Photo credit: @sportingnews

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Since MLB commissioner Rob Manfred took over for Commissioner Bud Selig, his main mission has been the speed of the game and how to move the game at a faster pace. Manfred could implement a variety of pacing measures during this 2018 season.

The 20-second pitch clock is perhaps the most notable. They’ve already been experimenting with a 22-second clock in the minor leagues. If this rule goes into effect in the Major Leagues, a pitcher would be charged with a ball, and if he takes more than 20 seconds between pitches, there will be only one warning per game on this. Hitters will have a 30-second timer between batters, and if they take longer than that, they will be charge with a strike.

I could see down the line, some argument when a hitter keeps fouling pitches on a 3-2 count, it takes too long to come to a decision that maybe done by the all-popular today “algorithms.” Algorithms can perform calculation, data processing and automated reasoning tasks. An algorithm is an effective method that can be expressed within a finite amount of space and time and in a well-defined formal language for calculating a function.

There are other rules in the oven such as a second mound visit to a pitcher in the same inning that must result in the removal of that pitcher from the game, the control of the amount of time between innings, and the number and length of pitching warm-ups. However, the last one is not coming this season.

On Thursday, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reported that the MLB Players Association rejected the league’s most recent proposal of pace-of-play rules, which was a revised version of an initial proposal submitted last year, addressing the players concerns with the original.

However, after the union’s rejection of this revised proposal, MLB could still implement the original rules changes; even if the MLB Players Union do not agree with it. During the last off-season the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) gave the MLB the right to do so.

Before we get lost in the “legal matters” here, both sides: Manfred and the MLPA will continue negotiating all this stuff next week, and only God knows where it will end. Just remember the MLPA is one of the strongest unions in the country.

People should relax here. It is not basketball, it is baseball, the game was meant to be the way it is. Too bad this generation needs something to happen every 10 seconds because baseball is not like that. This is exactly what happens when non-baseball people are running the game. Maybe soon you will be able to play a game of baseball on Twitter and be done in a couple of minutes with 280 characters.

I can see in the future where they would like to find a way to “end” a hitter that has a 3-2 count on a pitcher, and keeps fouling pitch after pitch, after pitch…which would take too long. Maybe if he fouls 10-12 pitches he would be awarded first base automatically, since the pitcher obviously could not “put him away.” Those who like the OBP (On Base Percentage) will be delighted with this rule.

Umpires are bound to become extinct from the game of baseball as robots are already taking over our labor force, some fast food places already have robots handing food and you can easily order without a human in sight. Or you can always tell Alexa to do something for you, while your robot sweeps your house.

Man invented computer and computer could be its demise. I think I saw a movie with that script. Since baseball is traditionally slow to change, chances are that by the time baseball is ran by computers, the whole world is already slaved by technology. When that happens it will be a “One World Government.”

Hold on now…I can already hear the Home plate Robot saying: P-l-a-y B-a-l-l…the same voice that says PlayStation.