Saturday, September 6, 2008

Free Substitution

Free substitution means that a player may leave the game and return later. Pretty basic. Football and basketball have it. Why not baseball? Just because they didn't think of it a million years ago? Or in 1950 when there were the last big modifications of the rules?

The only big rule change since then is the designated hitter, which is a lousy rule but not for the reasons usually presented. See my idea about designated fielders in my original radical baseball post.

To make this work in baseball simply maintain the batting order. If Derek Jeter starts the game batting second he may only bat in that position. I am guessing that the other objection would be that changing pitchers constantly would slow down the game, as if anyone would notice. Change on the fly like the other sports. As long as the move is done within the flow of the game there should be no problem. Of course, they cannot continue the pitcher changing ceremony that is unique in team sports for its disruption and delay and which should be eliminated anyway.

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