If you could change ONE rule...

[Blzer]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

What's your reasoning for getting rid of Elbow guards? I don't see how you can tell players that they can't wear safety equipment.

I don't quite get this one either.

I know that his argument will be that players are able to wear big hunks of plastic and shadow over the inside part of the plate, taking that away from a pitcher without any sort of repercussions as if you're hit there you won't experience any pain... followed by a picture of Barry Bonds and his Iron Man prototype on his elbow.

But some other players simply wear it for protection. Jason Varitek is a switch-hitter, and his stance is far enough open to say that there's no intent to wear one off the elbow, for he wears it as protection to his throwing arm as an aging catcher. There's no problem with that, and there's no reason to take that away from them.

Maybe there should be a certain length they can be and perhaps even made by a certain company that requires approval from them (like NOCSAE or something), but you can't take that away from players. Hell, I crowd the plate so much that half the time umpires have to tell me to step away and they draw an inside line for me. I don't wear an elbow guard, but I can piss pitchers off or force them to challenge me inside where either they'll hit me, or I'll turn on it. I'm looking at the inside half as my knee hangs over the strike zone, and I'm just begging for them to throw right at it so I can tear it down the line. As long as the umpire is okay with it, it should stand.

Elbow guard or not, some players will crowd the plate regardless. At the same time, some players wear the guard for reasons not tying into crowding the plate.

[Chizzypoof]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

4. enforce batters not being able to step out of the box in between pitches.....slows the game down way too much which is often one of the arguements for people not liking baseball

This. Some kind of enforcement is necessary. I don't mind pre-bat routines, but once you are in the box, stepping out should be minimal.

Hanley Ramirez was doing this to Lincecum the other day. I understand the game of slowing the pace of the pitcher down, but it was a little too much at some points. Ryan Braun is another great hitter that takes forever in between pitches.

If I can remember correctly, MLB is enforcing the pitchers time between pitches this year. I think it should be switched.

[Speedy]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

Some kind of enforcement is necessary. I don't mind pre-bat routines, but once you are in the box, stepping out should be minimal.

Hanley Ramirez was doing this to Lincecum the other day. I understand the game of slowing the pace of the pitcher down, but it was a little too much at some points. Ryan Braun is another great hitter that takes forever in between pitches.

Good thing Nomar retired.

[ryan36]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

What's your reasoning for getting rid of Elbow guards? I don't see how you can tell players that they can't wear safety equipment.

Get 'em off the damn plate. You gonna crowd, you risk getting a bruise. Oh no, Barry got hit in the plastic. Give Bonds a couple bruised shins, then see what happens.

[JEM]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

Get 'em off the damn plate. You gonna crowd, you risk getting a bruise. Oh no, Barry got hit in the plastic. Give Bonds a couple bruised shins, then see what happens.

This is also a reason why the rule of the batter making an effort to get out of the way of a pitch is a good rule and a rule that needs to be enforced more often. Without it everyone would stand right on top of the plate and just wait to get a pitch 3 inches off the plate and get on first.

I dont know about getting rid of the pads altogether but they do need to do something about the size of some of them.

4. enforce batters not being able to step out of the box in between pitches.....slows the game down way too much which is often one of the arguements for people not liking baseball

This is no different than pitchers stepping off the mound. Pitching and hitting require great concentration and batters step out of the box to reset and prepare for the next pitch or if the pitcher is taking forever.

[Blzer]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

This is also a reason why the rule of the batter making an effort to get out of the way of a pitch is a good rule and a rule that needs to be enforced more often. Without it everyone would stand right on top of the plate and just wait to get a pitch 3 inches off the plate and get on first.

But the rule is also not specific enough. I see players get dotted square in the numbers, and they don't make an effort to get out of the way like duck, bail or scoot out... they are turning their backs. No where in the rule book does it say that getting hit by a pitch is okay permitted that you do what you can to cushion the blow, it says that you must make an attempt to get out of the way of the pitch.

That's why I don't like the rule. Take discretion out of the equation, and if they get hit by the pitch then so be it. Players are given a batter's box for a reason, and they are allowed to be within the lines of said box. If you want them to lean over less, the MLB will have to move the inside line back from six inches.

[ryan36]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

I'm with Blzer on this one, we teach hitters to turn their numbers to the ball for two reasons. One, if you have quick enough hands, you can still come back and foul off a 2-strike breaking ball. Two, safety. You can turn and duck with this motion and get your head out of the way.

If the ball hits you take your base. If hitters are just leaning in to get hit with your fastball , throw harder. Or inside strikes. I just don't like the artificial protection. 8 position players have gloves, the batter gets a bat. This is sufficient. The catching position is obvious in need of more protection

[Blzer]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

I'm with Blzer on this one, we teach hitters to turn their numbers to the ball for two reasons. One, if you have quick enough hands, you can still come back and foul off a 2-strike breaking ball. Two, safety. You can turn and duck with this motion and get your head out of the way.

