The "Bonds" rule

[GrantDawg]

The Giants owner wants to make a new rule that says if you intentionally walk a player more than once in a game, after the first walk the player would get two bases. What do you think about that?

[WSUCougar]

I think that's absolutely ludicrous. Getting a free baserunner is penalty enough. Interview some major league pitchers and ask them how many times a walk has come back to bite them in the ass.

Sheesh.

[mckerney]

Funny, the Giants owner said he was going to propose a new rule, but all I heard was him saying, "I'm a whiney little bitch."

Though I suppose if they only get one intentional walk, they could always resort to drilling him.

[clintl]

I'm a Giants fan, and I'm against the rule.

Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow (the Giants' announcers) suggested another alternative, which is more reasonable I think (although I'm still against it). Intentionally walk a batter, and every player already on base also moves up a bag, whether they would be otherwise forced or not.

Besides, everyone knows that even if you implemented any kind of rule like this, all the other team needs to do to evade the rule is to walk the guy without making it look like an intentional walk.

[KWhit]

Yeah, let's rewrite the rules of baseball because of one guy. That makes sense.

[WSUCougar]

Originally posted by mckerney
Funny, the Giants owner said he was going to propose a new rule, but all I heard was him saying, "I'm a whiney little bitch."

*snort*

Line of the day.

[KWhit]

Actually, there are 2 rules I'd like to see implemented because of Bonds:

1) Mandatory Steroid Testing

2) No Body Armor

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by KWhit
Yeah, let's rewrite the rules of baseball because of one guy. That makes sense.

No kidding. Neyer's article this morning explains exactly why walking him every at bat is far more dangerous than pitching to him. He'll get his numbers one way or the other, but if you pitch to him, he'll make outs. If not, he'll never be out. There are times to walk him, and times to pitch to him. I think McKeon is making a mistake if he thinks he should walk him every time he comes up, regardless of the situation.

[GrantDawg]

I'm with the "against" by the way, but would love to hear from the one "for."

[FBPro]

Originally posted by KWhit
Yeah, let's rewrite the rules of baseball because of one guy. That makes sense.

almost....:rolleyes:

[dixieflatline]

The problem with rules like this is they are impossible to enforce. If the pitcher throws four pitches 5 feet off the plate but the catcher is still in the crouch is it an intentional walk? What about 4 feet? Or just all low or high? Even if they put a rule like this in the books how do you enforce it? There are clearly times when you want to walk Bonds but I believe there are times when teams should pitch to him and they still walk him.

You can't blame an owner for trying to get an advantage for his team though. Owners, GM, do this all the time and I would be a bit dissapointed if my favorite team's owner wasn't doing things like that.

[KWhit]

I can't think of any owner in the recent past who has proposed a rule change to specifically benefit his team for 2-3 years.

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by KWhit
Yeah, let's rewrite the rules of baseball because of one guy. That makes sense.

Actually, basketball rewrote a whole slew of rules because of Chamberlain. They widened the lane, made offensive goal tending illegal (still legal in international ball), and made a rule you had to stay behind the free throw line on foul shots until the ball hit the rim (Wilt used to do the Dr J run up and dunk from the free throw line instead of shooting foul shots). Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

And I think Dean Smith was more than a little responsible for the shot clock going into college ball with the 4-corners offense (although Denny Crum at Louisville helped that along the way too).

As for baseball, I'm sure there's some rule out there that was changed because of one guy. Just can't think of one.

[JeeberD]

Don't forget that for a period of time dunking was outlawed in college basketball because of Lew Alcindor...

[bryce]

Originally posted by KWhit
Actually, there are 2 rules I'd like to see implemented because of Bonds:

1) Mandatory Steroid Testing

2) No Body Armor

i'm especially on board with #2. let the brush-back pitch mean something again, pitchers then get some of the inside part of the plate back, scores come down from the stratosphere, games speed up, kids are back at home in bed before midnight, more people go to games, revenues go up, etc etc.

ok, so that's a little exaggerated. but it would be good for the game, imho.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by mckerney
Funny, the Giants owner said he was going to propose a new rule, but all I heard was him saying, "I'm a whiney little bitch."

Though I suppose if they only get one intentional walk, they could always resort to drilling him.

Post of the day. :D

[EagleFan]

I say go with the drilling him suggestion. It saves your pitcher a few extra pitches. ;)

[EagleFan]

Dola: 2 people for but they won't even leave an explanation of why?

[Glengoyne]

Was I the only one who thought this was said "Toungue in Cheek"?

I mean it is a pretty ludicrous notion.

[Bonegavel]

This is trivial, but intentional walks are one of the top 10 reasons why I dislike baseball.

[EagleFan]

Not much into strategy, eh?

[Bonegavel]

Originally posted by EagleFan
Not much into strategy, eh?

Mock what you will, but i would rather watch paint dry.

[lynchjm24]

Here is a solution. Find someone who can hit behind him. Problems solved.

