Just proves that the people who run MLB don't much care about the integrity of the game.
What Major League Baseball is finding out, and the reason for the proposed changes, is to appeal to millennials. Now it's in direct contrast to old school fans who say that it doesn't need to be tweeked. I am in the middle, I can take or leave the new rules but there are things that can be done to speed the game up without affecting the integrity of the game:
Speaking of the strike zone, when I played little league, we were taught that the strike zone was from the armpits to the knees, but I guess the umpires didn't listen to that and made their own strike zones, specifically toward the low end of the strike zone.
Regarding the rule to start an extra inning game with a runner at second base, are you kidding me? Earn that position, enough said.
I like that the intentional walk can be used without throwing the pitches, but others here have made some good arguments.
Above all, you want to speed the games up without affecting the integrity of the game, here are a few suggestions:
Have the batters stay in the batters' box instead of stepping out after every pitch. Not the only culprit but Big Papi used to step out and readjust his batting gloves AFTER EVERY PITCH, significantly taking twice as long for an at bat.
Having a pitching change and the incoming pitcher take another 5-10 minutes to warm-up after a 15 minute warm-up in the bullpen.
On that note, constantly bringing in pitchers to pitch to one batter, or waiting for a batter to be announced, and then going to the mound to change pitchers (see the above comment), or vice-versa, having a pitcher come in, take his "warm-up" tosses and then bringing in a pinch hitter. When the pitcher comes in, after his first toss, or even as he takes the mound, notify your intentions of a pinch-hitter. If a pitcher comes in, make it mandatory that he pitch to three batters, it might end the half-inning.
I realize that things have been proposed to speed up the game but you don't have to change the spirit of the game to shorten it. Just my two cents.
Barbershopman