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Everyone who cares about Major League Baseball knows the game has flaws in the 21st century that merit review. And that’s exactly what commissioner Rob Manfred and his competition committee is working on, with changes perhaps coming as soon as next season.

Already in place is an audio communication system enabling catchers to give signals to pitchers. A high percentage of the 30 MLB clubs, including the Twins, are using the system that improves pace of play. There is no confusion about what pitch the catcher is calling.

“Yeah, we think it is great,” Twins’ president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners. “We think it adds more pace. We think it allows our pitchers to get into more of a rhythm.”

MLB is challenged to speed up its game both in pace and duration. Games are almost always over three hours long and commonly clock in past four hours. Last season MLB fans waited on average four minutes and seven seconds to see the baseball put in play, according to the May issue of Sports Illustrated.

There is a rule on the books that says the pitcher is to deliver the ball within 12 seconds when the bases are empty, but the rule isn’t enforced. Adding a visible pitch timer like a shot clock in basketball would get players and umpires on board. It’s speculative as to how much time would be stipulated—perhaps 15 seconds with no base runners, 20 with runners.

“We’re in favor of pitch timers,” St. Peter said. “We’re in favor of anything that is going to create more pace to our game, move games along so that players, staff and ultimately fans maybe spend a little less time over the course of any given game.

“We’ve seen it work well in the minor leagues. Almost all of our players have experienced it in the minor leagues and viewed that as a good thing.”

Analytics provides sophisticated data that has changed the game including infield shifts that position defenders in the most effective spots to take away hits. It’s been speculated that today’s .280 hitter would have a .300 batting average years ago, with shifts contributing to the decline.

St. Peter likes the proposed change of mandating only two fielders on each side of second base. He said there is data showing the change will boost offense: “That more balls will find green grass and ultimately more runners will be on base—and running maybe from first to third, or from second to home, and that should create more exciting plays in our game and allow our athletes to be athletes. I think that’s really the goal here.”

St. Peter is enthusiastic about the possibility of making the bases larger, thereby shortening the distances between bases. The art of base stealing is fading in MLB and this change could help reverse the trend. “I think it’s a player safety thing as well for infielders to get around the (the larger) base and avoid runners,” St. Peter said.

An automated ball-strike system, robot umpires if you will, could be coming soon. Advantages? Fans won’t leave the ballpark thinking their favorites got a raw deal on a crucial called third strike when replay showed it was ball four. Umpires don’t always make accurate calls but “Robo” will. An automated consistent strike zone may force pitchers to more often throw strikes, resulting in more balls in play.

Fan entertainment and enjoying the ballpark experience is very much on the mind of MLB leaders including St. Peter. He needs look no further than the state capitol where proposed bills about legalized sports betting are being debated. The future possibility of fans wagering on their phones at venues like Target Field could become reality, and soon.

It’s younger fans who will determine MLB’s future popularity. The interest, or absence of, is already in debate. They have different entertainment expectations than younger fans of even 10, 15 and 20 years ago. Those generations will become “ghost” fans if MLB doesn’t improve its product, making the game shorter, more lively and fun to watch. Technology can help on multiple fronts, including making games interactive for fans wagering at the stadium.

St. Peter expects the competition committee, that includes player representatives and MLB leaders, will make recommendations later this year regarding potential rules changes for 2023.

Worth Noting

Probably the best team in Wild history couldn’t advance in the postseason. The Blues made adjustments that worked and their players performed better than the Wild. Down 2-1 in the series, the Blues outscored Minnesota 15-5 in the final three games.

A hockey insider predicted the Wild will try to improve the roster in the offseason by adding veteran forwards who are physical. The Blues are a physical team and the Wild’s lack of muscle showed in the series including when Minnesota’s forechecking stalled.

The source predicted the Wild will find the salary cap room to re-sign forward Kevin Fiala who was second in points during the regular season but didn’t score a goal in the playoffs. Salary cap juggling could result in the Wild moving on from defenseman Matt Dumba who is signed through next season and expected to earn about $5.2 million.

Fiala reportedly made $5.1 million this season and as a restricted free agent this summer could command a three-year deal at perhaps $7 million per year.

Knowledgeable about the Wild since the franchise’s inception over 20 years ago, the source predicted it’s “50-50” whether the front office brings back 37-year-old unrestricted free agent goal Marc-Andre Fleury. A deal could hinge on whether Fleury is willing to accept an incentive-packed deal because the Wild are unlikely to commit big money to two goalies. Cam Talbot reportedly earns $3.6 million and Fleury makes almost double that sum.

Talbot, BTW, can’t be happy about sitting on the bench and watching Fleury play all but one game in the playoffs against the Blues.

Word is, per the source, the Wild will raise ticket prices for next season. The Wild finished the regular season with a franchise-best ever 53-22-7 record.

The USHL’s Madison Capitols, the lowest seed in the league’s playoffs and owned by former Wild star Ryan Suter, is in the Clark Cup Finals against the Sioux City Musketeers that start Sunday afternoon.

Given his age and preference for the highest profile of tournaments, it could be that 46-year-old golf legend Tiger Woods will never compete in the 3M Open in suburban Blaine. The British Open will be played this year July 14-17 and Woods is committed. The 3M Open is July 18-24.

Wayzata High School alum Karl Gregor is the New England Small College Athletic Conference men’s tennis Coach of the Year after his Tufts team went 17-2 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection for the first time since 2017.

