MLB’s rule changes have made baseball more like itself

One week into the MLB season, the rule changes are by and large a huge success. It seems that fans and players alike overwhelmingly like the changes. Even pitchers, who tend to be crybabies and sticklers for routine, are seeing the change as an opportunity. Max Scherzer spent spring training using the pitch clock to his advantage, both holding the ball in the set position as long as he can and quick pitching. Although most are on board, there are some extreme baseball traditionalists who still aren’t fans. And I’m not just talking about Manny Machado picking up the sword to go on a children’s crusade against the pitch clock. For example, here’s an excerpt from Battery Power of SB Nation: “I won’t rant and rave too much here, but the combination of expanded playoffs and t…