More Viable Insane Ideas to Improve Baseball!
I’m going to take the weekend to finish my mini-book about the wild, hilarious, controversial and fascinating history of the MVP Award… as you might expect, I’ve fallen into a whole bunch more rabbit holes along the way. I can’t wait for you to see it. Today, I’ll give you five more Brilliant Reader VIIs—Viable Insane Ideas—to improve baseball.
First, a few announcements:
I’ll be in Toledo on Sunday, Nov. 17. The dinner will be at The Fieldhouse starting at 6 p.m., and this one will be freewheeling, I’ll tell a whole bunch of stories, I have started to think about these now the way musicians think of later tour events. You know, I’m obviously singing some of the new stuff from WHY WE LOVE FOOTBALL—makes a great holiday gift!—but I’m also doing lots of the hits as people ask for them. It’s been a blast. Hope you’ll come on out!
I’ll be at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum on Wednesday, Nov. 20, for a screening of the movie, “The Diamond King,” about baseball artist Dick Perez. I’m really proud of how the movie turned out. The movie doesn’t even officially “premiere” until January, so this is a chance to see it before anyone else… and it’s free! Just RSVP here. Plus, you’ll get to hear Bob Kendrick and me tell some Buck stories.
On Thursday, Nov. 21, I’ll be at Watermark Books & Cafe in Wichita—this one will be loaded with Margo’s side of the family, so there will be a very Kansas vibe going. The Chiefs might come up.
Just a quick reminder (not that you need one) that hundreds of you sent in what our pal Tom Tango calls “Viable Insane Ideas” to improve baseball. A special guest—today’s guest is Tom—and I are rating these ideas on three yardsticks:
Insanity level: On a scale from 1 to 10, we’re ranking just how kooky is this idea, with 10 being the kookiest.
Viability: One a scale from 1 to 10, we’re ranking how possible it would be to actually implement this idea.
Better game?: On a scale of 1 to 10, we’re ranking the idea based on how much better it would actually make the game.
Let’s go!
From Brilliant Reader Doug:
There are now two pitcher’s mounds. The first is at the regular 60 feet, 6 inches from the plate. The second is 10 feet further away. This second one is the "fastball" mound. When pitchers intend to throw greater than 90 mph, they must step back to the fastball mound to deliver the pitch. There’s no penalty for throwing less than 90-mph from the fastball mound. But if the pitcher breaks 90 mph from the normal mound, it’s an automatic walk.
Insanity level: 10
Viability: 2
Better game?: 4
See, this is what I’m talking about—I want INSANE ideas.