If I Were the Commissioner of Major League Baseball....

There's no doubt that Commissioner Rob Manfred has the most rewarding, yet toughest job in Major League Baseball. No matter how you feel about him, imagine yourself in his shoes, even if it's for a day. Now if I were in charge of the league and wanted to implement and/or do away with some rules, the following are a list of items that would make the sport more enjoyable and efficient. In my personal opinion, baseball was more enjoyable in the 80s, 90s, and the 2000s. Anyway, let's get on with the list.

No More Excessive Player Contracts

About a year ago, I shared my thoughts about Juan Soto signing a 15-year, $765 million dollar deal, which was and still is the largest contract in MLB history and in any sport. This deal caused some controversy from baseball fans online, with one describing it as insane. They also had growing concerns about his injury history and inquiring what had he done in the last several years to want such an enormous contract. No one is entitled to earn close to a billion dollars. I don't care if a player is popular or not. Last year, I criticized Vladimir Guerrero's $500 million contract that he signed last season, which I disagreed with. I have nothing against athletes wanting more money, but you have to state your case and give valid reasons why you're so deserving of such a huge pay bump. Between $100 to $300 million dollars is a reasonable deal and that's me being generous. Speaking of ridiculous contracts, the next issue is what I and many baseball fans are in favor of.

Implementing a Salary Cap on All Teams

I would order owners of all 30 MLB teams to limit how much they spend on players. To me, a player earning at least $500 million or more screams entitlement and spoiled. Again, I'm not saying that players shouldn't earn more or receive less. There has to be justifiable reasons why they're deserving of more money. A certain California team, which I won't name, needs to chill out with these enormous player contracts.

No More Two-Way Players

Most players have played the role of both hitter and pitcher for decades. As Commissioner, a player must choose between either becoming a hitter or pitcher. They can't be both. To me, it's seen as gaining an unfair competitive advantage towards other teams and players. A certain player from a certain team should choose between being a hitter or pitcher, not both.

World Series Games During the Day

The last time a World Series game was held during the day was Game 6 of the Fall Classic in 1987. The Minnesota Twins won the World Series that year. The game before that was Game 5 of the World Series in 1984. The Tigers would go on to win it all. We love World Series games at night, because it's more exciting. However, I would bring back day World Series games. I know that many people have work or school obligations, which makes attending a game around that time difficult, but if someone wants to attend a World Series game during the day, they should have an excused absence from either one of those places.

Certain People Attending Games for Free

I know that ballparks need to make their money, but I would propose that children under 17 with proof of a good report card and recent high school and college graduates attend games at no charge. They would have to show proof that they graduated from said institution, such as a copy of a diploma or certificate. Sure, the economy is rough right now, but the aforementioned people deserve to enjoy a day at a baseball game.

Do Away With Biased All-Star Game Fan Voting

Fans have complained for years that voting for the mid-summer classic was nothing but a popularity contest. It's been like a popularity contest for years, so it shouldn't come as no surprise to anyone. For example, several Dodgers players were selected to play in the All-Star Game, which caused major backlash. The year before that, Alec Bohm was injured for most of the first half of the 2024 regular season, yet he got voted in. I have to put the blame on many of these fans, because they vote for their favorite players based on popularity, not on statistics. I would rework the All-Star Game voting for everyone, but they'll select their favorite players based solely on their statistics. This would avoid any bias or showing favoritism towards certain players. For years, players who deserved to play in the All-Star Game get unfairly snubbed, while others who got selected didn't deserve to be chosen in the first place.

Snatch a Ball from a Kid=Banned for a Year

If you're a grown adult that snatches foul balls or home run balls from children, you are considered as a jerk and the most hated baseball fan by the court of public opinion. Recently, a Cleveland Guardians fan snatched a home run ball from a little girl, but Rays reporter Ryan Bass saved the day by giving baseballs to Evelyn, the 11-year-old girl whose home run ball was snatched from the Guardians fan, and her brother. Any fan who does this to children should be banned from every MLB and MiLB ballpark for a whole calendar year. Should it happen again, a fan is banned for life. No exceptions. If you catch a baseball, it's very simple: give it to a kid. That kid deserves a moment that they'll remember for the rest of their lives. It's one of the unwritten rules of baseball. Act accordingly and act as if you're at someone's house. Attending a baseball game is a privilege, not a right.

World Series Titles Stripped Away and More for Cheaters

Any team who uses cheating tactics to win a World Series title under false pretenses should have their trophy confiscated and any mention of their victory permanently erased. Also, players should return their rings and pay back any bonuses they might have received. Finally, a World Series MVP's trophy must be surrendered immediately. I've written about the Astros cheating scandal in previous stories and no, I still don't respect them and no, I still and will never acknowledge them as World Series Champions. As a Rangers fan, they still disgust me and feel no shame of what they've done. I have zero respect for baseball players who deceive and disgrace their organization, the league, and their fans. Cheating in baseball is an unforgiveable act and it's frowned upon by fans of the sport. I would take a tougher approach on this issue and ensure that everyone involved in a cheating scandal in order to win a championship, including the players, are punished accordingly. No more light punishments or slaps on the wrists. One more thing I would add: Players who are on teams who cheat for a World Series title would be permanently banned for Baseball Hall of Fame consideration. Baseball is a team sport, so everyone would be guilty by association, regardless of who were the mastermind or masterminds of a cheating scandal.

Make Players Being Courteous to All Fans Mandatory

The final point is something that I need to address to all MLB players: Having a bad day or being completely rude to your fans are not excuses to take your anger out on them. If a fan wants you to sign something or take a picture with them, honor that request. It's completely fine to refuse either request respectfully but at least offer them a handshake, fist bump and/or make small talk with them. You're being paid millions of dollars every year, but it doesn't give you the right to be disrespectful towards fans. Any player who is extremely rude to fans should be fined and benched for a game. I have a huge ire with over a third of these entitled, spoiled players. Manners aren't exempt, regardless of if you're famous or not. Meeting fans is part of the job, so if you're unable to set your ego aside for the fans, then you need to retire or be benched for a game. Also, they should be required to apologize to the person or people that they offended. Appreciate the fans who respect and support you. Us baseball fans don't have time to deal with entitled, spoiled, and difficult baseball players. Many of these modern-day players need to take notes from Babe Ruth. He was kind and respectful towards children, women, and everyone he interacted with. MLB players back in the day actually respected and acknowledged their fans, while players today have inflated egos and are entitled. They, the modern-day players, should check themselves. Translation: stop ignoring your fans and acknowledge them. You're not above anyone.

Question to everyone: What changes and/or rules would you implement if you were the Commissioner of Major League Baseball? It doesn't matter how ridiculous they are. Sound off in the comments below. In the meantime, please like this story if you enjoyed it. Also, subscribe to my page on here and follow me on social media. Finally, please leave me a generous one-off tip. They'll help support creators like me and encourage us to keep writing more stories for our loyal readers and subscribers.