8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

[Master Live 013]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

Somebody probably thinks the same thing when you screw up.

And if automatizing his job was a net plus he/she should be phased out too.

[Blzer]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

They really need to automate the strike zone. Umps are terribly inconsistent and it's getting out of control. I hate it.

It's not as often that pitches in the zone are called balls than it is that pitches out of the zone are called strikes. When your team is on defense, you'll be frustrated when your ace pitchers don't get those corner pitches that make them so good right now.

[Steven78]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

Pitchers get too many calls. The low strike especially is called way too much below the zone.

[Steven78]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

Crazy. Royals didnt get a hit from innings 2-9 and still win.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

How about we keep the human umps, but shave an inch off of home plate (take it in 1/2 in on each side)...too drastic? Any merit to this idea at all?

[redsox4evur]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

How about we keep the human umps, but shave an inch off of home plate (take it in 1/2 in on each side)...too drastic? Any merit to this idea at all?

I think people are more complaining that the plate/zone is too small so add in that inch instead of removing it.

[Trent Booty]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

Glad the Royals won. M's only down 6 games now.

[Speedy]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

How about we keep the human umps, but shave an inch off of home plate (take it in 1/2 in on each side)...too drastic? Any merit to this idea at all?

Anything to rid Angel Hernandez, CB Buckner or Joe West is game in my mind.

[Blzer]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

Pitchers get too many calls. The low strike especially is called way too much below the zone.

I know they do. I'm just saying you won't be happy when your best pitchers aren't getting those calls and can't dominate as well anymore.

Actually come to think of it, a Brewers fan might not know what I'm talking about.

How about we keep the human umps, but shave an inch off of home plate (take it in 1/2 in on each side)...too drastic? Any merit to this idea at all?

This would lead to more tag outs at home plate, therefore less offense.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

The zone's not too small; it's massive.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/want-to-slow-down-pitchers-call-the-strike-zone-correctly-042314

http://www.hardballtimes.com/the-strike-zone-expansion-is-out-of-control/

The strike zone has expanded at the bottom and, for left-handed hitters, away. And every year since 2008 has set a new record high in K%. Not hard to draw the dots between the expanding zone, more strikeouts, and fewer runs. Offense isn't coming back in baseball until the strike zone gets reined in.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

The strike zone is probably the quietest way for MLB to tinker with the run environment.

MLB wants people to think PED testing is driving down runs when it's actually the gigantic strike zone. Things have headed too far in the other direction though and I think the league will gradually shrink the zone and let offense back in the game now that they've created enough distance from the "steroid era."

[Speedy]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

The zone's not too small; it's massive.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/want-to-slow-down-pitchers-call-the-strike-zone-correctly-042314

http://www.hardballtimes.com/the-strike-zone-expansion-is-out-of-control/

The strike zone has expanded at the bottom and, for left-handed hitters, away. And every year since 2008 has set a new record high in K%. Not hard to draw the dots between the expanding zone, more strikeouts, and fewer runs. Offense isn't coming back in baseball until the strike zone gets reined in.

Amen, Chip!

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/umpires/strike_zone.jsp

1996 - The Strike Zone is expanded on the lower end, moving from the top of the knees to the bottom of the knees.

1988 - The Strike Zone is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the top of the knees. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball.

So I'd presume you are a proponent for the bottom of the zone being at the top of the knees (like it was before being changed in 1996 to try and reign in the offense)?

[Majingir]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

He doesn't admit to the man being in the outfield but he certainly doesn't deny it either:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-...ue-jays-player

He barely even acknowledged that though? He was talking about players stealing signs, which I'm sure Jays players won't deny cause it's basically a known fact, and there's nothing against that at all. If the opposing teams player is able to figure out what your signs mean,or can clearly see what pitch the pitcher has in his hand, it's your own fault. That'd be like unintentionally showing the cards you have in a poker game,and expecting those around you to not look....

And lets say there was a guy in the OF stealing signs and giving it to players...how exactly would that work? The OF seats are over 400 feet from the batters box. So players are saying there's some guy in the OF who can perfectly see exactly what pitch the pitcher has in his hand, and the exact signs the catcher is relaying to the pitcher, what the signs the actually means, and then relays it 400+ feet to the batter in the batters box, all within like a 5 second timespan?

[kehlis]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

He barely even acknowledged that though? He was talking about players stealing signs, which I'm sure Jays players won't deny cause it's basically a known fact, and there's nothing against that at all. If the opposing teams player is able to figure out what your signs mean,or can clearly see what pitch the pitcher has in his hand, it's your own fault. That'd be like unintentionally showing the cards you have in a poker game,and expecting those around you to not look....

And lets say there was a guy in the OF stealing signs and giving it to players...how exactly would that work? The OF seats are over 400 feet from the batters box. So players are saying there's some guy in the OF who can perfectly see exactly what pitch the pitcher has in his hand, and the exact signs the catcher is relaying to the pitcher, what the signs the actually means, and then relays it 400+ feet to the batter in the batters box, all within like a 5 second timespan?

The conspiracy the Yankees bullpen claimed he was positioned perfectly above the pitchers head and would keep his hands down for fastball and raise them above his head for offspeed.

This is not me saying I think they did it, just pointing out the claim.

[Blzer]

Re: 8/3 - 8/16 Game Discussion Thread

He barely even acknowledged that though? He was talking about players stealing signs, which I'm sure Jays players won't deny cause it's basically a known fact, and there's nothing against that at all. If the opposing teams player is able to figure out what your signs mean,or can clearly see what pitch the pitcher has in his hand, it's your own fault. That'd be like unintentionally showing the cards you have in a poker game,and expecting those around you to not look....

And lets say there was a guy in the OF stealing signs and giving it to players...how exactly would that work? The OF seats are over 400 feet from the batters box. So players are saying there's some guy in the OF who can perfectly see exactly what pitch the pitcher has in his hand, and the exact signs the catcher is relaying to the pitcher, what the signs the actually means, and then relays it 400+ feet to the batter in the batters box, all within like a 5 second timespan?

I'm sure location might be just as important as the pitch type. Of course, if you're in the batter's box and a catcher isn't quiet enough, you can also hear which way he is shifting (probably not in an MLB ballpark with many fans, though).

But small things like folded arms vs. unfolded, hands on rails vs. not, or maybe even hands in the air but that would be weird, etc. It's pretty simple to do, and it's really simple to spot as a batter while still gauging a pitcher in the windup or getting set.

If you're at second base, you do the same kinds of things like subtle finger wiggles, closed grip, looking back at 2B or not, walking closed to the base line upright or leaned, etc. We all use this to gain an edge at the plate, and we do it with an incognito approach because... look... stealing signs is okay, it really is.

Getting caught doing it, however, is not okay. Do it without getting caught, and I think it should be a perfectly accepted practice. If you get caught (not suspected/accused, but actually noted), stop or you'll get reported or thrown at in the ribs. Period.