Rich Eisen revealed on The Rich Eisen Show that the league is floating the idea of allowing the team trailing in the 9th inning to throw anyone they want up to the plate.
Even though the league is constantly searching for ways to make games shorter, as well as insert more drama into every single contest, this idea is far from the solution for the latter problem. As one of Eisen's colleagues points out, what happens when a pitcher is on the brink of throwing a perfect game, and he's forced to get the final three outs against the opposing team's best hitters as opposed to the three batters due up in the order? Or what happens if the game is tied in the 9th; how does the lineup look from that moment on?
It's undeniable that something needs to be done in order to make baseball more palatable and enjoyable for the casual fan, but this isn't the answer. The MLB needs to address the length of games, first and foremost. Not many people are willing to sit in front of their TV to watch a three-hour game with the occasional spurt of action. Once the league resolves that matter, we can work on fine-tuning other aspects of the game.
