Giants fans continue to wait for news of if and when Opening Day will take place in 2020. And while we don’t know for certain when that is, the start of what would be a strange season could be the perfect time to experiment with new rules, according to MLB Network broadcaster Bob Costas.
The experimentation he refers to involves potential new rules implemented in order to speed up the game, and a few other additions. Some of which, based on prior statements, wouldn't thrill some members of the Giants.
"Put in a pitch clock with nobody on base, have computerized balls and strikes ... short of running the bases clockwise, I think people would accept most anything,” Costas told 95.7 The Game on Monday. “Tinker with the postseason format, go ahead! Throw everything against the wall and see what sticks."
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Ordinarily, baseball’s demographic possesses one that fears change, but in this case, due to the lack of sports and the world desperately wanting teams to play once it's safe, it would be easy to see fans being open to such a thing.
Does that mean we bring in robot umpires?
We hope not. At least, Giants catcher Buster Posey and Giants prospect Jacob Heyward probably hope not.
Posey previously believed if the technology introduced into MLB, “more pitches would be called balls that are strikes now.” That could have a lot to do with the human element, or lack thereof, in this case.
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Meanwhile Heyward, a young prospect, simply couldn’t keep his cool against a robot ump. He was ejected after striking out during an Arizona Fall League game in October.
There are other experiments, as reported by USA Today, that could ensue with a possibility of postseason games being played around Thanksgiving. There's also talk of MLB considering a three-division, 10-team plan where teams would only play in their division.
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That would mean we say goodbye to the American and National Leagues, and the West Division would host a lot of inter-division Bay Bridge Series.
We don’t know how baseball would look if it were to come back, but many fans would take anything at this point. We'll see how Posey and the rest of the Giants feel if and when the time comes.