Dan talks to three of the game’s most respected observers: Jayson Stark of The Athletic, Buster Olney of ESPN and Jon Paul Morosi of MLB Network and Fox. They discuss the state of the game, covering everything from shifts and the pace of play to broader issues, including the possibility of expansion, realignment and changes to the playoff format.
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OPEN: If you were commissioner for a day, what would you change about the game?
1:35: Jayson Stark of The Athletic joins the podcast. Before making any changes, he wants to find a way to get better rhythm and more action in the game. He also believes the shift has changed how batters approach hitting, leading to more balls in play but also lower batting averages. Finally, Jayson and Dan discuss how expanding to 32 teams could change the schedule, as well as what they would change about the playoff format.
21:10: Buster Olney from ESPN joins Dan to discuss the importance of starting pitching by limiting the number of pitchers per nine innings. They discuss how introducing a pitch clock to the majors would work, as well as why the National League needs to implement the designated hitter position. Finally, Buster suggests that the players association needs to be more involved in making changes to the game.
36:50: – Jon Paul Morosi of MLB Network and Fox joins Dan to talk some hockey, but mainly baseball. First, they talk about international expansion, including adding MLB teams in Montreal and Mexico City. Jon also suggests rules about shifting need to be put in place. Finally, the two discuss whether there will be significant progressive changes for the better in the MLB over the next 10 years.
