Training 3/29-4/4

 3/29- Lakeshore 3 in 26:06 (8:42 pace).  I was hoping to do 6.5 plus a cool but I failed again.  This time I felt strong early with an 8:14 opening mile but faded after the first half.  Mile 3 was a pathetic 9:22 and I had absolutely nothing left after that so I quit.  Yesterday, I was sluggish.  Today, on the same dose (2 ADHS), I was overstimulated.  Do I still need the Thym-Adren but at a lower dose or do I need to increase the ADHS?  I'll find out tonight.  I'm going into Salisbury almost completely unprepared AGAIN.

Distance=3.0

3/30- The hated interval workout.  Opened with a pitiful 95 but improved to 84 with 4 ADHS.  Better than nothing but not nearly enough.  I still need the Thym-Adren but at a lowered dose.  On 3, I was a little sluggish at 68 then slowed to 77 on 4.  Added a cool.  I'm cutting it to 2 tomorrow.  

Distance=1.0

3/31- Planned rest day.  Delayed flight to Philadelphia.

4/1- Planned rest day.  Drive down to Virginia.

4/2- Junk intervals in Chincoteague.  Felt best on 2 pills.  Another 1.5 mile junk run at City Park in Salisbury.

Distance=2.5

4/3- Salisbury Half Marathon in 2:08:xx.  About as expected.  More detail coming.

Distance=13.5

4/4- Planned rest day.  Flight home.

-20 miles on the week.

Training 3/22-3/28

 3/22-AM.  Opened with a 69.9 without any pills.  MUCH better than the 1:45.6 that I managed only 2 days ago.  When I was on the ADHS, I could barely break 2:00.  Declined to run the closer because I didn't want to hurt the real workout but figure the gap is down to about 2:00.  Still felt quite overstimulated but improved to a 20:23 for 2.5 miles on Lakeshore (8:09 pace).  Kept going for another .33 to hit 3 miles on the day.  Overall pace slipped by just 1 second to 8:10.  That's it for today.  Don't want to do too much after yesterday's 7.  I'll shoot for 5 tomorrow.

 Distance=3.0

3/23- 5 miles in 46:29 (9:18 pace).  A definite improvement over 2 days ago.  The same distance in 50 minutes left me utterly spent.  Today, the pace was very even (9:13-9:23) and though I'm sure I would have slipped in the last 2-3 miles, I bet I could have finished 10.  How I felt?  That's where it is a bit complicated.  Today, I was much less overstimulated.  If anything, I was a bit sluggish.  With ADHS, an overdose won't hurt because it is a modulator.  Thym-Adren is a suppressant so too much WILL hurt you.  Tomorrow, I will reduce the dose from 6 pills to 4.  I won't be surprised if I end up back on ADHS.  Ideally, I want to be able to go a few days without either of them.

Distance=5.0

3/24-AM. Things became more complicated yesterday evening.  The over-stimulation did kick in after not taking any further pills. It kicked in pretty hard too.  Nevertheless, I stuck with the plan to reduce the dosage in the morning from 6 pills to 4.  I'd call it a success.  I was over-stimulated but did 2.5 on Lakeshore in 19:43 (7:53 pace) plus a half mile cool.  First time all year that I've been able to hold sub-8 for this long.  Still, I faded on the back half (9:41-10:02) and without additional pills, I will really struggle in the evening.  Magic number is likely 5 pills in the morning and 5 in the evening but that will hopefully slowly decrease over time.  

PM- Got about what I expected.  No additional pills in the afternoon and I was crap.  Actually, I did okay in the sprint (59.1) but even after a full recovery, I could managed only an 18:30 for 2 miles (9:15 pace).  On the plus side, I did not fade.  I was 9:28 at the mile mark but came back with a less horrible 9:02.  This was done at Montreat.  No use going to the Shak.  

Distance=5.0

3/25- Planned rest day.  Predicted bad weather.  I expect that the dosage will slowly trend downward.  I'm in good shape to hit 25+ on the week.

