Wray Morrison: Faster ball the answer for modern game

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has got the players’ association’s blessing to remove the four outside pitches for intentional walks.
 
The pitcher will signal and the batter will become the runner without a pitch being thrown. There is a healthy debate about this. Purists hate it, other fans are happy that this will speed up the game. I personally endorse the move.
 
Fans have more entertainment choices and viewing choices than ever before. It’s important to keep those in the ball park and, more importantly, those at home engaged.

Manfred is also hoping to implement other rules, such as limiting trips from the dugout to the mound and bringing in a time clock to speed up pitchers. The players’ association has put up some resistance to those changes, but hopefully we see them take hold.

 In 2017, tradition has to take a back seat to action.