Over the past few years, Major League Baseball has made a lot of changes, most of it centering around making the game faster paced, and shorter overall.  They are trying desperately to appeal to a younger more nimble, and less engaged younger fan base.  And a lot of it has been good  - very good.

I love baseball, and in many respects I am a traditionalist.  But many of the changes have been great. The pitch clock, bigger bases, and making pitchers pitch to at least three batters out of the bullpen have all been really good for the game.  I like the netting too at ballparks as fans pay far less attention to the game now, and more to the phone. I also love that many cities, including Cleveland have made starting games earlier a priority with 605 or 640 starts for much of the season. These are great moves.

But what is being proposed now by their Mad Scientist of a Commissioner is simply dumb.  The proposed mandate is that the starting pitcher would HAVE to pitch at least 6 innings, in every game.  In days gone by, this would not really have mattered as starters generally did that, and beyond.  But today's game is very different. There would be exceptions like reaching 100 pitches, giving up 4 or more runs, or injury.  And if you would have any injury forcing you out of the game, it's an IL stint  - really stupid idea!  Look, the entire thing is just preposterous. 

The idea is to have the marquee pitcher on the field as long as possible.  Major League pitchers are averaging about 5 innings right now, which qualifies them for a win. But mandating this is just a big bag of silliness.  Starting pitchers are pitching less than ever for many reasons, and much of it is self-inflicted. 

For many years now, we have not been teaching pitching properly from the little league level up.  Many now are essentially pitching from The Stretch, which is far harder on the arm.  We have preached this to "simplify mechanics" and it's flat out wrong.  Pitching at the highest level is a full body motion, and the entire body should be involved.  Virtually every great pitcher in MLB history has a fuller body motion, or a "drop and drive" motion, not taught anymore.  Youngsters are also throwing breaking pitches far too early now and the arm, shoulder and elbow aren't ready for that.  Overall they are asking the arm to do far more work that it already does, and that's not how to pitch.  Protecting the golden arm -  the gift  - with the body is essential.

Arm surgeries are at an all time high because of improper technique and coaching from the beginning.  We have also become obsessed with "pitch counts" and 100 is the general number.  This is a 21st century thing and there are analytic numbers that can back that up on effectiveness.  But MLB is also dealing with a velocity thing.  It is thought now that everyone firing at 100 MPH is the way to go especially out of the bull pen.  The Guardians have benefited from this greatly, as guys can make millions just by throwing as hard as they can for 1 inning.  Also not the best for the arm, but it's a big money business.

Common sense changes have been great to the game, but we need to be careful about absolute rules to change the game itself.  Speeding it up is a GREAT idea, but this possible mandate is going too far.  And for those screaming for robotic strike zones, you'll love it until the robot screws your team  and it will.  The game should be officiated by humans as few games are more human that baseball.  Think about this, in the NFL instant replay and tons of high tech really have NOT made officiating better, in fact it's at all time low. 

MLB - cool your heels and while your at it, remind the commissioner that the game has been around for 150 years, not 150 minutes.  Thanks for the positive changes, now sit back and see what happens, and maybe encourage change where it is needed, when it is needed, if it is needed, not just because you can.