MLB Off-Topic

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

This poor guy had no idea what he was getting into

LOL it was more like me forewarning him that there were going to be a lot of pitching changes in the inning because of the match-ups to be. Basically like explaining to a guy watching an NBA game why the last two minutes might have a bunch of fouls and timeouts. The basic thing he had to be informed about was the lefty-lefty/righty-righty match-up thing. I merely told him what I predicted would come into play in said inning.

Needless to say, I was 100% on point.

[Perfect Zero]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm not a big fan of pitching changes for every single batter, but I do like the strategy. My question is that if relievers are so good in these days, why do they need eight warmup pitches? I can understand warming up a pitcher between innings, but that reliever that comes in during an inning should be warm. That alone would take 1:30 off of a game every time a pitcher was brought in.

I think Manfred means well on a lot of this, but his execution is lacking. I also see him wanting the media satisfied. Most of the suggestions for the game aren't coming from the fans, their coming from the ESPNs and Olney's of the world...

[Money99]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Apparently MLB is looking at possibly limiting number of relievers used in a game. Or limiting number of relievers used in an inning. Part of improving pace of play.

I've said it for awhile now, one of things they should do that'd shorten games by a few minutes is limiting if not eliminating the catcher visits to the mounds or worse, pitching coaches/managers visits to mound. They happen multiple times a game,and each one takes like 20-30 seconds. Game lengths could be shortened by a few minutes by just eliminating that.

Or give teams timeouts. But they count towards any break in play, whether it be a pitcher stepping off the mound, coach/catcher visiting mound, batter stepping out of box. So teams/players can still do it, but not abuse it.

Couldn't agree more.
I don't think you could ever put rules on how long a reliever has to stay in, etc.
The only possible solution is to cap the amount of pitchers per team to 11 (with maybe a 12th only used as an injury-sub).

But if we're talking pace of play (AGAIN!), then why not limit mound visits in total.
Only 1 per pitcher. On the 2nd visit, it's for substitutions only. And that's only for the starter.
Once the starter's lifted, no mound-visits by anyone - catcher or coach/manager - unless it's for a substitution.

Aside from that, the only other solution is to have a pitch-clock.
It's ridiculous and would look ugly, but today's players just work so slowly and with all the batting glove checking, helmet adjusting or pitchers pretending the mound is strolling-park, things have gotten out of hand.
The average game was around 2HRS a few decades ago. They had the same rules they use now, so what changed?
OCD. It boils my blood seeing hitters having to adjust their straps after every. single. pitch.
Make it so unless there's a foul-ball, the batters have to keep both feet in the box and let the pitcher throw at will.

[CMH]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Feels like there's this coordinated groundswell to change baseball. Yesterday I saw some nonsense from Mike & Mike and Buster Olney about how they'd change baseball. Just now I saw the Big League Stew account (Yahoo Baseball) tweeting an article about how they'd change baseball. Add to this all the garbage from this loser commissioner, and it just seems like a coordinated effort. For what reason? I guess the illusion of increased money by people suddenly falling in love with the sport or something? Who the **** knows.

Feels like people just like talking about baseball when they can talk about how to change it. Baseball doesn't need changing. The league has storyline after storyline after storyline and DOZENS of new and exciting players in a complete youth revolution including quite a few who are literally on their way to being all-time great players.

Why these baseball writers and sports media (on TV, radio, and online) as a whole don't insist on promoting these players and games and stories is beyond me. For God's sake there's absolutely nothing else going on right now besides baseball. Why aren't the Giants painted as a ****ing dynasty vying for their FOURTH World Series in 6 years? Why isn't the resurgence of the Cubs with all this talent coming back into relevance not being promoted as potentially history-changing? Why aren't people saying "Hey, watch Mike Trout, he's literally Mickey Mantle right now." Instead we get crap about rule changes and game changes and head-hunting and fighting and "he hit this guy and he got mad and lol at these loser insecure baseball players" or whatever.

You'd think maybe if they were interested in increased revenues they'd realize that showing how incredible the sport is and how incredible the current players are would be the best way to drum up nationwide interest again, but I guess not. I know baseball "isn't cool anymore" and that people's attention has shifted to sports like football and basketball, which is leading these power brokers to float/try changes to the game, but the only way to show that it IS cool is to show how amazing it is right now.

Preach, man.

The sport seems too focused on its failings rather than celebrating the good.

