Don’t rewrite MLB rule book no matter how tempting

The proposed golden at-bat rule floated by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred will eliminate the value of lineups and be detrimental to the game if it were ever implemented (“Rob Manfred walks back golden at-bat rule idea after widespread criticism,” Dec. 6).

The rule allows any team to send any player to bat at a crucial moment regardless of the official batting order. Strategic decisions by managers with respect to the use of pinch hitters will be moot. Also, the effectiveness of bullpen relief pitchers will be compromised because their arms will more likely get worn out.

Baseball is desperately trying to appeal to younger demographics comprised of people who are easily distracted and who prefer immediacy in life. The irony is that baseball’s charm lies in its slower place where timeless, exciting game moments come unexpectedly.

Baseball, no doubt, needs to keep pace with ever-changing market demands in order to consistently attract a fan base. However, self-defeating rules that alter the game’s brand should always be discouraged. Otherwise, the “Field of Dreams” is destined to become bygone Americana.

— Mel Tansill, Catonsville

Slow traffic on Belair Road with speed bumps

I have been reading about the problems of traffic and pedestrians on Bel Air Rd. for sometime now (“Baltimore’s Belair Road to get more safety improvements after spate of fatal crashes,” Dec. 16). Take a major thoroughfare like that and reducing it to one lane in both directions is just going to force all the cars speeding through the surrounding neighborhoods and that’s even worse for pedestrians and children.

I’ve got a suggestion and it’s a pretty simple one. It seems to work pretty well wherever it has been implemented and that is just add simple speed bumps.

If you placed speed bumps across the road in the middle of each block, that will certainly slow the cars down as they do in neighborhoods across the state now. I would prefer to proceed along in a steady, but slower rate of speed in two lanes than creeping along for miles in just one lane.

That’s just a suggestion, but it’s something to think about instead of spending millions of dollars and interfering with traffic and pedestrians for maybe years to come.

— Jeff Rew, Columbia

Olszewski will not be remembered as ‘transparent’

Fred Homan, Baltimore County’s former administrative officer, was on point in addressing Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr.’s “cover-up” (“Baltimore County inspector general report clears Johnny Olszewski of improper settlement, purchases,” Dec. 18). Olszewski has said several times that his administration is the “most transparent in Baltimore County history.”

That repeated lie is proof that he is not at all transparent as Baltimore County’s history goes back to the 1600s! The cover-up concerning former county employee Philip Tirabassi is so obvious while $364,000 was spent defending the administration’s actions in court when the settlement with Tiribassi was $83,675. Also, Tirabassi’s brother John (a friend of Olzewski’s) is a regional Peterbilt Truck salesman who sold $4.2 million worth of dump trucks to the county.

The article states that Baltimore County Inspector General Kelly Madigan found no wrongdoing in the procurement process as they were purchased through a contract with a national purchasing alliance. The coincidence and probable odds of that happening between Olszewski and his regional salesman friend are probably more than one in a million.

The outgoing county executive talks about his “fairness,” “transparency,” “integrity,” and the “trust the public has placed in me.” Says who? Johnny O?

Olszewski has been a detriment to our beloved county and he is not what he professes he is and it’s blatantly obvious. His repetitive claim of being open and transparent is a ruse. Good riddance. His replacement has to do better!

— Walt Brewer, Lutherville

Media asking wrong questions about drones

It seems no one is asking the right questions about the mysterious drones flying over our country (“The War of the Worlds Part II: Drone fever,” Dec. 19).

Federal Aviation Administration regulations require any done over 250 grams (.55 pounds) to be registered with the FAA and the drone must transmit a radio signal called Remote ID (RID). This RID signal must contain the serial number of the drone, the latitude, longitude, altitude and velocity of the drone and the location of the control station or the takeoff point.

Certainly, our national security organizations must know this and are monitoring these RID transmissions and know more about these drones than they are saying. Or, if the drones are not transmitting the RID signal, then how can they claim these are commercial or other legitimate drones operating in U.S. airspace?

Operators are breaking FAA regulations. Our safety is at stake. Our government is giving us the runaround and no one in the press is asking the right questions.

— Tom Sorge, Parkville