Photo: Gene J Puskar/AP/Shutterstock
Change is on the way for professional baseball.
Earlier this month, MLB announced it would make several adjustments to minor league games this season, including the addition of a timer that would require batters to hit and pitchers to throw within allotted periods of time.
One of the biggest changes (literally) will come to second and third base, which will now be increased in size from 15 inches square to 18 inches square at all full-season affiliates. The change, MLB said, will help reduce player injuries and encourage more players to steal bases.
The league said bigger bases were used last year at the Triple-A level and in the Arizona Fall League. The increase in size led to a decrease in “the severity of base-related injuries,” MLB said in a statement sent to PEOPLE.
“In addition, the reduction in distance between bases led to a modest increase in the rate of successful stolen base attempts,” they added.
“Repositioning second base is a subtle but impactful change designed to create more action in the game and increase opportunities for players to display their athleticism,” Morgan Sword, MLB’s Exec. VP of Baseball Operations, said in a statement to PEOPLE. “Moving the bases slightly closer together creates cleaner geometry in the infield and should increase the prevalence of stolen bases and infield hits.”
As The Athletic noted, second base is currently 88 feet, 1.5 inches from first base.
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“We are excited to roll out the improved rule experiments to a bigger population of minor league players in an effort to ensure that any potential new regulations fulfill their objectives of creating more action, athleticism and a better style of play,” he added.
Presumably, the experimental changes could one day be made in the major leagues if they prove popular, safer and exciting.
source: people.com
