Moving baseball into the fast lane

Major League Baseball has many unique characteristics that make it great. It is relaxed, emphasizes strategy and its long season rewards consistency and dedication.\nBut some things can be done to gather new fans and keep old ones (which is growing in importance with another work stoppage on the horizon). \nI am not referring to a salary cap or revenue sharing. I am suggesting some ideas that would make the game more fan friendly, for those at the ballpark and people tuning in at home.\nFirst, regular season games need to hold more weight. Time and time again, people have suggested shortening the season would solve this problem -- but that would disregard all of the wonderful trademarks that come with a long season. Teams must perform well all the time to reach the postseason; a few streaks will not be enough to sneak in. And a player who struggles can turn around and have plenty of time to improve his season.\nRather than reducing the number of games on the schedule, I suggest standings be determined with a point system instead of wins and losses. \nBaseball teams play in series, usually three games at a time against the same opponent. If a team gets two games in the series, it gets one point. If a team sweeps a series, it gets two points, and if a team gets swept, it loses a point.\nThis sounds complex at first but consider the benefits:\nA 162-game season would remain, but be reduced to between 50 and 100 points. Each game's value would increase, as it could be the difference between getting a point and losing one.\nConsider the difference between a crowd at a baseball game and a crowd at a football game. Football fans are seeing, in the NFL's case, one-sixteenth of the season. Baseball fans are seeing a much smaller fraction, and consider the game less important. Using this point system would add to the drama of a game without compromising the length of the season.\nAnother way to increase a baseball fan's interest is to reduce downtime. \nThere are two kinds of downtime in baseball -- during and between play. During play, downtime is important. If batters want to step out of the batter's box or pitchers want to throw to first base, let them. These moves are strategic, as they are used to scare a baserunner or break a pitcher's rhythm.\nBut downtime between plays is a different story, and should be reduced. It breaks the flow of the game and keeps fans, especially those watching at home, from remaining interested. \nWhy does a relief pitcher need to come into the game and throw warm-up pitches? This is an unnecessary waste of time that is unheard of in other sports. Basketball players do not get to take a few jump shots before entering the game. Quarterbacks are not allowed to take a few warm-up snaps before coming in. Imagine a hitter in baseball getting in some batting practice before every at-bat.\nPitchers already have an advantage; they get warmed up in the bullpen. They should be able to come right in and get to work. The game would speed up dramatically, and the flow would improve. \nThe pitchers are good enough (and are certainly getting paid enough) to start immediately, no matter how different the pitchers' mounds are across the league.\nThe goal of these changes is to encourage excitement among fans without losing any of the game itself. Major League Baseball should concentrate first and foremost on looming contract negotiations, but the league should consider these changes for the sake of fans.