Chart: Five suggestions to speed up MLB games

1 Keep hitters in the box after every pitch. Do we really need to watch Derek Jeter adjust his gloves or David Ortiz spit into his hands after every single pitch?

2 The rule says pitchers have 12 seconds to deliver the ball when the bases are empty and the batter is in the box. Enforce the rule. The average pitcher takes more than 22 seconds between throws.

3 Have the pitcher ready to start play within five seconds of the half-inning commercial breaks. That time is about 30 seconds now.

4 Limit conferences on the mound. Do highly trained (and paid) professionals need to be reminded that Miguel Cabrera should not get a fat pitch?

5 Umpires should start calling the high strike, as defined in the rule book. Calling more strikes would force hitters to be more aggressive.

Dennis Brackin