Half the roster spots go to pitchers, who could be replaced by pitching machines.

For real competition between two teams, eliminate the pitchers. Have all batters hit against a common pitching machine. Then the difference between the teams would be their cumulative skills in:
- hit
- hit for power
- run
- field
- throw.

You know, the five basic skills. Human pitchers need only be competent in throwing. They don't even need good eyesight, much less hand eye coordination. Pitchers have had machine counterparts for more than a century.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitching_machine

A pitching machine is a machine that automatically pitches a baseball to a batter at different speeds and styles...

In 1897, mathematics instructor Charles Hinton designed a gunpowder-powered baseball pitching machine for the Princeton University baseball team's batting practice...

The arm-type pitching machine was designed by Paul Giovagnoli in 1952, for use on his driving range. Using a metal arm mounted to a large gear, this type of machine simulates the motion of an actual pitcher, throwing balls with consistent speed and direction. The use of two wheels to propel a ball was invented by Norman Bruce in 1960.
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Try creating a machine that plays shortstop or runs the bases well. Pitchers try to repeat the same basic motion with a few relatively minor variations. Who really cares? Come on, be honest, do you enjoy watching the pitcher and catcher play catch.

Come on, come on. Get rid of these annoying humans. Replace pitchers with machines!