Here's an outside the box thought. I know offense gets fans thinking of that tingling feeling in their pants but what if, stay with me now, what if instead of promoting offense as the great thing, baseball somehow, someway, promoted pitching as the greatest aspect of the sport?

Maybe focus on the amazing behind a 100 mph fastball, marvel at the movement of a two seamer, the hammer drop on a splitter, or the bite of a slider.

Why not market pitching? Market defense. More Web gems. More highlights of great pitches.

I know home runs will always be more exciting, but they need to stop focusing on good pitching and defense being a bad thing. "Runs are down!"

How about, "pitching is up!" They have to change the focus of the game from negative to positive.

Some of this is on the media. But it's also on Manfred to stop talking about defense as if it's ruining the game. That comment about relievers shutting things down. Why is that bad? Celebrate it.

You don't see the NBA saying, "that darn three pointer is ruining the game."

[TripleCrown9]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Preach, man.

The sport seems too focused on its failings rather than celebrating the good.

Here's an outside the box thought. I know offense gets fans thinking of that tingling feeling in their pants but what if, stay with me now, what if instead of promoting offense as the great thing, baseball somehow, someway, promoted pitching as the greatest aspect of the sport?

Maybe focus on the amazing behind a 100 mph fastball, marvel at the movement of a two seamer, the hammer drop on a splitter, or the bite of a slider.

Why not market pitching? Market defense. More Web gems. More highlights of great pitches.

I know home runs will always be more exciting, but they need to stop focusing on good pitching and defense being a bad thing. "Runs are down!"

How about, "pitching is up!" They have to change the focus of the game from negative to positive.

Some of this is on the media. But it's also on Manfred to stop talking about defense as if it's ruining the game. That comment about relievers shutting things down. Why is that bad? Celebrate it.

You don't see the NBA saying, "that darn three pointer is ruining the game."

*whispers*But they're thinking about adding a 4-point line*/whispers*

[slickdtc]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm not a sabermetrician, but didn't they develop defensive statistics over the last few years that have given a lot of weight to a fielder's defensive abilities factoring in to their overall value?

Hell, some teams are in quandaries because they have multiple players who can hit but can't field a lick, and it's hurting them overall.

It's not hard for me to dig low scoring, defensive battles. I love them in football when it's not just sloppy play, and the same thing in hockey. In baseball, it can lead to just being in awe of a pitcher completely owning an opposing lineup, show the true value of the greatest catchers, and it seems every great pitching performance is helped by at least one spectacular defensive play. A guy somehow covering the ground and making a leaping/diving catch in the outfield is one of the most exciting things in the game, I'd even say robbing a homerun is THE play in baseball outside of a game deciding home run or play.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Manfred just needs to sit down and shut up. He comes across as someone who just wants to change the game for the sake of changing it and so that he'll be remembered for something when his tenure is complete.

We don't need a limit on relievers and we don't need to shorten the game. The game is fine. The tv networks and the powers at be are what is wrong.

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's 20-30 seconds which adds up over the course of it happening multiple times a game(the mound visits/stepping out of batters box part I'm talking about). Just one random change like the 1 pitch intentional walk thing, really doesn't save much time since intentional walks happen like once a series. But the mound visits and stuff, it'd save probably 5 or so minutes in a game.

There's a fair amount of things in baseball itself which could be eliminated which really won't impact the stats or strategy you see within a game, but would help eliminate the wasted time in games.

We're talking about 5 minutes? This is crazy.

Great, saving 5 minutes will save the game of baseball and get the younger audience to start watching.

[NYJets]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's 20-30 seconds which adds up over the course of it happening multiple times a game(the mound visits/stepping out of batters box part I'm talking about). Just one random change like the 1 pitch intentional walk thing, really doesn't save much time since intentional walks happen like once a series. But the mound visits and stuff, it'd save probably 5 or so minutes in a game.

There's a fair amount of things in baseball itself which could be eliminated which really won't impact the stats or strategy you see within a game, but would help eliminate the wasted time in games.

This.

Catcher mound visits should definitely be limited. It makes no sense that they aren't. Dugout visits are.

There's a lot of little stuff like that that add no entertainment value, don't really effect the game, and would improve the pace. Im not for dramatic rule changes that funadmentally change the sport, but small stuff like that I'm all for.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Im trying to think of specific instances where this has bothered me and I can't think of any. I guess sometimes the catcher comes out for like 3 seconds after a cross up or just to say "Fastball" and goes back. Those could be taken out I guess I just dont understand why. Are catcher visits so disruptive that they need to be limited? Honestly feels just like the IBB rule to me.

