OTHER SPORTS are changing to speed up the action. Why not soccer? (Shutterstock/Pasko Maxim).

The Dodgers went into extra innings on Monday night against the Padres in San Diego, and that “overtime” started with an “automatic runner.”

My first thought was “What on earth is that?” but then I remembered that – in a latest of a recent spasm of rules changes to speed up baseball – the 10th inning begins with a runner on second. In theory, that produces a decision earlier and avoids marathon contests that exhaust both bullpens and fans.

I generally applaud the changes that have been made in America’s Pastime and the spirit of change that has breathed new life into a sports which –to be honest – had been the most fuddy-duddy – of the big league operations.

So, why not take a look at time-honored traditions in other sports which might speed things up and wake up the scoreboard?

The first that comes to mind is soccer, also known as “world football.” It’s finally catching on in the USA, but there are still tweaks to make. To start with, substitutions are made on the baseball pattern, i.e., once you have been subbed out, you can’t return to the field (“pitch”).

That means that some of the best players either don’t get enough rest (or play as well as they could) or “bench” players may not get a chance to play as much as they could.

I’d also shrink the field a bit and enlarge to goal box to make it a biscuit higher and wider. More scoring is a better fan experience, and fans (via TV or in person) are why professional sports exist.

Traditionalists might be horrified but change is inevitable. I mean, we wouldn’t want the NBA to be playing with a peach basket, would we?