[Travis]

The only change I could see to the intentional walk is actually just letting the manager call it, and screw having to waste the time of watching them throw 4 balls way out there. I know it takes away the chance of the pitcher accidentally throwing it away, or putting it close enough for the batter to hit, but it is one of the most boring things that can happen in baseball (but is strategic a'course so can't be taken out.)

I also like the idea of not allowing any protective equipement if the player has not had surgery or some type of injury in the last x number of months. If you can't produce a medical reason as to why you need it, don't bother wearing it. It slows down the game when they get to 1st, do their strip tease, realize they forgot their uniform underneath and have to go change again. And yes, it'll maybe put some fear back into hitters, which would make the game better as pitchers would have one of their weapons back (and I'd still like to see them raise the mound back up).

And who knows, they did the "random" tests for 'roids this year, maybe next year it'll be mandatory (I can only hope).

[Sharpieman]

Originally posted by lynchjm24
Here is a solution. Find someone who can hit behind him. Problems solved.

As a Giants fan I agree, or someone to bat in front of him....Miguel Tejada anyone?

[Sharpieman]

Originally posted by KWhit
Actually, there are 2 rules I'd like to see implemented because of Bonds:

1) Mandatory Steroid Testing

2) No Body Armor

Ya, lets change the rules because of one guy.
That makes sense.

[MrBug708]

Sharpie, did you not read his previous post? I'm assuming not

Besides, Bonds isn't the first person to suddenly bulk up. Big Mac being another prime example. As for the Body armor, that has also been around before Bonds, he just symbolizes those "add-ons"

[Vince]

I'm fairly certain the rule you have to stay in the batters box while batting was made because of Babe Ruth stepping out of the box to cream intentional walk pitches.

That being said, I think that's a ludicrous notion. There is already a penalty for not pitching to Bonds...a baserunner. If the Giants still can't get it done getting free bases all the time, it's their own fault. Today, they left 18 men on base. That's absolutely inexcusable in playoff caliber ball. This playoff series, the Giants have proven to me one thing: They are the better team, and they are doing everything they can to make sure they lose the games.

[sabotai]

No body armor? They should strap plate armor on them whenever they can. And when they get to first, leave it on! It'll make sliding more interesting. :)

[gtmarc]

They had someone who could hit next to Bonds in the lineup. His name was Jeff Kent. They got rid of him.

BTW, for the last few years in baseball, its been the team with the best storyline wins. Anaheim and their silly monkey, Joe Torre's sick brother.

So go put money now on the Cubs winning the World Series. The fix is already in.

[Ksyrup]

Whaddaya think this is? The NBA?

There's no fixing in baseball!

[sabotai]

The Cubs can't win this year...they have to win it in 2008. That would be the great storyline.

[Killebrew]

I think an intentional walk should be worth 2 bases, but only if triples are only worth one base. Also, bunt singles should now be considered home runs.

[CAsterling]

When I saw the poll the thought the Bonds rule was going to be.

All players must take steroids to improve performance and make a complete mockery of the game.

Guess I was just being too sensible !!

[mckerney]

Originally posted by gtmarc
They had someone who could hit next to Bonds in the lineup. His name was Jeff Kent. He left the team because he couldn't stand to be around Barry.

True, true.

[clintl]

What the Giants should really do is bat Durham, Snow, and Cruz ahead of Barry all of the time. All three are very good OBP guys, and that would take away a lot of situations where walking Barry is an option.

[PineTar]

Does MLB's current testing even test for human growth hormone, or strictly for the "old fashioned" Ken Caminiti steroids?

[Sharpieman]

Originally posted by gtmarc
They had someone who could hit next to Bonds in the lineup. His name was Jeff Kent. They got rid of him.

BTW, for the last few years in baseball, its been the team with the best storyline wins. Anaheim and their silly monkey, Joe Torre's sick brother.

So go put money now on the Cubs winning the World Series. The fix is already in.

What about the Giants? Jason Schimdt's mom dying mid season, and of course Barry's dad passing.

[Sharpieman]

Originally posted by MrBug708
Sharpie, did you not read his previous post? I'm assuming not

Besides, Bonds isn't the first person to suddenly bulk up. Big Mac being another prime example. As for the Body armor, that has also been around before Bonds, he just symbolizes those "add-ons"
Yes I did, I was implying that he contridicted himself. And he was implying those rule changes BECAUSE OF BONDS, of course Bonds isn't the only one, but he said we should just change the rules because of Bonds, which is unfair.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Sharpieman
What about the Giants? Jason Schimdt's mom dying mid season, and of course Barry's dad passing.

It's easier to wait until after it's over to then go back and decide which were the most compelling stories that led to the "fix." gtmarc is unusual that he's going out on such a limb here - atypical for the true cabalists.

[Sharpieman]

I thinks going to be the Cubs, it just seems right for the Bay Area. Last year, Jon Gruden left the Raiders and won a Superbowl in Tampa Bay, this year, Dusty Baker leaves the Giants to win the World Series in Chicago...But I'm still rooting for the A's.