MLB Off-Topic

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I might have to go get a Hot and Ready as tribute...I wonder how Detroit's strategy will change now.

[rdnk]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I might have to go get a Hot and Ready as tribute...I wonder how Detroit's strategy will change now.

For this year they're pretty much content to go for it, hoping that a full year of Norris, Fulmer and Boyd will be a large upgrade over giving Pelfrey and Sanchez 48 starts. Offense is set minus CF and the bullpen was rather respectable last year.

Long term is more cloudy. While I believe the Ilitch family will keep the payroll in the top 10 of the league, they will probably try to get under the luxury tax threshold. As a bonus, the Tigers will get to renegotiate their TV deal; they pulled in 55 M (10th in the league) in 2016, so the expectation is for that to increase as well.

[Money99]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

RIP Mr.I.
Wings and Tigers fans have been spoiled with such an amazing owner. His strategy was to spend as much as possible to field the best teams.
I still wonder what could have happened if Leyland had pitched Rogers instead of giving in to SmudgeGate.
Cards probably still win, but you never know.

On a different topic, I heard that the PA and MLB are looking at raising the strike zone from under the knee to above it, ala '95.

[Caulfield]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

On a different topic, I heard that the PA and MLB are looking at raising the strike zone from under the knee to above it, ala '95.

K's are at an all time high and have been each year since 2007. At first I thought I would be against shrinking the zone but as long as it doesnt result in more walks (which it wont necessarily do) then it could actually shorten game time if it leads to shorter Pitches Per PA.
That number was 3.87 in 2016 and if they can get it back down to the 1988 number of 3.57 (when such records were first kept up with) maybe this can get game times back down to 1988 levels. This would take off about 15 minutes if the majority of K's turned into groundouts and flyouts and not hits and walks.
Another thing I'd like to see to speed up the pace of play is a 5th ump. You put him behind the mound with a satchel of balls and a stopwatch and his only 2 responsibilities are to immediately hand/toss the pitcher another ball as soon as the last pitch is done and tell pitchers they have 10 seconds from the time they get the ball to deliver another pitch or else.

[Caulfield]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Oh, and one more thing, is it Papa John's turn to own the Tigers now?

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Billy Ripken made a point that raising the strike zone may not shorten games as much as you think. The elite pitchers who live at the bottom of the zone are going to take longer by staring down umpires and such (he cited Clayton Kershaw) and there will be a hue and cry from the pitching side over the new strike zone. He predicts that this will be enforced for about a month or so and then we'll be back to the same ol' same ol' afterwards. Kinda like the whole "hitters in the batters box" thing though that was only really enforced for a week and for the major stars "cough" Ortiz "cough" it was NEVER enforced.

[BigOscar]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Don't see raising the strike zone as cutting down time in a productive way. The games don't need to be shorter, per se, they need to cut down the amount of idle time when nothing is happening. Guys leaving pitches is still action, it's the aimless wandering around, taking too long getting ready between pitches and group discussions on the mound that are wasted time

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The MLBPA will not agree to the strike zone change, I think I saw somewhere that the players that were asked said it will be overwhelmingly turned down.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The only thing about the strikezone that needs to be changed is consistency of calls. I don't care if strikezone goes from top or bottom of the kneecap, just call it consistently.

The height of the strikezone isn't consistent among umpires, but if they ever had robot umpires(or some kind of automatic strike zone), the length of the strikezone is the one fixed part of it since it's just the length of home plate. It'd be hard to judge an umpires call because the ball might've been too high or low by an inch or two, but the plate is a fixed thing, if a ball is off the plate, it's a ball, simple as that.

[Caulfield]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The MLBPA will not agree to the strike zone change, I think I saw somewhere that the players that were asked said it will be overwhelmingly turned down.

I wonder what amount of the vote of the MLBPA it takes to change it. If all 1353 players that played in the majors last year can vote over 53% were pitchers. And you'd at least think they would be on board. And probably some small amount of catchers too. But it might take a 60% or even 75% to make that change. :shrug:

[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The MLBPA will not agree to the strike zone change, I think I saw somewhere that the players that were asked said it will be overwhelmingly turned down.

I think they should...it's reverting back to the pre-1996 zone.

[Sportsforever]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Random question; can anyone think of/name a left handed pitcher who threw submarine style? I can't think of one...is there a reason that LHP don't ever pitch that way?

[CMH]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Random question; can anyone think of/name a left handed pitcher who threw submarine style? I can't think of one...is there a reason that LHP don't ever pitch that way?

Isn't submarine considered one of those last resorts for someone to have a shot?

I guess lefties aren't pushed in that direction because they are a commodity either way. So long as you can throw strikes, no reason to do something unorthodox to get a chance at a MLB career.

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Random question; can anyone think of/name a left handed pitcher who threw submarine style? I can't think of one...is there a reason that LHP don't ever pitch that way?

Mike Venfro was a submarine lefty that pitched for the A's.


As to why there aren't as many I would guess it's because growing up lefty's don't need to resort to a different style to gain an advantage whereas righty's who don't throw hard may decide to try to gain a different kind of advantage.

[Sportsforever]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Isn't submarine considered one of those last resorts for someone to have a shot?

I guess lefties aren't pushed in that direction because they are a commodity either way. So long as you can throw strikes, no reason to do something unorthodox to get a chance at a MLB career.

Mike Venfro was a submarine lefty that pitched for the A's.


As to why there aren't as many I would guess it's because growing up lefty's don't need to resort to a different style to gain an advantage whereas righty's who don't throw hard may decide to try to gain a different kind of advantage.

I could see that...I had forgotten about Venafro; he is exactly what I had in mind. It is odd that you don't see this more often though...thanks for the input.