Get it right, beady-eyed commissioner

By Lonesome Traveler

I totally agree with this Jay Mariotti column on Fanhouse. I've never seen such a plethora of awful missed calls. Get it right. Use replay. It's just that simple to me.

The worst baseball commissioner in the history of the game is quoted in this article as saying, "Baseball is not the kind of game to have interminable delays."

Please. Have you watched a game lately Commissioner with your beady eyes? They drag on forever, especially with the extra minute of playoff commercials added to the games to put more money in your coffers.

And, oh sure, having a challenge like in the ice bowl at Denver the other night that was already a four-hour-plus game would make any difference.

To me the number one problem with baseball is the length of the games. By the time the pitcher eventually throws a pitch after the batter has stepped out to scratch his nuts and the infielders come in to the mound to discuss strategy for the tenth time, the game just bogs down. Besides replay, I think a timer should be put on the pitch once the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher. I don't think the batter should be able to step out of the box to adjust his gloves or whatever on every pitch either. I think a requirement should be if you want to step back, you must keep one foot in the box at all times or failure to do so would result in a strike.

If a pitcher fails to meet the time limit, it's a ball. If it's on ball three, it's a walk.

I think infielders should be allowed only one visit to the mound an inning. That's what signs are for. And I think the fake throw to third by the pitcher, who then whirls to first to try and fool the runner, should be outlawed. It's a balk anyway if you go by the rules. A balk is described as a move that deceives the runner. That's totally what that move is all about. To deceive or fake the runner at first, which then is a balk.

Little things like that could be trimmed from the game, but while trimming is going on how about shearing out completely the designated hitter. That's not baseball, and not the way the game was designed to be played. It would also trim back bean balls in the American League and wean out guys who can do nothing but hit. Sorry, that's not a baseball player. Your time's up.

And my time is up.