Column: Let's make baseball weirder with even more new rules

The stat geeks are all excited, even if no one else seems to be. They’ve spent the first days of the baseball season analyzing a bunch of new numbers that show the possibilities — and probabilities — of runners scoring after being put on second base to open extra innings.

What they’ve found is interesting enough, though the sample size is small. Still, deciding whether to bunt or not with the first batter has at least introduced a bit of strategy into a game that in recent times has seemed intent on eliminating any deep thoughts.

Assuming the pandemic doesn't cause the season to come to a crashing close — a big assumption right now — they’ll also soon be able to dive into the seven-inning doubleheaders and come up with numbers that show the proper way to handle pitchers. And they’ll study what needs to be done to make the new playoffs, though with 16 teams that’s easy enough even for those of us who weren’t paying much attention in math class.

But why stop there? Like it or not we have a weird new season with some weird new rules. Let’s keep going to make baseball America’s favorite pastime once again.

Here’s a few more things baseball can do in this, a season like no other:

NEW COUNTS: Batters will now start with 1-1 counts, much like competitive softball. This will save on pitcher arms, ultimately allowing starters to go four, perhaps even five, innings.

BIG HITS: Let’s face it, all home runs aren’t created equal. Some barely curve around a foul pole into the first row of seats, others are caught by the Wrigley Field ball hawkers on Waveland Avenue. For now on, any home run over 400 feet is worth two runs instead of one. This will give hitters the incentive to blindly swing as hard as they can and cut down on boring singles. Still to be determined is what to call a long home run with...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Column-Let-s-make-baseball-weirder-with-even-15451588.php