Game Changer

It's an interesting time we are living in. With all the new developments in technology these days, Major League Baseball is almost obligated to make some changes to improve the game for fans, players, and umpires alike. But then the same question always arises; How much is too much? Let's take the three major changes of the past couple years and break them down a bit. We have the extra wild card spots in the NL and AL, the addition of  a manager's option to challenge certain plays, and the newest rule change, eliminating home plate collisions. Personally, there is one change I like, one I dislike and the other I am still on the fence with.
     Instant replay, though it changes the feel of the game a bit, is a change that I agree with 100%. Fans these days pay big money to see the All Stars of today do what they get paid millions of dollars to do. Major League Baseball owes it to these fans to use the technology they have to call the games as fairly as possible. When you think about it, umpires are expected to make every call correctly as they pay close attention to the action of 162 games, while simultaneously trying to watch an object the size of an apple fly through the air at over 100 miles per hour. Seems like a bit of overkill when all it takes is a few little tweaks to the game to ease the pressure.
     Now to get to home plate collisions. I cant say it's an awful idea. Cutting down on injuries is good for the game no matter how you slice it. The rule to eliminate home plate collisions will certainly help cut down on injuries for catchers, but what about the base runner? Now you have a situation in which you have a man, equipped with only a helmet, speeding to a finish line guarded by a player in full armor trying to block his advance at all costs. Where does the injury advantage shift now? I'm not saying players won't get used to the new rule change, but I think there will be a lot of confusion for awhile that may result in a whole new class of home plate injuries.
     The new rule in Major League Baseball that is keeping me on the fence so far is the addition of two more playoff spots. I love the idea, because it is great for fans who, in the past, had to watch their team battle all season, only to see them miss the cut. Before the addition of the extra Wild Card spots, Major League Baseball only invited the most elite teams to compete for a shot at the title. Now, two additional teams can earn the right to prove they belong in this elite group of adversaries. The only reason I am on the fence with the new rule, is because the year hasn't yet come when my Red Sox earn the top wild card spot and are knocked out in a one game playoff. I can easily see a flustered version of myself saying "The Sox wouldn't be going home early if Major League Baseball had never added the extra Wild Card spot!". Hopefully, before that version of myself becomes a reality, the Red Sox will have a few Wild Card wins in their back pocket. Maybe that way, I will have enough appreciation of the extra slots to resist denouncing the new rule when my team is on the outside looking in.