AM- Once again, things have become more complicated.  Took advantage of a break in the weather to do junk intervals.  On 5 pills (yesterday's magic number), I was very sluggish.  Over 3 minutes for 1 laps at Montreat.  I suspected Vitamin C deficiency due to bleeding gums.  This has happened before after having to take mega doses of Thym-Adren and Vitamin C helped immensely.  It appears to have done the job again.  On a comfortable effort, I improved to 2:28 then a 6th Thym-Adren brought be down to 2:23 (7:09 pace).  Again, effort was comfortable and possibly sustainable for a couple of miles.  Once again, over-stimulation kicked in by the afternoon.  Someday, my need for Thym-Adren will diminish and when it does, the need for Vitamin C will also fade.  

Distance=1.0 

3/26- Ugh.  More changes.  I was sluggish today on 5 pills this morning.  Time of 21:14 for 2.5 miles (8:30 pace) is not horrible by today's standards.  Still, if I can run 7:53 on a good day, I ought to average about 8-flat and be no worse than 8:15.  I faded but did not collapse with splits of 10:24-10:50.  The aftermath further confused me.  At home, I opened with an 82 half lap and fared little better with an 80 on extra Vitamin C.  Not enough to be significant, which is what I was hoping for.  With extra Thym-Adren, I expected to fall apart and be over 90.  Nope.  I held it together with an 84.  

Distance=3.0

Reaction:

Thym-Adren dose is trending down with or without the Vitamin C.  The Vitamin C may help protect against disaster if I take too much, which is a good thing.

3/27- FAILURE!  1 mile in well over 10 minutes.  Cut the Thym-Adren down to 4 pills but it appears that it must be eliminated.  Extra Vitamin C provided no relief.

Distance=1.0

3/28- Perdido Key 2 mile in 17:08 (8:34 pace).  Switched back to ADHS.  I was sluggish but kept up a steady pace and could have gone longer.  Still not up for anything close to double digits.

Distance=2.0

-20 miles on the week.  YTD- 214

Training 3/15-3/21

 3/15- Not pleased at all.  4 miles on Lakeshore in 37:53 (9:28 pace).  Compared to yesterday afternoon, I saw essentially no improvement.  I did double the distance but the pace was slower by 14 ticks and it would have been worse at Veteran's Park on the gravel.  Faded on the back half and it took a rally in the last quarter mile just to be under 9:30 overall.  It is looking like abstinence from the forbidden drinks will not be enough.  I may need stronger adrenal suppressants temporarily.  I have ordered Thym-Adren.  Will it arrive on schedule?  As of now, there is no way that I can finish a half mary without lots of walking. Weather looks iffy for the next 2 days.

Distance=4.0

3/16-AM- Hated interval workout at Montreat.  Half lappers plus a cool.  Ran the opener on zero ADHS pills then popped 2 pills after each interval.  Splits were 1:59-1:43-1:31-1:16.  Last week, I was crap on no pills as well but fared no better on 5 instead of 3.  Today, I was significantly better on 6 instead of 4.  WHAT THE _______!

PM- Break in the weather enabled me to do 2 after work also at Montreat.  Finished in 16:22 (8:11 pace).  Again, it was a significant improvement over yesterday with even splits this time (8:13-8:09).  To what do I attribute this gain?  Rhetorical, Farley.  Every reader should know it was the extra pills.  Problem is that even mega doses probably won't be enough to get back to respectability.  I need to try Thym-Adren.  It is supposed to arrive on Friday but will it really?

Distance=3.0

3/17- Planned rest day.  Predicted severe weather.  

3/18- Thym-Adren (strong adrenal suppressant) arrived a day earlier than expected.  Workout was the hated better with or without test.  Did 1.5 miles on just ADHS then 1.5 on Thym-Adren.  Came through the first 1.5 in an about as expected time of 12:41 (8:28 pace) then although it was not a night and day difference, I was significantly faster on 2 Thym-Adren pills.  Ran the back half in 11:19 (7:32 pace).  Stopped the watch at 24-flat but it turned 3.00 1 tick before.  Still, this does NOT count as a sub-Mendoza line performance because of the stops.  Nevertheless, I am pleased.  Significant improvement probably would have been evident on just 1 pill.  I think I'll go with 3 until further notice.  Is it over?  I highly doubt it but this is still good news.

