Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner opened some eyes around Major League Baseball last week with his impressive presentation in a bid to become the sport’s next commissioner.
Rob Manfred instead will replace Bud Selig, but Werner’s presentation — which had a strong focus on improving pace of play — has led to more discussion on a way to speed up baseball games.
Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said Tuesday on WEEI that he expects Werner’s initiatives to spark a conversation among baseball’s power brokers.
“I don’t think there’s any question that the pace of the game and the length of the game is going to be addressed,” Lucchino said, according to WEEI.com. “I would say in the next year or two, certainly before the next CBA, because the player’s association has to be partners with us in this effort to reform the game.”
Of course, the pressure now is on Manfred and Major League Baseball to oversee any sort of potential changes.
“The question now is will Rob Manfred be able to develop the consensus that’s necessary to implement some of these things,” Lucchino said. “It’s easier to come up with the ideas than it is to implement the ideas, but I think Tom is determined to press forward.
“They’re simple common-sense items,” Lucchino added. “I think the benefit of this process is we elevated the conversation, Tom elevated the conversation. There’s now greater eagerness and willingness to fight for some of these changes.”
