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Could big changes, like a 3-batter minimum for pitchers and universal DH, be coming, and soon?

Both are reportedly among ideas proposed in exchanges between owners and union.
 
Celebrations for homers by DHs such as the Rays' Ji-Man Choi, after a September 2018 win over Cleveland, could be coming to the NL. [CHRIS URSO | Times]
Celebrations for homers by DHs such as the Rays' Ji-Man Choi, after a September 2018 win over Cleveland, could be coming to the NL. [CHRIS URSO | Times]
Published Feb. 6, 2019|Updated Feb. 6, 2019

Ideas exchanged between the owners and players to improve the Major League Baseball product include a couple that will create considerable conversation and significant change if adopted: Requiring pitchers to face at least three batters and expanding the DH to the National League.

Those are two of the most interesting changes among many that were proposed and are being discussed, according to a report by Ken Rosenthal on The Athletic website, with the potential to be implemented for this season.

The owners proposed the three-batter minimum as a way to speed up the game by reducing pitching changes.

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Doing so would cause a major change in strategy for teams such as the Rays, that align and operate their bullpen (and conversely their lineup) based on matchups in platoon advantages, and could effectively eliminate the traditional role of the lefty specialist who often came in just to face one tough lefty hitter. But a change also could work to the advantage of a team like the Rays that also puts an emphasis on training some relievers to be able to work multiple innings and routinely carrying some on the roster. Last year, 14.1 percent of relief appearances were for less than three batters, and it’s been in the 15 percent range over the last 30 years, per the report.

Though there also will be chatter about the impact on teams using the opener to start games, an innovation strategy the Rays implemented last year, it wouldn’t make much difference as under their plan the opener usually worked through the first inning, It would prevent what the Brewers did in the NLCS, when they named Wade Miley as their starter but had him face only hitter before bringing in righty Brandon Woodruff.

The talk of expanding the DH to the NL goes back to the 1973 adoption in the AL, with the players union leading the push since it could create an additional higher paying job on NL teams. Though the owners have resisted, it would be a way to address the issue of a lack of offense, at least in the NL. Commissioner Rob Manfred said in June “the dialogue actually probably moved a little bit” but then at the All-Star Game in July that he didn’t expect a change.

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Implementing the DH for this season, as the union proposed, would seem problematic as many, though obviously not all, teams have pretty much completed their off-season work in constructing their rosters. Though it is obviously easier for an NL to add a player as a DH than an AL team to be forced to find a spot on the field for one they can’t use, and there are a few big-name free agents out there who can hit.

These ideas are among that were exchanged in what Rosenthal, also the insider for MLB Network and Fox Sports, termed dueling proposals that "marked an acceleration in the negotiations between baseball and the union over ways to improve the game. Further ideas and potential tradeoffs are certain to be explored in the weeks ahead.''

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Other ideas reportedly discussed include expanding rosters from 25 to 26 at the start of the season but limiting September roster size to 28, further reducing mound visits, increasing the minimum for DL stints and options to the minors from 10 days to 15, and moving the trade deadline to before the All-Star break. There also is talk of a study on lowering the mound. Rosenthal said the union addressed concerns about "competitive integrity and service-time manipulation in multifaceted fashion,'' with "a lowering of a team’s draft position for failing to reach a specified win total in a certain number of seasons is believed to be part of the union’s plan.''

Manfred has been working for years to increase the pace of play within the game and, after introducing these ideas last year, has the right to universally implement a 20-second pitch clock and a reduction of mound visits from six to five.