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Phil Mickelson is the biggest name in sports this week after becoming the oldest player ever to win a major golf championship on Sunday.  Hollis Cavner, who runs the 3M Open, is optimistic the 50-year-old Mickelson will be part of the field at TPC Twin Cities July 22-25.

What are the odds? “I’d say very good,” Cavner told Sports Headliners.

Cavner and his company run various golf tournaments in the United States.  He and his team are on the road much of the year recruiting players including the now hottest golf name in the world. So far Mickelson is noncommittal about the 3M, a regular stop on the PGA Tour. “He’s pretty direct,” Cavner said.

Cavner and Mickelson have a long friendship.  In 2010 the two played together in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with Cavner participating as an amateur. “He’s a helluva good guy,” Cavner said.

That relationship will be helpful in continuing to pitch Mickelson but winning the PGA Championship Sunday is a game changer for “Lefty’s” schedule.  Cavner said Mickelson might receive an invitation to play for the U.S. in the Tokyo Olympics scheduled in late July and early August.  Even if that doesn’t happen, the British Open is just a week before the 3M.  He won the Open in 2013 and his appearance in Scotland would be important to his international fame and brand.

Mickelson’s life is a whirlwind now and over the next few weeks with various requests including TV and personal appearances.  Cavner said Mickelson will be “inundated” with opportunities after shocking the golf world by winning the PGA.  He entered the tournament ranked 115 in the world and Fox Bet had him at 400-to-1 odds to win in Kiawah, South Carolina at the Ocean Course.

Cavner runs the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.  He saw Mickelson in comeback mode at his tournament.  With a slimmer and stronger body, more relaxed mental approach and willingness to play safer shots, Mickelson was re-engaged.

He was on a mission to improve his performance the week of the Wells Fargo, with Cavner observing Mickelson “working his butt off” in practice hitting buckets and buckets of balls at the range.  “…He was really working on his game that week and I guarantee he beat more balls that week than anybody out there,” Cavner said.

Mickelson shot a round of 64 at the Wells Fargo and although he didn’t win the tournament, the resurgence in his game was evident to insiders.  “He was gearing for this (excelling at the PGA),” Cavner said.

Sunday was remarkable, with Mickelson shocking the sports world at almost 51 years of age and winning his first golf major event since 2013.  “He is so driven to be good,” Cavner said.  “He doesn’t want to be second ever.  He’s always been that way.  When you’re that good, some people are going to love you, some people are not.”

Critics have said Mickelson is cocky but Cavner doesn’t see it that way and views his friend as a great athlete who believes in himself and has done a lot to help others including through charity. “It wasn’t cocky.  He was good at what he did, and he knew it and he tried to prove it every week,” Cavner said.

Cavner can see Mickelson contending for more major titles this year and in 2022. “If he continues to play like he is, it wouldn’t surprise me at all,” Cavner said.

In his 40s Mickelson didn’t want other players to hit longer off the tee than he did.  The result was trouble on the fairways, sometimes hitting 50 yards off target.  “It hurt his game,” Cavner said.  “Now he’s dialed it back. (But) he’s still hitting it tremendously long.”

Mickelson has now won six majors, something that will secure his place on the Mount Rushmore of golf legends.  “He’s definitely in the top 12 of all time,” Cavner said.

Ticket sales via the 3M Open website were to Cavner’s liking even before Mickelson’s historic Sunday.  Despite possible COVID restrictions, crowds of 20,000 per day are predicted.  With or without Mickelson, the tournament field will have appeal.

“There’s a lot of guys who played in the PGA Championship that are coming,” Cavner said.  “Some of them that were on the leader board (at the PGA) in the last couple days.”

Worth Noting

A hockey authority, speaking anonymously, sees the Minnesota Wild as “50-50” in earning a win tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights.  A win ties Minnesota and Vegas at three games each in the best of seven playoff series.  The source believes the Wild need to take an early lead to win the game at Xcel Energy Center.  “I don’t see them coming from behind to win.  They need momentum out of the gate.”

The Wild received an unexpected lift from veteran Zach Parise in Monday night’s win.  He scored a goal after mostly being a non-contributor of late.  “They need a spark (tonight) like Parise,” the source said.

Don’t be surprised if Parise is playing elsewhere next season.

With COVID-19 restrictions, the Wild has been limited to 4,500 fans for first round playoff games.  That might translate to about $450,000 in gross ticket receipts, much different than capacity crowds generating revenue of $1.2 to $1.5 million. If Minnesota could advance to the second round of the playoffs and stage sellouts, it would help the franchise’s finances that have taken a major hit because of the pandemic.

Deep condolences to Mike Wilkinson following the death Sunday of wife Susan Wilkinson, 76, who struggled for years with muscular dystrophy and asthma. Mike is a passionate Golden Gophers football follower and author of the Murray Warmath biography, The Autumn Warrior.

The Minnesota Twins, a preseason favorite to be 2021 AL champions, are No. 26 in MLB.com’s latest power rankings of 30 teams.

Speculation: Tampa Bay Rays interested in acquiring Twins’ Nelson Cruz; Toronto Blue Jays looking at Minnesota’s Jose Berrios.

Outfielder Matt Wallner, the Forest Lake, Minnesota native, is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. The 23-year-old played in six games last week for Single-A Cedar Rapids, hitting .400 (10-for-25) with two home runs and four RBI, including a four-hit game on Thursday against Beloit. He was drafted by the Twins in the first round (39th overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Southern Mississippi.

 

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