Distance=3.0

3/19- HORRIBLE and I knew it before I started.  Hated intervals again.  3x800.  Did the opener in 5:25 then improved marginally to a 5:20 AFTER a half can of Rockstar.  This proves that forbidden drinks never were the problem.  I had already taken 3 Thym-Adren pills but that obviously was not enough.  A 4th pill brought me down to 4:45, which is MINUS 70 on a per mile basis.  Added a half mile cool.  I'm going to need mega doses for a few days then the need should diminish.  I should have seen this coming.  Probably have to scratch the long run AGAIN.  

Distance=2.0

3/20- The opener was not as horrible as I expected today.  Clocked a 1:45.6 at Montreat (10:33 pace).  Took 6 Thym-Adren pills and came back with a 59.6 (5:57 pace) for a whopping MINUS 4:36.  However, as is often the case, the ability to run a good pace in a sprint doesn't carry over to longer distances.  Real workout was the Trak Shak 3.  Distance was a little short but I already had 1/3 mile in so I didn't care.  Finished with a 9:40 pace but did manage a slight negative split.  I'd like to do 10 tomorrow and I don't care if it takes 2 hours.  The gaps will diminish as always and I'll do better in longer distances soon.  Then, a need for another pill will show up almost certainly.

Distance=3.0

3/21- Goal was 10 miles and I had to settle for 7.  Time was 75:28 (10:47 pace). I thought I was going to make it at 3.33 miles in but faded shortly thereafter.  I was just north of 50 at the 5 mile mark then the pace slowed dramatically and I decided it was not worth it to continue.  It probably would have taken 45 minutes to complete the next 3 miles.  13 days out from race day but it is still early in the adjustment period and I should do better next week.  Key word is should.

Distance=7.0

-22 miles on the week.  YTD- 194

Training 3/8-3/14

 Only 10 miles of running last week.  Almost all of it was CRAP.  The Probiotics came yesterday.  This is the same stuff that gave me fits last summer and fall until I ditched it in favor of Lactoferrin.  I have a faint glimmer of hope after yesterday afternoon's workout.  In the morning, I could not run at all.  It took me 11 minutes to do just 1 mile.  After the Probiotics, I managed 2 in 15:52 (7:56 pace).  I passed the mile mark in 8:10 then popped an extra Probiotic and finished with a 7:42 on the back half.  I may have upped the effort a little but not by much.  Also, I felt no noticeable ill-effects from Glutathione though I did not run after taking it.  Apparently, I need BOTH Probiotics and Lactoferrin to solve the gut issues.  

3/8- AM- Lakeshore 2 in 16:34 (8:17 pace).  Another VERY positive development.  Before the Probiotics, I had disastrous results when I took either the TRS or Lactoferrin alone.  It had to be BOTH or NEITHER. The neither option worked only if I took extra the previous evening.  This morning,  I took only ADHS and still passed 1 mile in 8:23.  Took the sprays of TRS WITHOUT Lactoferrin at the turnaround and did the back half in 8:11.  That's not a significant improvement but I didn't want one.  A SINGLE DOSE should NOT have much of an effect.  The fact that I was able to maintain my pace was YUGE and would have been impossible without the Probiotics from yesterday.  Now, I will see if I can maintain the pace on Glutathione.  

Success I did it at Lunch:

Half lap at Montreat in 75.5 without Glutathione.  Jogged another half and ran the next half in 74.0.  On a per mile basis, that's a MINUS 9.  Perfect.  Not a significant gain but I just wanted to maintain.  This pill was DISASTROUS just last week.  YUGE!  Stable chemistry is something most people take for granted but for me, words can't express the difference it would make in my life.  I'm not on solid ground yet.  Two milestones left:  Avoid an adrenal spike after a caffeine binge and deliver a non-horrible performance the morning after a day without pills.  After that, I just need to maintain for at least 4 weeks before I declare victory.

