All over the country, MLB has instituted new rules or new baseballs to try and find a way to raise batting averages, because they are currently at their lowest point in more than 50 years. MLB is trying to find a way to shorten the length of games, improve pace of play, and have more balls in play.
These are just some of the new rules around the country:
- New baseball in MLB
- A bigger bag in Triple-A
- Anti-Shift rules in Double-A
- More strict balk rule in High-A
- Electronic strike zone in a Low-A league
- Pitch Timer in another Low-A league
- Two step-offs per plate appearance in a third Low-A league
- 61´6´´ mound in the Atlantic League
- DH spot is in the lineup until the SP is relieved in the Atlantic League
All of these experimental rules in what has been a very federalized process for MLB is meant to fix the problems it and fans have been talking about for years.