MLB Off-Topic

[dubcity]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

This is how the schedule is set now. Everyone plays each team in your division 19 times.

Yeah, I am an idiot. Forgot they fixed that a few years back. For some reason it still feels like teams don't play teams in division as much as back in the day. Maybe it's the constant mix of interleague games on the schedule.idk.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I would eliminate the slide rule. And the tag rule. And the catcher rule.

Anything that has footballified/basketballified baseball in the last few years, really.

Besides that, everything else is pretty damn good.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I would eliminate the slide rule. And the tag rule. And the catcher rule.

Anything that has footballified/basketballified baseball in the last few years, really.

Besides that, everything else is pretty damn good.

What about the mound visits rule and the intentional walk rule?

All these little changes...woah...pardon me, I just slipped on this slope over here.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

What about the mound visits rule and the intentional walk rule?

All these little changes...woah...pardon me, I just slipped on this slope over here.

It always happens. And people mock those who warn about it.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I haven't seen one game affected in any way by either of those rules

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I haven't seen one game affected in any way by either of those rules

How would you be able to see something affected when you can't see it in action?

There had to have been some playoff games where Willson Contreras + the pitching coach had far exceeded six mound visits prior to the rule change. They won't make those conferences if they can't though.

None of these events would have happened if there was an automatic walk rule in place, either.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

How would you be able to see something affected when you can't see it in action?

There had to have been some playoff games where Willson Contreras + the pitching coach had far exceeded six mound visits prior to the rule change. They won't make those conferences if they can't though.

None of these events would have happened if there was an automatic walk rule in place, either.

Contreras was very clear that he would disregard the rule and accept whatever fine came his way. The Cubs haven't come close to reaching the 6 visit limit.

You can fish whatever examples you want for guys throwing intentional walks away, but the game isn't worse because of that not happening. If you miss watching a guy lob 4 pitches just to see the .01% chance that he might throw it away or a batter might reach out and get a soft single to the opposite field, then I'm sorry for your loss.

The slide/catcher/tag/etc. rules haven't been an issue since the All-Star break of each season they were implemented. Guys have adjusted and the game didn't fall apart.

There are individuals that continue to complain about the same stuff in various threads. That's supposed to be against the TOS, and I've done my part in the past to report them, but nothing has happened. It's old and tired.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

If you miss watching a guy lob 4 pitches just to see the .01% chance that he might throw it away or a batter might reach out and get a soft single to the opposite field, then I'm sorry for your loss.

I miss the idea that anything can happen. Don't let the rarity fool you into thinking that it is any less exciting or consequential than anything else in the game.

I also show massive angst to the fact that they decided upon removing a legal action from the game. I would prefer they removed the idea of the intentional walk altogether, and any blatant effort to attempt to issue someone a free pass (like bouncing the ball or moving the catcher out of his box) should result in an automatic balk & ball for every attempted pitch that it occurs.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

On top of adding to potential game variance, I just like the tension building that an intentional walk gives. Especially in late innings of important, close games.

Much better than "oh you go to first now" and it takes a few seconds to even realize what the hell happened and why someone is up instead of the person who was supposed to be up. Still haven't gotten used to it. Still dumb as hell.

But hey, those few seconds "saved" are really important. Wonder what people do with that wealth.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

How would you be able to see something affected when you can't see it in action?

There had to have been some playoff games where Willson Contreras + the pitching coach had far exceeded six mound visits prior to the rule change. They won't make those conferences if they can't though.

None of these events would have happened if there was an automatic walk rule in place, either.

I mean, are you really going to miss those unlimited pitcher/catcher conferences on the mound? I won't. No other sport has unlimited timeouts. I'm glad MLB finally set a limit.

Maybe you're overly fazed with watching pitchers play catch with catchers for 4 pitches, but most people aren't. Not really missing the super-rare occasions when the pitcher might have thrown a wild pitch in those situations.

People will frankly complain about any change, even if it's minor and for the better.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I mean, are you really going to miss those unlimited pitcher/catcher conferences on the mound? I won't. No other sport has unlimited timeouts. I'm glad MLB finally set a limit.

I never said that. There should absolutely be a limit on something that could otherwise be abused as unlimited. The only thing in baseball you can't limit is pickoffs.

I still think losing a replay challenge should restrict you from any defensive conferences for the next three outs.

Maybe you're overly fazed with watching pitchers play catch with catchers for 4 pitches, but most people aren't. Not really missing the super-rare occasions when the pitcher might have thrown a wild pitch in those situations.

People will frankly complain about any change, even if it's minor and for the better.