PM- Back to Lakeshore for another 2.5.  Did not want to waste a beautiful evening.  Finished in 19:54 (7:58 pace).  Half mile away from the Mendoza line and I think I can do it.  This was not an all out effort either.  I was at 10:02 at the half then finished with a 9:52 and did not need a kick to get the sub-8 pace.  I was under with a quarter mile to go.    Not on solid ground yet.  I could still face an adrenal spike tomorrow or Wednesday then we will see how I do without pills for 1 day later in the week.

Distance=5.0

3/9- Crestline 3 mile.  2 loops on Dexter.  1.5 miles each.  Time was a little slow at 24:54 (8:18 pace).  No cause for alarm.  This was 20% longer than yesterday on a route with some rollers so 20 seconds slow is no big deal.  A couple of observations:  I thought about going without pills today but it was clear upon rising that ADHS (adrenal modulator) was needed so I declined to try going without pills.  I was curious to see if extra ADHS would benefit me.  It did not.  I did the first loop in 12:26 then fared no better in the 2nd loop with a 12:28 after 2 extra pills.  I may have hit another 12:26 if not for a truck backing up at the end.  Either way, it's not even close to be considered significant.  I need ADHS every day but get no additional benefit beyond 3 pills.  I suppose that is good news.  Now, tomorrow we'll see about the caffeine withdrawal.  I binged over the last 4 days but that's part of the plan.  Hopefully, there will be no adrenal spike thanks to Probiotics and I may not be as dependent on the ADHS if I'm off caffeine.   

Distance=3.0

3/10- Curious findings.  Yesterday's caffeine binge (4th day on caffeine) did not seem to hurt me during the workout and I fared no better on extra ADHS.  Today, it was a totally different story.  I don't think it was withdrawal because the symptoms showed up within 15 hours of my last dose (it shouldn't hit for 24-48 hours) and taking another dose after the ill-fated workout did nothing to relieve the symptoms.  Instead, it was an adrenal spike.  

AM workout hoping to beat the withdrawal symptoms was not to be.  Hoping to run 4 miles, I had to settle for 2 in a turtle time of 20:56 (10:28 pace) with splits of 9:50-11:06.  Felt no better after another dose of caffeine.  In fact, I was probably worse.  Went out on my lunch for laps at Montreat and clocked a 3:49 1st lap BUT  This time I did fare better on extra ADHS.  A lot better too.  Just 2 additional pills and I was down to a much less horrible 3:11.  On a per mile basis, that's a MINUS 1:54.  Added a lap for a cool down.  

Reaction:

Still not sure what to make of this.  Most likely, caffeine will be tolerated on a limited basis but binges are not allowed.  Yes, I know it is not good for me but it was part of the plan to experiment.  I needed to know what, if any changes would occur after the Probiotics.  Probiotics combined with Lactoferrin will likely allow for occasional sugared drinks but not caffeine in any form.  No drinks or pills.   Now, I want to know if I will be less dependent on ADHS after I am off caffeine.  Perhaps next week, I can deliver the non-horrible performance the morning after a day without any pills.  Also, I am hoping that the adrenal spike fades and I'll be up for a workout by tomorrow evening.

Distance=3.0 

3/11- No real withdrawal symptoms and the adrenal spike is beginning to die down.  Enough daylight to run the Canterbury loop.  3.5 miles plus a half mile cool.  Finished in 32:24 (9:15 pace), which is a massive improvement over yesterday morning.  Could have done better if I took extra ADHS but this was done on just 3 such pills.  Pace was very even all the way through despite rather hilly terrain.  Actually, even splits indicate a mild fade because the back half is mostly down but I'm still okay with this.  Hopefully by the weekend, I'll be ready to go 10.

Distance=4.0

3/12- Planned rest day.

3/13- FAILED again.  This time, alcohol was the culprit and it was hardly a binge.  Curcumin was supposed to stop that but apparently it failed.  Turned around after just a half mile and completed the full mile in 11:14.

Distance=1.0

3/14- AM- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 21:42 (10:51 pace).  Better than yesterday.  Pace was crap from the start but I was able to hold it and managed a slight negative split.  

PM- Another 2 miles this time at Veteran's Park.  Improved to 18:28 (9:14 pace) with splits of 9:21-9:07 so I again have a glimmer of hope.  No more than 1 cheat day per week with either caffeine or alcohol and none until further notice.

