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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Couch Slouch has own ideas on how to speed up baseball

New MLB commissioner Rob Manfred wants baseball to move into the 21st century – Couch Slouch disagrees with him right there; the 20th century was a lot better than people remember – and, along those lines, has proposed a number of new-millennium changes.

Manfred, it appears, would like a game that is faster, a game that is higher-scoring, a game that resonates with a younger fan base and a game that embraces social media.

Frankly, it sounds like he’d be happier running the X Games.

(By the way, he’s also thinking about reinstating Pete Rose, so he’s not completely dismissing the 20th century.)

Luckily, as a baseball fan for parts of two centuries, I think I can help here. I must have a million suggestions to speed up the game, give it more of an edge, increase fan involvement and make it more scintillating. Space considerations will not allow me to list all of my ideas, but here are 16 of them:

1. Three straight foul balls and you’re out.

2. Legalize all PEDs. This will end drug testing, shut down the “does-he-or-doesn’t-he?” debates and enable the San Francisco Giants to re-sign Barry Bonds.

3. Bring back the bullpen car, but make it a Ferrari.

4. Instead of the seventh-inning stretch, end contests automatically after 6 ½ innings if one team has a seven-run lead or if the game has reached four hours in length.

5. Outfielders no longer allowed to wear gloves.

6. Modified sudden-death format for extra innings – if the visiting team hits a home run in the top of the 10th, 11th or 12th, the game is over.

(Column Intermission I: The NFL’s trying to figure out what to do with the PAT. The extra point is the NFL’s penny; nobody wants them, needs them or knows what to do with them. This notion of moving back the extra-point kick 15 yards is ill-conceived. I happen to be a hard-liner but, at a minimum, let’s just lose the extra-point kick altogether. How about this as an alternative – after a touchdown, a team has an option to run or pass from the 1-yard line for a one-point conversion or run or pass from the 5-yard line for a two-point conversion.

7. No bunting permitted during interleague games.

8. If a foul ball is caught on the fly in the stands by a spectator or vendor, it is recorded as an out.

9. Eliminate third-base umpires. This will result in an annual savings of $4.87 million, plus, frankly, there just aren’t enough close plays at third base to justify the position.

10. If a player makes an error, he is removed from the field until the next out is recorded. This will create the equivalent of a hockey power play and increase scoring.

11. I don’t believe I’m going out on a limb in saying that nobody likes the infield-fly rule.

12. When the bases are empty, the batter has the option of running toward first or third base after a batted ball. If he gets on safely, first and third base then are swapped for the rest of the half-inning, meaning the base paths will operate clockwise instead of counterclockwise. Note: In this scenario, second base is always second base.

13. Invoking my Uncle Stanislav’s No. 2 rule of life – “You got us into this mess, you’ll get us out of this mess” – no pitching changes in the middle of an inning.

14. Enforce the “No Pepper” warnings behind or near home plate.

15. The David Ortiz rule, to be applied to David Ortiz at-bats only: If he leaves the batter’s box for any reason other than a family emergency, he is out.

16. Ban the “double switch.” It just feels so 19th century.

Ask The Slouch

Q. President Obama’s approval rating is in the 40s, I believe your marital success rate is currently “hovering” around .333 and Jeff Fisher, over 20 years, has a .524 winning percentage. Which of you should be coaching the St. Louis Rams? (Michael A. Becker; Clayton, Mo.)

A. Are the Rams still in St. Louis?

Q. Do you think the Connecticut women’s basketball team could beat an NBA team? (Donald Coates; Carmel, Ind.)

A. If they borrow Duke’s officials, I think UConn could beat the Dallas Mavericks, who, according to owner Mark Cuban, never get any calls.

Q. With the NFL draft soon approaching, is it true that Mel Kiper Jr. has identified the Redskins’ biggest need at the ownership position? (Rory Rohde; Hamilton, Va.)

A. Pay the man, Shirley.

   Norman Chad is a syndicated columnist. You, too, can enter the $1.25 Ask The Slouch Cash Giveaway. Just e-mail asktheslouch@aol.com and, if your question is used, you win $1.25 in cash!