Who says baseball can't be fun? Granted, it was probably us, but we are willing to admit we might have been wrong. In a bid to shorten games and add a dose of excitement, the Pioneer League–an independent baseball league–will forgo extra innings and instead employ a head-to-head, sudden-death home run derby to decide tied ball games, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Each team will select one player to compete in the tiebreaking event, with both sluggers getting five pitches thrown to them and the individual with the most homers in that span taking the match for his team.

Even if this is a complete disaster, we are here for every minute of it.

While the Pioneer League has existed since 1964–with eight squads located in the Rocky Mountain area–this will be the first season that the organization is no longer affiliated with Major League Baseball. Though affiliation carries with it considerable financial incentives, the league is making the most of its newfound freedom, instituting one of the most ambitious rule changes in recent memory.

However, the Pioneer League isn't the only professional baseball league tinkering with the rules in a bid to boost interest this season.

The Atlantic League, which is still partnered with MLB, has announced that it will move the pitcher's mound back one foot and employ a “double-hook” rule for the DH, resulting in the team losing the designated hitter when they pull their starting pitcher. While not as adventurous as that of the Pioneer League, the adjustments from the Atlantic League are being made in consultation with MLB and therefore have the possibility of being instituted at the Major League level.

It may take decades for them to do it, but it turns out baseball really is open to change.