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We're only a few days into the new season, but I think that the MLB's new rules have made the game infinitely better. The rules that have made the biggest difference for me are the pitch clock and the shift ban.
The pitch clock has reduced the average game length by something like 25+ minutes. That's incredible! I enjoy watching my Blue Jays play almost every day, but until this year that was a 3-3.5 hour commitment most nights. As the long season wore on my enthusiasm waned because there was just so much dead time.
With the pitch clock, games are humming. There's always action on the screen and before I realize what's happening we're into the bottom of the fifth inning. Baseball is a slower sport, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. Last night Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins pitched 9 full innings in under 2 hours!
Quicker games makes baseball much more accessible and digestible, especially for the average viewer who isn't super into it to begin with. Just last night I was able to comfortably watch a 7:30pm start time game to the bottom of the 8th and still had time to throw on a movie afterwards. That entire game was only 2.5 hours.
These changes also make actually going to games more appealing. If I know that the average game will be about 2.5 hours, I don't have to feel like I need to dedicate my entire night or afternoon to watch.
The other big rules change that has me pumped for this coming season is the shift ban. Because of the shift ban, there's been a noticeable increase in balls in play (at least for my Blue Jays). With more balls in play you have more action, and with more action you have more fun. Singles and doubles abound and in combination with other rules relating to the pitch clock like a cap on the number of times a pitcher can try and pick-off a runner, you have more base stealing. Having runners on base just increases the potential for big, memorable moments in every game. If your bottom of the order batters are able to sneak a ball through the infield and get the runner on third home, that's more exciting than what was going on with the shift where that same ball would've been a groundout.
I know it's a small sample size, but batting percentage is already up with the shift ban. Offence is fun to watch, especially in baseball where it's explosive and sudden. Additionally, the shift ban also highlights those players who are incredible defensively. Without the crutch of shifts, fielders have to be on point with every at bat. Mistakes are punished much more severely because there isn't another player shifted next to them to cover the gap.
Between the pitch clock and the shift ban, I'm super excited for this season. If you used to watch baseball and fell off or have never watched before, I think now is the best time to jump in.