MLB Off-Topic

[steelerfan]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Anyone hear that story about a guy who says he lived in a secret apartment in Veterans Stadium for 2 years?

Obviously with security cameras and all that nowadays that would never happen, but I do believe something like that happened, and wouldn't be surprised if similar things happened in other venues.

If you know someone who worked at a venue in a day before security cameras, it probably would be fairly easy to sneak into a venue.

I read an article about it, after I saw your post.

The thing is, he didn't have to sneak in because he had an office there as a contractor.

He told one story about waking up after a long rain delay and walking out to watch the rest of the game in a bathrobe and slippers. No one questioned that but the few fans who remained were wondering where he got hot coffee because concessions had been closed for hours. Hilarious!

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[Jolly Roger]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The nature of some of the positions should still be intact, and not completely make a mockery out of the sport or its players.

But don't you think the batters are making a mockery of the sport by being completely unable or unwilling to adapt? Maybe it's just me, but I've always had way more respect for a batter who chokes up with 2 strikes, doesn't strike out much, puts the ball in play, and takes what the pitcher/defense gives him. I respect players who can "handle the bat".

I have never played organized baseball, but I'd like to think that major league hitters should be able to drive the ball to opposite field when they're being shifted. With some of the more extreme shifts, a bunt down the third base line would be an automatic single for all but the slowest of players, and maybe even them too.

If the hitters just learned to adapt, the shifting would diminish considerably.

Somewhat off-topic: Those of you who don't care for shifts would hate some of the "shifting" they do in cricket:

Spoiler

Spoiler

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

But don't you think the batters are making a mockery of the sport by being completely unable or unwilling to adapt? Maybe it's just me, but I've always had way more respect for a batter who chokes up with 2 strikes, doesn't strike out much, puts the ball in play, and takes what the pitcher/defense gives him. I respect players who can "handle the bat".

I have never played organized baseball, but I'd like to think that major league hitters should be able to drive the ball to opposite field when they're being shifted. With some of the more extreme shifts, a bunt down the third base line would be an automatic single for all but the slowest of players, and maybe even them too.

If the hitters just learned to adapt, the shifting would diminish considerably.

That sounds easy but when the defense is shifted the pitcher isn’t going to offer pitches that make it easy to drive it the other way.

If the shift is to play the pull, the hitter should expect to see a heavy dose of inside pitches.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

That sounds easy but when the defense is shifted the pitcher isn’t going to offer pitches that make it easy to drive it the other way.

If the shift is to play the pull, the hitter should expect to see a heavy dose of inside pitches.

Situations like this is where the art of bunting has become lost.

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Situations like this is where the art of bunting has become lost.

Yep. I agree on the punting part, it’s harder to do but you can still bunt and inside pitch down the third base line.

This aspect is an ego thing.

[Jolly Roger]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Also, I think it would be interesting if a batter shifted his feet off the plate a bit during pitch delivery so that he could more easily "inside out" the ball. Then if the pitcher starts anticipating this, the batter could stand his ground, get hit, and take first base.

I just hate the idea that we tell the defense they can't do something both legal and effective simply because the batters can't handle it. Part of the long-term interest of sport is the evolving back-and-forth between offense and defense.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Yep. I agree on the punting part, it’s harder to do but you can still bunt and inside pitch down the third base line.

This aspect is an ego thing.

Agreed and I didn't intend for that to come across as its easy to bunt the ball the opposite way especially on inside pitches, just that in my day (damn I feel old) we were taught and practiced how to bunt to either side of the field.

Sad that this fundamental part of the game is disappearing.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

But don't you think the batters are making a mockery of the sport by being completely unable or unwilling to adapt? Maybe it's just me, but I've always had way more respect for a batter who chokes up with 2 strikes, doesn't strike out much, puts the ball in play, and takes what the pitcher/defense gives him. I respect players who can "handle the bat".

I have never played organized baseball, but I'd like to think that major league hitters should be able to drive the ball to opposite field when they're being shifted. With some of the more extreme shifts, a bunt down the third base line would be an automatic single for all but the slowest of players, and maybe even them too.