Somebody looked it up, but there are like 0.6 IBB's per game on average. That might be the wrong number, but it was less than one.

I think there should be a lot more merit in somebody who got to see an average of more than one per game when Bonds was up to bat. Nobody wanted him to get intentionally walked including myself, but those plate appearances were an event. There was something to watch the boos cave in on the pitcher and manager, hanging the chickens up on the 24-foot high brick wall at Pacific Bell/SBC/AT&T Park.

I'm not saying that everybody gets those, but I'm saying take it from somebody who had to see it all of the time. It really wasn't that bad.

I have to find it again, but I made a post that showed an intentional walk that took less time in total than a manager's decision to not do a replay challenge on a call after waiting for that ****ing phone call. It's really not that bad, and did not have to change.

It didn't have to change, point blank. That's it. It didn't have to change. There are worse things, there really are. Just because I don't mention the automatic walk every time (and I make sure to throw it out there every so often) doesn't mean I got used to it or have accepted it. They ****ed with my high school softball league with it.

Again, if it is so bad then just get rid of the intentional walk altogether.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Seriously? "They" ****ed your high school softball league by adding an intentional walk rule? Get over yourself

Sent from my SM-G920V using Operation Sports mobile app

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Seriously? "They" ****ed your high school softball league by adding an intentional walk rule? Get over yourself

Sent from my SM-G920V using Operation Sports mobile app

You seem to fail to understand the bigger picture. Implementations in larger leagues almost always trickle down to lower leagues (base coach helmet rule did too), and they need to look and question the ramifications of those rule changes before it's too late. Yes, intentional walking was a strategy employed only for those who could earn it. And no, it didn't quite have the same effect "just lobbing the ball" as you would see in baseball, though it was a much rarer tactic.

This includes the DH. Currently, many leagues simply allow the option of the designated player. If the NL gets the DH, it won't be long until they change that to an enforced DH with rule verbage that says something along the lines of protecting the pitcher and having them focus on their pitching and yada-yada-yada. When the pitcher hitting goes, you'll see much more launch angle bullcrap and much less bunting enforced. Someday, bunting will become nearly extinct in the MLB. Some little league, high school, college, and minor league coaches will utilize that strategy for personal gains, confidence building, and exploitative purposes, but others will nip it in the bud because it's "not done at the major league level." Don't believe major league trends affect those things? Watch the LLWS and how many conformists there are there. Not to mention if bunting goes away as a lost art, it won't be long before "trading an out for a bag" is a talk that circles around the commissioner's office, because "they already have the automatic walk." Slippery slopes are in fact a real thing.

And for the record, I'm allowed to throw whatever reason out there I choose to. It's not like it's the first card I pulled out in this argument. You still gloss right over other valid arguments just to pick at calling me out as a self-absorbed douchebag, and you get zero points for it. Unfortunately, you still win because you have Manfred in your corner and the rule is what it is for no reason whatsoever.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Again, if it is so bad then just get rid of the intentional walk altogether.

How do you get rid of the intentional walk altogether?

Watch the LLWS and how many conformists there are there.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

How do you get rid of the intentional walk altogether?

Since it's obvious that the legal action of throwing "four wide ones" was removed and there is deliberation involved in motioning the individual to first base, just allow neither of them. Make the pitcher have to throw pitches "with clear and visible effort that evading the batter's ability to competitively work against said pitches is not being employed as a means to work toward an out" actually goes into play.

In other words, if you want to unintentionally-intentionally walk someone, that's fine and good luck. Best be close enough to your catcher so that it doesn't scoot by him, and also best not go in the strike zone so the batter doesn't rake where you weren't trying to plant your seeds. You know, actually compete out there and earn what you are attempting to have happen.

See, I used to think that the intentional walk really was the same as a regular base-on-balls. I am actually somewhat offended that there is a statistic that differentiated the two (even though it still counts as a walk on their ledger), because all legal actions were taken place. It was just a way to communicate to the batter that they are throwing the white flag on the at-bat (even though sometimes the batter still countered it, baserunners could have gains on it, the pitching team may have some trickery up their sleeves, or the pitching team could change their mind halfway through). Anyway, since they decide it is a special item, let's just say it's not allowed. Keep that catcher in the box so long as the pitcher isn't deliberately lobbing or bouncing the ball to the plate if there is no valid reasoning behind it that is not "I am trying to put him on first base." This would be to the umpire's discretion, and if this is the case we can add a balk to that pitch as well.

I don't have a penalty for the IBB with no one on base thought up yet though.