MLB plans to “revise the instant replay review rules” for this season, according to sources cited by Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY. Managers will be “required to signal within 30 seconds whether or not they plan to issue a replay challenge.” If a challenge is issued, the umpires in the replay booth in N.Y. “will have two minutes to confirm or overturn the call.” The changes “won’t become official until the clubs formally adopt the revisions.” While the changes to replay and the intentional walk “will be the only new changes” in ’17, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred “hardly is hiding his desire for more change.” He said, “The intentional walk with no pitches is a small change in a much larger package. We don’t think that particular change will have a momentous impact. But by the same token, every little change that makes the game faster is a good thing for the game.” Nightengale notes Manfred “has the legal right to unilaterally impose new rules" in time for the ‘18 season under the CBA. But Manfred yesterday stressed his “desire to have cooperation from the players.” Manfred last week informed MLBPA Exec Dir Tony Clark that he “wants to sit down with him and a small group of players to share his views on why he thinks these changes will help protect the future of the game.” Manfred said that he is “not trying to be combative,” but “wants to be reasonable, which the players think is essential if he wants their support.” Nationals P Jeremy Guthrie said, “It’s not like we’re saying if it’s MLB’s proposal we’re not going to do it. It’s not trying to pit the players against MLB. I understand their desire to speed it up. I think it’s a well-intentioned change.” He added, “We have the same intentions as him. We want the game to be fun and great. So let’s have those discussions rather than just going ahead and changing it” (USA TODAY, 3/1).
