Mariners coach Scott Servais shared his thoughts on changes to the 2021 rules in the minor leagues. (Getty)
Friday night in Peoria, the Mariners and Reds are scheduled for a spring game of the rare variety of 9 starters. With no minor league teams to get extra players this spring, teams had the option to shorten games and entries when necessary.
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Since the spring training games are about work and not about records, it will be interesting to see if these rules will be carried forward when things become “normal” again. It could be one of many potential changes in the near future for the game, as several new rules, including one that would limit the change and others that could encourage base theft, will be tested in the minor leagues this season according to an email. of the MLB.
Mariners manager Scott Servais, who was on a call earlier this spring with a small number of managers that the MLB was looking to receive contributions, appreciates many of the changes.
“I am in favor of almost all the changes that they talked about,” he said, noting that there were originally about a dozen that were revised. “I think we need to adjust our game. I think we need to make changes to our game. We are entertainment and we have to be open to change ”.
Servais pointed to the need for more action in the game as an impetus for change.
“Changing is uncomfortable, but it is what they have been doing in other sports to try to keep fans engaged,” he said. “We have a lot of excellent athletes, but we need to see the ball in play. We need to see great defensive plays. We need to see the guys stealing bases or taking the leg out of a triple that kind of left the game, since it turned into a home run, strikeout or walk. “
One thing Servais is not sure he wants to see is the regulation of change.
“I think you should leave it to the teams how they want to position their players and I think there are other ways to affect the game without making the change,” he said.
A little further on, but still a hot topic when it comes to change, is the automated attack zone. As a former catcher, Servais has great concerns about how far the “robo-bosses” can take the game.
“My personal opinion, I was not a big fan of that,” he said. “I understand why he can get there. Certainly, the technology has to be very suitable because it will change the game dramatically and how we evaluate and look at the position of the catcher over time. “
While change can be difficult in a game rooted in tradition, baseball must have an audience and for the sport to survive. Servais noted that other sports have successfully made changes, the 3-point line and the NBA kick clock, rules that keep defensive backs away from NFL receivers.
“They are trying to create more excitement and more action in the game,” said Servais. “Trying to do some of these things at the secondary league level is a good thing. You need to be open to almost anything if there is a good reason to do it from behind. My reason for looking at these things would be to keep you more engaging for our fan base. I think we need to be open to many things ”.
Line up!
Haniger, RF
Torrens, DH
Seager, 3B
Lewis, CF
White, 1B
Murphy, C
Haggerty, SS
Rodriguez, LF
Walton, 2B
Margevicius / Dunn, P
Browser Notes
• Putting the two catchers on the roster is not necessarily a function of having extras in spring training. From time to time last year, Servais DH was the second catcher and said that, being both right-handed, he could do it again this season.
“It is something that in the past I was reluctant to do, I think I am willing to roll the dice,” he said. “It’s the worst nightmare to lose your catcher and then have to give up your DH. Knock on the wood, it will never happen, if it happens on the spot, maybe give Marco or Graveman or someone a chance to hit the bat. I hope that doesn’t happen, but I’m not afraid to put the two catchers in the squad. “
• Roenis Elías, who left the game on Thursday with pain in his arm after leaving his first batsman, had to have an MRI of his arm on Friday afternoon.
• MLB and MLBPA jointly announced the latest results of the COVID test. Of the 14,704 tests performed across baseball, there were 2 new positive tests (2 players); a positive rate of 0.01%. Since the beginning of spring training, 43,928 tests have been carried out, with a total of 12 positive tests (9 players, 3 employees); a positive rate of 0.03%.