Just when we thought we had heard all we could about pace of play in Major League Baseball, someone has swooped in with another doozy of an idea. An idea that could have led a different outcome for the Atlanta Braves if it were in use today.
It’s the 6th inning of game involving the Atlanta Braves and Phillies in September. The score is tied at 3 a piece, and the Braves are the home team. In the bottom of the 6th, with 2 outs, Freddie Freeman socks a solo shot to left-center to put the Braves up 4-3. Then the Braves take the field for defense and we go to the top of the 7th.
Wait. WHAT?!
Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you? There’s a new rule in Major League Baseball. You know – The Catch-Up Rule?
OK, so it’s not a real rule … yet. But If it were up to a couple of academics – a university professor and a computer scientist – according to them, they have solved the problem of games that last too long and that have apparently lost its competitive edge.
Jason Gay, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, ran a piece this week about this very thing. Gay’s credits include Vogue, GQ, Rolling Stone, and Outside. He was named Sports Columnist of the Year by the SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) in 2016. He was also a finalist for the Thurber Prize, which is awarded for achievements in American Humor.
However, Mr. Gay is merely the conveyor of the idea in this instance, not the curator. Steven J. Brams (the Professor and Game Theorist) along with help from Aaron Isaksen (computer scientist), have formulated a plan to fix baseball!
I never thought I’d say this, but it’s worse then the whole “starting a runner on second base in the 12th inning” thing [ed. note: or the 10th inning, which is already a thing in minor league ball].
So let’s at least see what on earth these yahoos are talking about…