Major League Baseball announced that it has named the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) its first “Partner League.”
With the new designation, ALPB will meet regularly with MLB to discuss joint marketing and promotional opportunities, including the leagues’ shared goal of providing baseball to communities throughout the United States.
“We are excited to extend our relationship with the Atlantic League, which provides us a unique means to push the sport forward,” MLB’s executive vice president of baseball economics and operations Morgan Sword said in a statement.
“The Atlantic League clubs and players have been great partners to us as we jointly test ways to make our game even more interesting and engaging to fans.”
MLB additionally announced their previous agreement to test experimental playing rules and equipment during Atlantic League games has been extended through the 2023 season.
“The Atlantic League is inspired by the evolution of its relationship with Major League Baseball and thrilled to be named their first Partner League,” ALPB president Rick White said. “We value MLB’s confidence in ALPB and look forward to advancing our sport together.”
Last year, MLB reached an agreement with the Atlantic League to test new rules and equipment during the 2019 Atlantic League Championship Season, such as the implementation of robot umpires, restricted mound visits, the banning of shifts and a change to the mound height.
An additional set of changes found their way to the league during the second half of the season. Among them required pitchers to step off the mound on pickoff attempts, one foul bunt being allowed on a two-strike count, the ability to “steal” first base and a new check swing rule that heavily favored batters.
Chris Taylor among Dodgers against rule changes experimented in Atlantic League
To no surprise, many players around baseball were firmly against the rule changes being experimented with in the Atlantic League. Among them were Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Chris Taylor, who compared the changes to something out of a wiffle ball game.
In addition to Taylor, former Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill was strongly opposed to the drastic rule changes that found their way to the Atlantic League.
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