make sure to keep up with is my workout routine, specifically my running regimen. Fit Happens ended on July 1, so every bit of energy spent running around the neighborhood has been to maintain the healthier lifestyle that I created for myself in the prior six months (somewhat related to all of this - a nice surprise that Jen gave to me when we went out to dinner the evening I was officially unemployed included giving me a $100 gift card to Zappo's - so I just got myself a new pair of running shoes that I can't wait to break in). This, along with my girlfriend and great network of friends and family, has kept me sane during my unemployment. It's been a battle in itself cutting out unnecessary and/or costly expenses over the past month and a half like ordering delivery and drinking at bars, the latter which will be difficult to deter myself from doing should I be watching more football at random places this fall. So far this summer, I haven't really gone out much outside of Wednesdays after bowling - the drinking occasions with Jen and her co-workers have been quite sparse (or I'm just not aware of these occasions) considering that we've had some decent weather. Then again, we've started to get busy pretty much every weekend, so that helps with the bar cutback.

Wherever I end up work-wise, one thing I am going to have to adjust to better than I did the last time I got hired at a new job is maintaining the positive momentum of my healthier lifestyle. That means I will either have to do my runs in the morning or get in the habit of running after work (assuming I don't get a job at home like I had before). Or perhaps it will be better for me to join a gym, as the weather will be getting crappy in Chicago before you know it. Outside of the brief hot spell we had about a month or so ago, this has been great weather to run around my Logan Square/Bucktown neighborhood. Winters can be rather unpredictable, so an affordable gym might be what the fat loss doctor ordered.

Until next time, keep enjoying the summer. I hope to have more updates on some of these fronts soon. Also, expect some more football blogs coming up.

And remember, nobody cares about your fantasy football team.