Distance=4.0

-20 miles on the week.  YTD- 170

Various Rants

 Workouts have been so terrible that I won't even list them this week.  My best showing so far is 2 @ 8:43 today at Montreat.  I did do my blood donation today.  No serious effects.  I'm a little weak and light headed but that actually didn't kick in until a couple hours later.  Earlier this week, I reacted TERRIBLY to Glutathione.  For the last time, if a pill is not the right fit for me, I should feel a little weakened after a few days but NOT like that!!  I think my best (and last) hope is to take BOTH Probiotics and Lactoferrin in low doses.  When I did that before, I was NOT nearly as sensitive.  The local store is out of the brand that I need so I had to order on Amazon.  Maryland is now only 4 weeks from Saturday.  Not looking good at all but I've got to get this done.  I'd like to be at 49 by year's end and finish next Spring.  

COVID:

I really cannot predict where we will be in 6 months.  Under a best case scenario, herd immunity will kick in and the vaccine is effective against the new variants.  If the disease is no longer a threat, hopefully the travel restrictions will be lifted and there will be no vaccine requirement to travel internationally.  Worst case scenario is that the virus is resistant and we could be back to Square 1 if there is a spike.  If the vaccine is not effective, why should it be required?    Who knows?  I predict that the outcome will be somewhere in between.  Cuomo is on record supporting a vaccine passport to attend a Yankee game or a concert.  As I predicted, it won't be illegal to refuse it but it will be de-facto required to live a normal life.

I had to jump through hoops to get into Hawaii and many states still require a negative test prior to entry.  That could affect my travel plans.  I've got to go through with the test to visit Maryland and Maine.   I will do it because there is no guarantee that I'll be able to run next year or beyond.  I will not submit to a test to visit a non-race state such as New York or Oregon.  That means that a beach hopping trip will likely be in North Carolina and Virginia rather than New York and New Jersey even though I need the latter but not the former on the Catch a Wave Challenge.  

While restrictions on my movement are pretty stiff, hundreds of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS have tested positive yet have been released into American cities.  I still cannot drive to Canada or walk to Mexico and if I am to visit the latter, I will need a negative test to get back into the USA.  Welcome to the Bizzaro World.  

LGBT:

I've been silent on this issue and for the record, I believe that you should be allowed to live your life free from harassment and discrimination.  I have no problems unless you infringe on the rights of others.  Allowing biological men to compete in women's sports definitely crosses that line.  For example, a time of 50 seconds flat was good for 4th place in the Women's 400 meters at the Rio Olympics.  Some years, it is good enough to medal in major international championships.  In the US alone, there are over TWO HUNDRED HIGH SCHOOL BOYS who can beat that time.  Granted, hormone therapy will slow you down a bit but you retain the advantages of a larger bone structure, increased muscle mass and greater lung capacity.  Every scientific study confirms this to be true.  My high school 800 PR of 2:13 would have put me among the best in the state if I had competed as a girl but sometimes, it was not even good enough to place in a dual meet.  More recently, I beat the 1st place overall female at Statue 2 Statue but did not even place in my age group among the Men.  Nobody is saying that trans athletes can't participate in sports.  They just have to compete against the boys.  EDIT:  There are calls to allow children to take puberty blockers without parental consent.  Many kids with gender dysphoria will grow out of it too.  If I wanted to go on a field trip or play sports, oh that permission slip had better be signed.

Global Warming/Climate Change

It is indisputable that the Earth's climate has undergone cycles of warming and cooling over its history.  There was a medieval warm period that was followed by a "little ice age" during the American colonial period.  We are currently in a warming cycle, which actually began before the Industrial Revolution.  The question is to what extent is human activity a contributing factor and what should be done to stop it?  That's where people disagree.  My opinion is that humans are partially responsible for the current warming cycle.  I want clean air and water just like everyone else and support reasonable and common sense regulations.  How far do we go?  It should stop once the costs exceed the benefits.  Simple. 

