Major League Baseball has imposed a first set of rule changes since 1996 to address certain situations affecting play and issue guidelines governing official scoring decisions. Rules governing penalties for pitchers applying foreign substances to the ball, catches made by players approaching the dugout or stands and the suspension of games that are tied after five innings were among 25 amended by the nine-member Playing Rules Committee effective for the 2007 season on Friday. Pitchers found to apply a foreign substance onto the ball will face immediate ejection and an automatic suspension. Previously an umpire would declare a pitch a...