Rule changes to MLB [View all]

It’s been a few to several years since some very significant rule changes have happened. Now that we baseball fans have seen them as part of the modern game for a while, I think in general the changes have been accepted as good for the game.

Below are listed the more significant changes I can recall at the moment, without looking them up. (There are probably others.) Regardless of how you felt about them when they were adopted, are there any of these rules that you think should be reversed or revised?

Note I’ve avoided the NL’s adoption of the Designated Hitter, because let’s not get bogged down yet again on rehashing the pros and cons of DH-ball. Start another thread if you want to go there!

“Recent” rule changes:
> Challenge system for reviewing certain types of umpire calls
> Pitch clock and batter clock
> Larger bases
> Limited pitcher disengagements
> Limits on defensive shifts
> Prohibiting defensive obstruction of bases
> Fake to third, throw to first prohibited
> 3 batter minimum (or finish an inning) for pitchers
> Ability to bring up an extra pitcher from the minor league system for a doubleheader (without it counting as one of the five permitted callups)
> Limit on number of mound visits
> Regular umpire checks of pitchers for foreign substances
> Ghost runner for extra innings
> Sharply curtailed number of permitted September call ups
> Elimination of ability for a team to protest a game
> New playoff format (6th team in, wild card round 3 games all at one site)

While I didn’t like a few of the changes at first, I have come to accept most of the changes as being improvements to the game. However, I don’t like the ghost runner rule much: would prefer to see a few (maybe 2 or 3) extra innings played without the ghost runner, then implement that rule if still tied, say, after the 12th. I also think clubs should be allowed a couple more September callups, to give more prospects a taste of The Show after their minor league season has ended.

I do like the new playoff format, but would like to see the second round expanded to best-of-seven (instead of its current 5).

What do you think? Good changes?
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