Many games already only have the home team get 8 at bats while the visitor has 9. The home team sometimes doesn't need the bottom of the inning. Why not extend that concept?
This is what I am talking about
• teams trade off batting top/bottom of the inning like normal until a team has a lead.
• at that point the losing team bats each of their innings until they either tie or take the lead
• then it goes back to the other team to bat until they take the lead
•each inning is still 3 outs like normal
•after 3 outs the bases are cleared and the next batter is up.
•maybe the pitcher could have a water break
Severe Example:
•Visitor takes the lead with 1 run in Top 1 (T1).
•Home team scores 0 in B1
•Home team scores 0 in B2
•Home team scores 0 in B3
•Home team scores 0 in B4
•Home team scores 0 in B5
•Home team scores 0 in B6
•Home team scores 0 in B7
•Home team scores 0 in B8
•Home team scores 1 in B9 (now visitor has to bat again)
•Visitor team scores 1 in T2 (they still have 8 innings to go if needed)
•Game over
This would cause every game to be "close" as the score would never get out of hand by having a team continue to rack up runs without the other team getting their shot.
This could definately be implemented in slow pitch softball where "pitch fatigue" wouldn't be an issue but could be more difficult in MLB if Bumgarner is throwing 100 pitches without rest...