 I don't buy into the alarmist rhetoric that we must act drastically before the end of the decade or it will be too late nor do I believe predictions that much of Florida will be under water by the end of the century.  My best guess is that global temperatures will rise by about 1 degree F in 50 years if we do absolutely nothing.  If the entire world imposes the whole Green New Deal, the temp still rises by 0.6 degrees.  If the US alone acts while China and India do nothing, the effects will be negligible.  

If you are in a head on crash, would you rather be driving a big long Cadillac or Volkswagen Bug?  How about if you get T-boned?  Do you want to be driving a Ford F-150 or a little Toyota Tercel?  Rhetorical, Farley.  We all know the answers.  If you value your safety and choose to drive a gas guzzler and pay through the nose at the pump, that should be your choice.  The free market will decide the point in which fuel economy trumps safety in the unlikely event of a serious crash.   

Cancel Culture-

I'm all for taking a strong stance against racial injustice but teaching people to be ashamed of being white?.  I have a BIG problem with that as well as double standards and such garbage as the Coca Cola training to "be less white."  I guarantee that if any major company taught their employees to "be less black," they'd be finished.  Every store would pull their products and no apology or tears will ever be good enough.  And rightly so.  I would never support a business that promotes such blatant racism.  If I am to drink a Coke, it will be Pepsi products from now on.  Southerners will know what I mean by that.  

The n-word is disgusting and should never be used under any circumstances.  That said, I don't believe that you should be ruined forever if you are caught saying it especially if it was when you were a kid.  I recall hearing about a girl who had her admission to the Univ. of Tennessee rescinded because a recording with the offensive slur from 3 years ago resurfaced due to a jealous ex-boyfriend.  If the word was directed at black students after she was enrolled, yes I would punish her.  I may even support expulsion depending on the nature of the incidents.  In this case, she was 15 years old and was actually quoting lyrics of a rap song.  If a black student in the same position was caught saying something anti-Semitic, I highly doubt that he or she would be punished.  Nick Cannon called white people "savages" and "closer to animals" and though he took some heat, he was not permanently cancelled.  Some say that black people have a license to be hateful given the history and ongoing discrimination.  I vehemently disagree.  Actual white supremacists will point to that crap to justify their sick views.  Anyone who accepts racism in any form is part of the problem.  I predicted that the mob would go after America's Founding Fathers but I never saw attacks on Dr. Seuss.  I'm at a loss for words on that.  

MLB Reforms

Spring Training has already begun and Opening Day is less than 1 month away.  During the worst of the quarantine, I watched several old games from the late 1970s through the '80s.  I found those games to be a lot more interesting than today's edition.  The Collective Bargaining Agreement expires at the end of the year and we expect to see at least some rule changes.  Here are some that I support:

Universal DH-

The strategy is more complex in the NL with the double switches and decisions as to when to pinch hit for an effective starting pitcher.  Still, pitchers hitting has become progressively worse over the years.  It used to be that the average pitcher batted about .160.  Now, that's down about 50 points and nearly half the plate appearances end in a strike out.  Also, if they do get on base, they frequently dog it running the bases.  Make it interesting with the DH and give players who are blocked by a superstar a chance to play more often.  I'd also like to see more two way players.

Salary Arbitration and Free Agency

A 2nd or 3rd year player who is All-Star caliber deserves to make more than the League minimum.  I would support moving arbitration eligibility up by one year.  Free agency is a bit more dicey.  Let's suppose Pittsburgh gets the number one pick and drafts a once a decade type talent who makes it to MLB by age 20.  Currently, a player is not eligible for free agency until he has reached 6 full years of MLB service.  There is talk of reducing that to 5 or even 4 years.  I am opposed to that.  Under that system, a superstar player will become a free agent before he even hits his prime.  If you look at Ken Griffey Jr's baseball cards, you will see that his numbers were good from a young age but they were not other-worldly.  Same with Barry Bonds.  The team that drafted him should have 6 years of team control.  What about a late bloomer who doesn't make it until he is 25 or 26?  He's not eligible until age 32 and past his prime.  He's not going to get a big contract even with a very good track record.  In that case, give him a shot at free agency early but make it based on age.  I'd make it his age-30 season.  That may also entice his home team to give him a long term guarantee to pre-empt free-agency.  

