We're not going to get into an argument over whether baseball is "in trouble." That's an old discussion and the answer can be framed in so many ways. The position here is that baseball is doing just fine.
But like almost everything that's doing just fine, baseball could be better.
One of the issues addressed by commissioner Rob Manfred over the All-Star Game break was the need to be "more aggressive about managing" changes during games.
"I'm certainly open to the idea that we should take a more aggressive posture," he said.
So far this season, the average time of game is 3 hours, 5 minutes -- up by five minutes from last season and nine from two years ago.
The head of MLB's players union, Tony Clark, said: "We are having dialogue with Major League Baseball and we will continue to have dialogue with Major League Baseball. We expect those conversations to pick up here in the second half of the season."
Let's have our own dialogue here. Namely, what can be done to make baseball better. We've been batting that idea around Star Tribune sports headquarters during the All-Star break, but we're certain there are even better answers that some of what we've been talking about.
Of course, you'll be hard-pressed to come up with an idea proposed by deputy sports editor Chris Carr, who suggested half-price beers in the seventh inning before sales are shut down.