John Smoltz: Changes Are Needed In MLB

Baseball Hall of Famer, MLB Network/FOX broadcaster, and Lansing native John Smoltz (pictured above) thinks major changes are needed in Major League Baseball to help restore the game to its former prominence.

In an interview with USA Today's Bob Nightengale, published on Thursday, Smoltz outlined some interesting ideas that he thinks would improve the game.

They include:

1. Eliminating the infield shift, which most teams employ at some point during a game.

2. Have MLB go to a split-season schedule, which the minor leagues have used for years.

3. Get rid of interleague play and go back to a balanced schedule (Interleague play has been in effect since 1998).

4. Reduce the regular season schedule to at least 154 games, and maybe lower than that. (MLB teams have played 162 regular season games since 1961).

Smoltz tells Nightengale to close the article:  "We’ve got to get this game vibrant again. If we don’t, it’ll be unwatchable.’’

Do you agree?