# Ways to Make Baseball More Interesting **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 5, 2001, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891 "2001-09-05T17:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/1 "2001-09-05T17:15:07Z")
Inspired by another thread on getting rid of the home plate umpire, and by an article by Hunter S. Thompson at [http://espn.go.com/page2/s/thompson/001106.html](http://espn.go.com/page2/s/thompson/001106.html), I hearby ask you, what can we do to make baseball more exciting? (A disclaimer: I actually love the game just as it is, but there’s no thread in that, is there?) Here are a few of my ideas. 1. the order of running the bases changes every inning 2. every fielder must switch catching hands every other inning 3. one ball per game will be loaded with a device that will cause it to explode upon impact Help out our summer pastime by contributing your own ideas. ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/2 "2001-09-05T17:45:00Z")
It frightens me muchly that the first thing I thought of was exploding baseballs, and there it is on the list… ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/3 "2001-09-05T17:48:48Z")
I was going to suggest strip baseball… and then I thought of Matt Stairs. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/4 "2001-09-05T17:54:30Z")
Instead of the Designated Hitter, have a different random fan chosen from the crowd bat for the pitcher each time he’s due to come up. (And paid $1,000 per base reached.) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/5 "2001-09-05T17:57:15Z")
Allow tackling the runner. Grease the bats. No gloves. Release dogs onto the field from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/6 "2001-09-05T18:09:37Z")
For one inning each game the fielding team must each carry a glass of beer onto the field. Anyone who spills more that a quarter of it will be penalized one run. In the 2, 4, and 7th inning: Slip-n-Slide from 2nd to 3rd! Exploding baseballs are a good idea. Underground basepaths as well as the regular ones. Even if he grounds out to the shortstop, the baserunner still gets to plow into the catcher at top speed on the way back to the dugout. Put the rightfielder in rollerskates for day games. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/7 "2001-09-05T19:12:07Z")
Replace the bases with kegs. Line the basepaths with Slip-N-Slides. Remove all protective padding from the umpires. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/8 "2001-09-05T19:25:34Z")
You must have two balls in play at all times. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/9 "2001-09-05T19:30:41Z")
Cheerleaders. ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Drew\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Blade)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/10 "2001-09-05T19:33:30Z")
You could have high scoring games if you batted “against” your own pitcher & catcher–i.e. the pitcher would be trying to serve up the pitch you can hit best. Of course, a lot of other things would have to be changed (balls would lead to outs instead of walks; no advancing bases on wild pitches; no stolen bases; and more). It wouldn’t be baseball anymore, but it could be fun for the spectators to see 100-home-run games. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/11 "2001-09-05T19:44:06Z")
You have to hit every base before you can go to the plate, but you can do it in any order. ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/12 "2001-09-05T19:55:02Z")
Landmines ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/13 "2001-09-05T20:01:55Z")
George Carlin had it right… "Have randomly placed landmines in the outfield… “\… it’s a high, fly ball. The fielder is settling underneath…” BA-WHOOM!" awwwww yeaaahhh ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/14 "2001-09-05T20:08:37Z")
Al Jaffee did a feature on this in **Mad** magazine about twenty years ago. His solution: BASEBRAWL 1. Your own team pitches to you, so every pitch is a piece of cake, but: 2. The ball is solid steel “Even a line drive becomes a memorable incident.” 3. The Batter gets to keep the bat as he runs the bases, and gets to use it as an offensive weapon. 4. All players are heavily padded and helmeted. I don’t recall the rest – innings are replaced by “zappings” and the like. Look it up, though. well worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/15 "2001-09-05T20:51:28Z")
Great ideas. I’m dying here! I forgot one though: You are credited with two runs if the runner scores while _hand walking_. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/16 "2001-09-05T21:20:27Z")
Wouldn’t it be more challenging to devise ways to make it **LESS** interesting? ---
**Author:** ![Elvis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@Elvis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvis)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/17 "2001-09-05T21:40:25Z")
Wouldn’t it be impossible to devise ways to make it less interesting? ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/18 "2001-09-05T22:23:22Z")
Some more serious changes in the rule: 1. None of this infinite time taken between pitches, nor any of that ‘human rain delay’ schtick. Pitch the ball like they serve in tennis or volleyball, and if the batter is not ready, then tough. Note that some pitchers such as Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson do so. 2. All runners must try to get to the next base on each batted fair ball, be it by sacrifice or whatever. Also, no force plays. 3. The baseline will be expanded to 25 feet wide. 4. Pepper games are not only allowed,it is mandatory during the practice session before the game. Also, all fielders on all teams must deploy a Gashouse-gang type practice session. ---
**Author:** ![shimmery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@shimmery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shimmery)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/19 "2001-09-05T22:37:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*I was going to suggest strip baseball… > and then I thought of Matt Stairs. \*\* … and then _I_ thought of Andy Pettitte - bring it on! ---
**Author:** ![Home\_of\_the\_Braves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Home\_of\_the\_Braves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Home_of_the_Braves)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891/20 "2001-09-05T22:49:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shimmery \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > > \*\*I was going to suggest strip baseball… > > and then I thought of Matt Stairs. \*\* > > … and then _I_ thought of Andy Pettitte - bring it on! \*\* How about Ryan Klesko?? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-make-baseball-more-interesting/79891.md?page=2)