If the hitters just learned to adapt, the shifting would diminish considerably.

Somewhat off-topic: Those of you who don't care for shifts would hate some of the "shifting" they do in cricket:

Spoiler

Spoiler

I was writing a larger post earlier, but my battery dislodged in my laptop at some point and I lost everything.

The first thing I want to mention is I agree with you: I'd rather see players shorten up with two strikes then go home run or bust. I'd also like to see players exploit the shift, but by bunting. This will aggravate the consumer and commissioner to want a change of things. I do not want the shift they are recommending on the AA level, though.

I make my case in this video of mine with a counter-proposal. I don't expect you to hear me ramble for 25 minutes, but if you check out some of the visual examples later in the video of things that I still deem are okay compromises and not as far as strategy goes (the thumbnail alone shows some), maybe you'll see where I stand on it.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WUEB3ciH8KY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


One thing I mention in there as well is something that I coin the "Brandon Belt shift," just as a mention of a player who has such an incredibly angled bat plane that it makes it virtually improbable for him to hit ground balls to the opposite field. See, it's less about playing to pull overall and more about playing to the tendencies of the player... and some players, such as Belt, hit the ball to the opposite field relatively plentifully when getting under the ball, but this is because of the bat angle that he gets when making contact with the ball. It's kind of hard to explain without a visual, but it basically explains why he couldn't ever top spin a ball to left field either.

Therefore, people shift to that side of the field in the infield, but not always in the outfield. If teams want to incorporate this kind of shift, I'll keep that legal. Again, if you see some of the visual examples in the video you'll see what I mean.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

That sounds easy but when the defense is shifted the pitcher isn’t going to offer pitches that make it easy to drive it the other way.

If the shift is to play the pull, the hitter should expect to see a heavy dose of inside pitches.

This isn't really the case though. Usually guys that are shifted against are shifted because their swings dictate that the only way they can hit a ball hard is to hit it where the defense lines up. It doesn't really matter where the pitch is, especially in terms of hitting the ball on the ground.

It's why you see a lot of outfield shifts to the opposite field slightly while the infield is shifted to the pull side. That swing type makes it where if they hit it the other way, it's very likely to be in the air.

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[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

But don't you think the batters are making a mockery of the sport by being completely unable or unwilling to adapt?

Isn't that true for baseball as a whole? Making a mockery almost by the unwillingness of players and even fans to adapt, people act like it must "remain pure", even though it's been changing forever. The game today cant be compared to baseball in the 90s, 80s, or any past era for many reasons, but the second someone suggests a change, theres people who are like "this will change the integrity of baseball!"

[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I miss stealing. You'd think one manager would buck the trend of station to station baseball. But it's a copycat league for some reason.

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[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I miss stealing. You'd think one manager would buck the trend of station to station baseball. But it's a copycat league for some reason.

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Ricky's stolen base record I think will never be broken, both single season and career.

[dubcity]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Stolen bases and complete games. They live with the fishes now.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I miss stealing. You'd think one manager would buck the trend of station to station baseball. But it's a copycat league for some reason.

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I feel like it's a matter of time before we start seeing things happening like in NBA where once the 3pt era took off, it changed the game.

Base stealing absolutely could happen more.

I could see a base stealing specialist one day. Someone whose only on the bench to be brought in to steal bases, and he's insanely fast so he'll steal them over 90% of the time. A fast enough guy could go first to third. For all the insanely fast runners out there who dont even play baseball, you'd think someone would've been given a shot like that. With all the stats out there, you could figure how long it takes to throw from home plate to 2B, and see if you could get a guy who can run the distance from 1B to 2B in that time.

Let's say it takes 2 seconds to throw from home to 2B. Once you take off after a pitch, you're already halfway down the line. So whatever the mph speed is to make that run, I'm sure theres sprinters who can beat it.

Also, bunting is another thing. If someone could be a bunt specialist with that super fast speed, they'd be so hard to stop.

[Master Live 013]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Poptime Leaderboard.

Generally it is understood that 75% stolen base percentage is the break even point for SB's. So unless you are tanking anything less than that you are hurting the team.