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ESPNs Buster Olney is on vacation this week, but hes still compiling roundups. View Wednesdays roundup here.Baseball is the greatest game in the world. If you need proof, look no further than the fact that baseball, like no other sport, has an amazing capacity to spark genuine and even heated debate. Baseball fans and media like nothing more than to talk about what is good and bad about the game. The designated hitter rule has been with us since 1973. Forty-three years later, fans regularly and passionately weigh in on whether the rule is good: Should it be expanded or eliminated? I have stacks of fan mail on both sides of the issue, and I can always count on a DH question to energize a news conference.Buster Olney recently co-hosted Mike & Mike with Mike Greenberg, and they devoted the better part of two shows to a discussion of what should be changed in baseball. When they asked me to participate, I gladly accepted. Those of you who listened to the program know that I was not supportive of some of the suggestions put forward but was receptive to many others, such as rule adjustments regarding relievers and alterations to the All-Star Game. I hope I left the impression that I am open-minded to the possibility of making changes to the national pastime.I believe there is a clear distinction between giving thoughtful consideration to an idea and deciding to move forward with it. Its good to have a healthy conversation about baseball and the way it is played today. But that conversation should take place against the backdrop of three fundamental points.First, a major part of baseballs appeal is its history and tradition. While adjustments can be made to protect and improve the game, we must always give due respect to history and tradition. Each July, I go to Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. A visit to the great Hall of Fame Museum and the opportunity to spend time with the greatest living legends of our game serve as an annual reminder of the importance of the history and tradition of the game.Second, baseball is a healthy sport. Each year more than 73 million people attend major league games, and another 41 million go to minor league parks. Our in-park experience remains the best in professional sports. MLB.com is widely regarded as the best digital offering in sports. And while we are continuing our efforts to increase youth participation, more kids age 12 and under play baseball and softball than any other sport, and of the estimated 58.1 million children in the U.S. between the ages of 5 and 17, 45 million (78 percent) have played baseball/softball in some form at some point in their lives. While baseball can be improved, it certainly does not need to be fixed.Third, some traditionalists talk about changing the game as if the alternative is to maintain some static, pure form of play. The fact is that the game has changed and is continuing to change -- in my view, at an accelerating rate. Games have become longer. In 1975, the average game was 2 hours and 30 minutes. Now the average game is three hours. In 1988, 272 pitches were thrown in an average game. Today, the strategy of working counts and taking pitches means that it takes an additional 22 pitches to complete that same game. Back in 1988, the average major league club used 17 pitchers over the course of the season. In 2015, the average club used 27 pitchers. We are seeing less of our star starting pitchers, more delays for pitching changes, and less action at exciting points late in the game.Today, major league players are hitting home runs at a record pace, but the number of balls put in play is at a historic low. There have been more strikeouts this season than in any other season in baseball history since 1871. Offensive strategies like situational hitting and stealing bases, which often create exciting moments for fans, are less prevalent today than at any point since the Year of the Pitcher in 1968. These changes have occurred not due to new rules but almost exclusively because of decisions made by creative general managers and managers in an effort to win as many games as possible.So the question is not whether there should be change -- the game is going to change and evolve no matter what. The question is whether to let the change happen or, instead, to manage the change. For me, the answer is easy: Those of us charged with the enormous responsibility of protecting the great game of baseball have an obligation to manage change so that the beauty of our game is preserved in a way that future generations continue to embrace the sport. We will confront difficult choices in discharging this responsibility, and we will make the right choices because our guiding principle will always be the best interests of the fans. Ainsley Maitland-Niles Jersey .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. Stephan Lichtsteiner Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. http://www.footballarsenalstore.com/Women-Laurent-Koscielny-Arsenal-Fc-Jersey/ . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. Konstantinos Mavropanos Arsenal Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Henrikh Mkhitaryan Arsenal Jersey . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. LA VILLA, Italy -- Marcel Hirscher was more pleased at finally beating his French rivals than with the fact that he had matched Alberto Tomba with a record fourth giant slalom win in Alta Badia on Sunday.The overall World Cup leader from Austria increased his first-leg lead and finished 0.71 seconds ahead of Mathieu Faivre of France on the steep and dark Gran Risa course. Florian Eisath of Italy was third, 1.10 behind.Hirscher had finished second behind Frenchmen -- Alexis Pinturault twice and Faivre once -- in each of the previous three giant slalom races. Thomas Fanara and Victor Muffat-Jeandet, two more French skiers, have also been highly competitive.Im super happy to get my first GS win of the season, Hirscher said. The French team is the benchmark at moment. All four guys showed in France how strong they are.Pinturault, who won on home snow in Val dIsere last weekend, fell early in his second run, spun around and crashed into the safety netting at high speed. He was charging hard after placing seventh in the opening run.Pinturault was slow getting up but skied down under his own power. He said later that he was not injured but had only sore legs.Olympic champion Ted Ligety slid off course shortly into his first run. The American, a two-time winner on the Gran Risa, has been unable to train properly lately due to severe back pain.I just have stabbing pain all the way down my leg, nerve pain, so I havent been able to ski much, Ligety said. Ive been getting injections and trying to get it sorted out but it hasnt really turned the corner yet.Italian great Tomba captured his wins on the Gran Risa course in 1987, `90, `91 and `94.Hirscher has now won this race four straight years. He also took a slalom in Badia in 2011.Im not thinking about breaking records, Hirscher said. I dont know how long I will ski.Attempting to become the first skier to win six consecutive overall titles, Hirscher increased his lead in the standings to 2218 points ahead of Kjetil Jansrud, who didnt qualify for a second run.ddddddddddddThe most challenging section of the Gran Risa course is usually the steep and dark upper area but many skiers had trouble with an artificial jump on the flatter bottom part this year.Hirscher was slightly out of control going over the jump in his first run but he was perfect in his second trip down.Artificial, built-in jumps are a rarity in giant slalom.Its good to have some parts of a ski race where spectators are screaming and shouting and nervous watching in TV, Hirscher said. I was also watching in the start when one of the guys jumped far away into the flat and it was fun to see.Eisath had just taken the lead and the crowd was going wild when Faivre began his second run.I was listening to music but fortunately I took my headphones out early enough to hear the crowd cheering for Eisath, so I knew I had to really attack to take the lead and I did, Faivre said. But then Hirscher was really perfect in the second run and on a higher level today.It was the first podium result for Eisath in his 100th World Cup race.Its been a really long journey with lots of ups and downs and lots of fighting, said Eisath, who is from the nearby Val dEga and had his entire family and fan club in attendance.Zan Kranjec of Slovenia finished fourth to match his best career result from the season opener in Soelden, Austria.The top American finishers were Tommy Ford in 13th and Ryan Cochran-Siegle in 20th with the No. 50 bib.In the opening run, Philipp Schoerghofer was faster than his teammate Hirscher before he lost control and skied through one of the final gates. Erik Read of Canada also crashed into the safety netting.A parallel giant slalom is scheduled for Monday night on the Gran Risa.---Andrew Dampf on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asdampf ' ' '