© NBCnews.com (photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
It seems like a century has passed since that November 2nd in which the Atlanta Braves they raised the World Series trophy and closed an MLB season which in this long winter, for the many reasons we know well, risked not starting again. And instead, when in Italy it will be around 7 pm on April 7, the regular season 2022 will finally come to life, and it will do so in its entirety and only a few days later than the old scheduled date (March 31). The delay in the start of the Spring Training obviously led to a reduction in the pre-season preparation times, and for this reason the MLB introduced the novelty of the 28-player roster in April, and then returned to the canonical 26. Notwithstanding the 162 matches of the first phase of the championship, there are several novelties of the championship that we are going to face.
The designated hitter will be extended, this time it seems definitively, to the National League as well. If a team voluntarily forfeits DH so that its pitcher can be in batting order, that pitcher may remain in play as the designated hitter even after his turn to pitch is finished. This rule has been colloquially called the “Ohtani rule” (“Othani rule”) in honor of the Angels player able to cover both roles in equal measure: Shohei Ohtani.
Another novelty, which is actually more of a return to the past, concerns the double games better known as “doubleheaders” which will return to be played on 9 innings and no longer at 7 as for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. a rule that required a runner to second base to start each extra-inning in regular season games, which was previously repealed on March 10, only to be reinstated.
For the next season there will be no more “tie-brek” races, so if at the end of the championship two teams end up with the same record, a play-off will no longer be used, but other statistics will be considered as the best percentage of wins in direct matches . If even this is not enough, we will go on to look at the best record in the clashes within the Division to which they belong, then that of the Interleague matches.
But the most tempting news for fans is undoubtedly the new post-season formula that increases the audience of participants to 12 teams. Obviously, the winners of each Division remain qualified, but the two with the best record will go directly to the Division Series while the third will be involved in a preliminary round with the first three qualifiers of the Wild Card. This round will be played at home to the best of three games to be played all at home of the team with the record mile and will see the winner of the Division who remains host the number 3 of the Wild Card, and the number 1 of the Wild Card face the number 2 at home. The two winners will thus compose the picture of the Division Series along with the other two Division winners, and the rest of the playoffs will remain unchanged.
Finally, a novelty already announced at the end of last season concerns the Clevaland franchise that will change its nickname to Guardians, after having carried the name of Indians for 106 years, between 1915 and 2021.
There are four franchises that have changed the technical guide. The New York Mets on 4 October greeted Luis Rojas who ended his managerial adventure with a record of 103 wins and 119 losses (.464) in his two seasons with the team. In his place on December 18 he called in a veteran like Buck Showalter who has 20 seasons as a manager behind him. A clear change of pace from the old management as Rojas was an absolute rookie in that role while the former manager of Yankees (1992-1995), Diamondbacks (1998-2000), Rangers (2003-2006) and Orioles (2010– 2018), he put together a record of 1551–1517 (.506) in that role, earned two Division titles, and five playoff appearances (with a playoff record of 9–14) that earned him three “Manager of the Year ”by AL (1994, 2004 and 2014).
Another team that moved well in advance was that of San Diego which last October 6, gave the welcome to Tingler who still had one year left on his contract and who had led the Padres to the post-season in the 2020 season. (Covid’s Tingler was hired in 2020 and led the Padres to a post-season appearance during the pandemic’s shortened season. The 116 wins versus 106 defeats (.523) in his two were not enough. seasons with the team to avoid the exemption on which weighs, perhaps, also the feeling of not being able to keep his roster completely under control. He was replaced by former Athletics manager Bob Melvin, who was hired on 1 November, after obviously asking Oakland’s permission to contact him. Previously Melvin led the Seattle Mariners (2003–2004), the Arizona Diamondbacks (2005–2009) and the Oakland Athletics (2011–2021), with an overall record of 134 6-1272 (. 514), and seven playoff appearances (10–17) (.370) that earned him three AL’s “Manager of the Year” titles (2007, 2012, 2018). Of note for Melvine a World Series won as a coach in 2001 with the DBacks.
Former winger Mark Kotsay, former third base coach of the franchise since 2016, has been called to replace their manager who moved to San Diego in Oakland, to his first managerial role.
Finally, following “philosophical differences” as team president John Mozeliak called them, St. Louis fired Mike Shildt last October 14, who boasted a record of 252-199 (.559) in his more than three seasons at the Cardinals. . In addition to having brought the team back to the post-season Shildt was voted “Manager of the Year” of NL in the 2019 season. In his place the “rookie” and former bench coach of the team Oliver Marmol, who with his 35 years becomes the most young coach currently present in the Major Leagues.