Making hitters stay in the box or pitchers pitch faster, things that affect the game constantly and actually make a difference I understand. But why cut down on catcher visits to save 4 minutes out of a 3 hour game? I need the changes to be sweeping and all at once and then over, these tiny changes dont make any sense and are going to add to I feel a different looking game that takes 10 minutes less to be played.

[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Preach, man.

The sport seems too focused on its failings rather than celebrating the good.

Here's an outside the box thought. I know offense gets fans thinking of that tingling feeling in their pants but what if, stay with me now, what if instead of promoting offense as the great thing, baseball somehow, someway, promoted pitching as the greatest aspect of the sport?

Maybe focus on the amazing behind a 100 mph fastball, marvel at the movement of a two seamer, the hammer drop on a splitter, or the bite of a slider.

Why not market pitching? Market defense. More Web gems. More highlights of great pitches.

I know home runs will always be more exciting, but they need to stop focusing on good pitching and defense being a bad thing. "Runs are down!"

How about, "pitching is up!" They have to change the focus of the game from negative to positive.

Some of this is on the media. But it's also on Manfred to stop talking about defense as if it's ruining the game. That comment about relievers shutting things down. Why is that bad? Celebrate it.

You don't see the NBA saying, "that darn three pointer is ruining the game."

MLB lowered the mound in 1969 because of how dominant pitching is; I believe the league sees the game creeping toward that magical threshold where they believe something must be done.

I do think, whether it's conspiracy or not, that MLB somehow modified the baseballs this year (whether the cork changed, it's wrapped more tightly, etc.) because they wanted more offense...a near 14% increase in HRs just doesn't happen YOY.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Im trying to think of specific instances where this has bothered me and I can't think of any. I guess sometimes the catcher comes out for like 3 seconds after a cross up or just to say "Fastball" and goes back. Those could be taken out I guess I just dont understand why. Are catcher visits so disruptive that they need to be limited? Honestly feels just like the IBB rule to me.

Maybe they should know better before going out there, or finding other ways to communicate.

I don't like the stall tactics, though. There should be a rule against subbing in a new pitcher after a catcher conference, because that's what half of them are used for it seems.

The intentional walk rule doesn't compare at all to me, because they are removing a legal facet of the game of throwing pitches. This is why I continue to mention the "trotting the bases for a home run," because I'm referring to the legal aspect of it (while including the time aspect of it), but I am completely ignoring the "entertainment" aspect of it. There is nothing regarding legalities of catcher conferences outside of the fact the mound visits from the dugout are only allowed once per inning before removing pitchers.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Not from a 1:1 rulebook and what the play represents standpoint, just that both are ideas that make changes so small to the game that the change isn't even worth it. It's just a half measure. If games are too long, make them 7 innings. I thought we didn't have a clock for this exact reason, to let the game breathe. I dont know, every tiny change that I hear just makes me more adamant that none of them should be made.

People are trying to give baseball a haircut with scissors. I dont know anything about that. If it's not ****ed up enough for clippers, it doesn't need to be cut lol.

[slickdtc]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

We're talking about 5 minutes? This is crazy.

Great, saving 5 minutes will save the game of baseball and get the younger audience to start watching.

Totally read this in the Allen Iverson "Practice!?" voice.

5 minutes? We're talking about 5 minutes man. Not 10, not 10! 5. 5 minutes.

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I admit there are some things in baseball that do need to be addressed in regards to pace of play but it seems like Manfred is just trying to tear down the integrity of the game just to appeal to the ADD crowd. They actually NEED to enforce the rules they have "cough" batters stepping out of the box "cough" I had to laugh at the notion of limiting the number of relievers in a game though. So what's going to happen if we have another 17+ inning game like the Indians/Jays and Bucs/Nats huh? Are we going to have position players risking injury because they maxed out the number of pitchers allowed?!

I wouldn't be opposed to some limitations on how many relievers are used in an inning. You could jokingly refer to that as the Dusty Baker Rule LOL! Let's also take away batter walk up music as well if we're really trying to quicken up pace of play as well. There are already rules in place in regards to pitchers taking a dog's age to throw the ball to home. ENFORCE THE RULES YOU HAVE ON THE BOOKS PEOPLE!

Yeah, Bud Selig was just fantastic.

I know you were joking but I think in 10 years time Selig's reputation will be much restored. If you take away the clusterbleep that was the PED issue he did more good for the game than the previous 2-3 commissioners before him.