Manipulating service time:

A player raked in AAA last season and does the same in Spring Training but he doesn't break camp with the team.  Instead, he's sent down for the first 3 weeks of the season to "work on his defense."  Everyone knows, it's all about getting an extra year of team control.  Something needs to be done about that.  Make it 5.5 years to be eligible for free agency and the player can and should be able to file a grievance if it is obvious that he is being held back when he's clearly MLB ready and better than the team's current starter.

Playoffs:

Currently, 10 teams make the playoffs.  This won't happen but I want that reduced back to 8.  I'd prefer 2 divisions per league with the division winners and next 2 best records per league.  I'm really not a fan of the 1 and done wild card especially when an otherwise average team can ride its ace who could be in the midst of one of the most dominant stretches ever.  The top wild card could be fighting for a division title and thus use their ace in the last game of the season.  With 16 playoffs teams last year, we saw 2 sub.500 playoff teams.  One of them got hot and came within 1 game of making the World Series.  Yes, we could see a sub.500 World Champ with expanded playoffs and that just doesn't sit well.  My prediction is that the playoffs will be expanded to 12.

Guaranteed Contracts:

Unlikely to see reforms here but I strongly support changes.  Yes, we should discourage bad contracts to aging players but sometimes, regression is not so easy to predict.  Suppose a player in his early 30s with a good track record decides to go into Operation Shutdown.  He dogs it on the field and his clubhouse conduct is detrimental to the team.  He's a negative WAR player that still must be paid $30 million per year even if he is released.  Under my proposal, the team that releases such a player is only liable for HALF his salary.  I'd expand that rule for salary dump trades in which other teams buy prospects.  

Balls In Play:

Currently, about one third of plate appearances end in either a walk, home run or a strikeout.  Not very exciting.  What is the point of having an elite defender if the ball is seldom hit in his direction?  I'd like to see more doubles, triples and stolen bases.  Supposedly, balls have been deadened a bit this year and are expect to carry about 5 feet less.  I support that.  Home runs should not be so easy to come by.  If that happens, the all or nothing hitters won't be as valuable and we will start to see fewer strikeouts.  

Tanking:

This is a problem.  Currently, Pittsburgh is following Houston's model of blowing up the whole team for prospects that are still at least 3 years away.  They will likely be historically bad for the next 2-3 years then hope to be contenders when the prospects and high draft choices are ready.  Other teams have done the same with mixed results.  As a result, many quality mid-level free agents go unwanted.  The theory is that a single free agent could make the difference between 58-104 and 61-101.  Why pay $10 million per year for 3 extra wins when you will still finish last?  

 The Mookie Betts of the world will still be paid very well but I recall Nick Markakis was coming off a season in which he hit .300 with about 15 homers.  He had to settle for a 1 year deal for just $6 million.  One great player does not make a great team.  You could sign 3 quality starting pitchers for the same money and get more combined value than from one Trevor Bauer.  Suppose a losing team (expect to win 70) strikes gold on 3 mid-level free agents and gets a little lucky, they could be in the race especially with expanded playoffs.

My proposal is if a team is deemed to be tanking, they must go back 10 spots in the draft for consecutive 100 loss seasons.  I would allow for an appeal.  Sometimes, luck can be all bad.  If 2-3 starting pitchers are lost for the year due to Tommy John surgery, even the Yankees will struggle to win.  Still, there is no good reason to see above average players in their early 30s go unwanted in free agency when they could surely help some teams.  The Commissioner decides whether or not a team is making a legitimate effort to win. I'm not a fan of a payroll floor.  Teams that are tanking will simply overpay their own journeyman players rather than sign a quality free agent.  My prediction is that a payroll floor will be imposed.  I suppose it's better than nothing.  

EDIT:

You don't need a team full of superstars to win.  Let's suppose that a team has 3 starting pitchers with ERAs under 4.00 and two others around 4.50 along with at least 3 reliable bullpen arms.  Also, 6 out of 8 starting position players deliver at least average (maybe slightly above) offensive production.  The rest of the roster is merely adequate.  Chances are, this team will score more runs than they allow and thus win more than they lose.