This is not a good idea: Three-batter minimum for pitchers: Rule 5.10(g) will be amended to require that starting pitchers and relief pitchers must pitch to either a minimum of three batters or to the end of a half-inning.
Every pitcher has the occasional awful day. To prevent their removal before finishing a half-inning won’t hasten the game.
Oh, and the greatest mortal sin to baseball, the DH, is more than likely coming soon to the NL.
Years back I was watching an Orioles game on the tube, and they ran out of pitchers, went into extended endings, and IIRC they ended up bringing in a shortstop. Incredible, edge of the seat stuff, absolutely bizarre. And it probably pissed off the suits up in corporate because they had to go into and interrupt programming in order to keep that game on the air.
That’s what this is all about, it’s about programming and sticking to schedule if at all possible so as not to interfere with their broadcast plan.
I never bought into the sports is entertainment mindset. IMHO sport is Sport and it is competitiveness not entertainment. Iy is competition on the field or in the ring or on the course it’s a match, it’s a duel, and I don’t think it really fits into the category of entertainment. But hey, that’s just me.
I have a problem with this one too. It eliminates one of the strategic elements of the game, the lefty/righty matchups. All a manager has to do with that rule is alternate left-handed and right-handed hitters in the lineup and there’s no way an opposing manager can get a favorable matchup.
There is an easier way to speed up the game without eliminating the ability of a manager to vchange pitchers as desired— no warmup pitches after a change. These guys are already warmed up in the bullpen; why is it necessary to take the time to let them throw warmup pitches after a change? An exception could be made for injury, but come in and pitch.