Now I'm not saying that umpires call back players for this, but I'm just saying that by definition, they should be. I don't agree with this, so I think the rule for a hit-by-pitch should be exactly that. If you're hit by a pitch and you don't actually Fernando Viña yourself into the ball or it doesn't go over the plate for a strike, you should be awarded first base.

If the ball hits you take your base. If hitters are just leaning in to get hit with your fastball , throw harder. Or inside strikes. I just don't like the artificial protection. 8 position players have gloves, the batter gets a bat. This is sufficient. The catching position is obvious in need of more protection

That's exactly it. People don't really want to get hit (some do) as they have 162 games to stay healthy for, and if you think you're going to penalize them by making them step back into the box after having just been nailed by a 93 MPH fastball is ridiculous. You've earned your right to first base.

I crowd the plate because I have geared myself that way. I love inside pitches and I challenge them to throw it at my kneecap. If it's in the strike zone, I'm all over it and it's down the right field line. I also now have much better plate coverage on the outside. If they hit me, so be it. I would prefer that does not happen and I'm not going to wear protection to better cushion it, but I'm not up there to try and take one for the team. I have a body to be concerned about.

As for the elbow protection thing, read my case on Jason Varitek earlier. I think they should be entitled to protection, but if you want to restrict anything it can be a size thing (or a certain kind of guard that requires approval... however I have all but made this post before).

[Speedy]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

I really don't mind the bean balls - if he can take it like a man then so be it. Part of a pitcher's requirements is to have control so if he can't command and throw inside there shouldn't be grief given to the hitter...if the pitcher pitches inside the batter's box why should there be a penalty given to the hitter?

I do agree with amount of protection worn by players though; if the elbow guards are taken away (except for medical reasons) it probably would solve the problem of the Biggio's leaning into one.

[ryan36]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

... I think they should be entitled to protection, but if you want to restrict anything it can be a size thing...

Blzer wants size-restrictions on protection

[snepp]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

The DH.

It's understandable in High School and College (hell, even the Minors) but not the majors.

It makes no logical sense to DH for your pitcher for years, and then expect them to pick up a bat once they finally reach the majors. Either force them to hit their entire career, or never.

It would make more sense to me to ADD the DH to the NL than it does to remove it from the AL.

[daflyboys]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

This is too easy. Do away with the stupid All-Star game dictating who has home field advantage in the WS.

If you're talking about a rule from game to game. I don't really like the fake throws to 3rd or 2nd. I think that it should be the same as throwing to 1st.

[Blzer]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

If you're talking about a rule from game to game. I don't really like the fake throws to 3rd or 2nd. I think that it should be the same as throwing to 1st.

You mean pickoffs?

[Azamien]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

Haven't they already limited the size of elbow guards? I haven't seen a Bonds-style plastic monstrosity lately, only minimal ones that don't seem any thicker than the knee brace I wear when I play tennis.

[jth1331]

Re: If you could change ONE rule...

The only reasoning comes from not deeming it unfair for guys like Howard or Bonds back in the day that are facing a wishbone defense, but there should just need to be a balance as you're playing the position that is listed on the back of your card, not some other position. I understand there would have to be a bunch of ways to make sure this happens correctly and not violate anything else (as you said, you can play outfielders in as far as possible even to be infielders), but I think the balance just needs to stay there.

Again, this isn't to protect these tendency hitters... it's just embarrassing to watch is all. These are grown men performing child's play by bringing people over for whatever reason it may be. It's like legal formations in football in a way. Not that it wasn't illegal, but you saw that ridiculous Redskins play against the Giants before halftime where they all shifted to one side of the field. That was just... wrong in so many ways.

I just feel there should be some sort of order here. I actually hope that Ortiz and Howard start bunting down the third base line a bit more for easy hits so that they can start shifting back over again.


EDIT: Well, I'm going to lower its importance a bit, but I'm also adding another rule (or taking out one that's in there).

Exploiting a weakness is not wrong, I don't understand your thinking here. Anything out of the norm must be wrong to you then if this is your thinking. If a guy is a 90% pull hitter, I'm going to adjust my defense to account for that. That hitter can use the other side of the field, or try to squeeze a hit against my adjusted defense.

Also, the talk about the rule about not getting out of the way of a hit by pitch, well, I say take it out and remove the ability to wear protective equipment on your hands and arms. Its for safety? Well, we went 90+ years without that crap in the game. Maybe it will actually tell the batter to get out of the way the right way (turning your back) instead of just standing there with your elbow over the inside corner of the plate. You can say its for protection all you want, but it just eases the hitters mindset that nothing bad will happen by an inside pitch.