What Would Make Me a Bigger Sox Fan?

Many of us have shared personal stories about how and why we became fans of the White Sox. I believe the next logical question is, "What would make me an even bigger fan?"

First of all, it is important to put things in perspective. Baseball teams are businesses at their heart. They exist to make money. But good owners feel an obligation to put a good product out to the public and not just sit back and collect huge pools of shared league revenue. Fans should respond to owners who make a serious effort to put the best product on the field that they possibly can. Likewise, they should stay away from owners who are just using the team as their cash cow. Currently, the White Sox appear to be on the right track. As a long time Sox fan, I remember times that poorly funded Sox owners put a sub-par product on the field that gave nothing for the fans to get excited about. So, as long as the Sox continue their current vision of adding superior young talent to their system and trying to join the very elite national teams, I can be a bigger fan.

Next, we need to look at the game itself. While some traditionalists will howl that you can’t tinker much with the game of baseball, I think that’s a mistake. Football has changed the placement of the goal posts. They have amended rules to allow for an exciting passing game to develop. They have moved the hash-marks. Basketball put in the three-point line. They put in the shot clock. Hockey has tried (with limited success) to improve and increase scoring as players got bigger and better. Baseball needs to change as well.

The time has come for a real shot clock (visible to everyone) for pitchers to deliver the ball within 20 seconds or the umpire calls a "ball" on the count. Batters must stay in the box and quit primping and trying to one-up the timing of the pitcher. No more catcher visits to the mound. No more manager visits to the mound. If you can’t deliver your message with hand signals, too bad. You are supposed to be professionals who have been doing this game your entire lives. Quit wasting time. No more seventeen inning marathons. In extra innings, each team starts out the extra inning with a guy on second base. Make it more like a short college football overtime period. Three hour or longer games have got to go. Whatever it takes, speed the pace of the game up for our faster age.

For another idea, think about what they call the place - a Ball "Park". Make the surroundings look more like a PARK and not just a big mall or glorified big restaurant. Add flowers and plants both inside the ballpark and around the stadium. Put small trees or bushes in the bullpens. It won’t block anybody’s view. Make it a place that is beautiful to hang out in whether there is a game going on or not. Make it look like a real park and not just a place with mowed grass and some ivy stuck to the outfield wall.

There are other things that can be done as well, but you get the idea. Maybe you love the game just as it is and that is fine if you feel that way. But, speaking just for myself, there are things that would really vault this timeless game up a few notches for a new future in a new age that is coming to us all whether we like it or not. Tradition can carry you just so far and baseball has about run out the string on that.