Just throw the ball and be ready to hit! Is that really asking modern players too much? As I mentioned above, watching old games on the MLB Network is a blast. Nice refreshing change. Players just playing, no human rain delays!
OT: Congrats to MLB - pitch clock and shift ban approved
- Thread starter T2Kplus20
- Start date
Once the dust settles and players get with the program, I would make an exception to the rule to prevent violations from ending games:
But for now, call all violations! Tough love.
the batters took too long. I’m so glad the pace is sped up. The worst was nomar and his batting glove BS. Make the hitters stay in the box
They're f'ing around with the grand old game...STOP IT!About time!!!
MLB approves sweeping set of rules changes
Major League Baseball passed a sweeping set of rules changes it hopes will fundamentally overhaul the game, voting Friday to implement a pitch clock and ban defensive shifts in 2023 to hasten the game's pace and increase action.www.espn.com
E.g. the xtra innings rule: runner starts on 2nd - What moron came up with that POS?
Baseball is TRADITION!!!!!
MO
Tradition was that if a batter kept stepping out of the box the next pitch would be at his head.
My bad. I thought the pitch occurred. In any case, I like the rule, too.
Tradition was not for the batter to step out of the batters box after every pitch to adjust his batting glove. Hell, tradition was not wearing a batters glove.
Why?Once the dust settles and players get with the program, I would make an exception to the rule to prevent violations from ending games:
But for now, call all violations! Tough love.
Look at the 76er Celtic game last night. The clock was the clock.
Soon they'll be dictating How Far Left, Right or Center a fielder can play.
Coupled with the "shorten the game" movement (runners on 2nd base starting the 10th) IMO it's a Shame).
Although I'm personally ok with the DH in both leagues
We should ask @zappaa for his opinion on these things - since he actually played the game at the highest level and his father was/ always will be one of the greatest players of all time!
Again MLB: leave the game alone.
MO
Batters need to be allowed to act like Mike Hargrove did at the plate 
Shifts that expose the batters weakness need to be allowed.
Let the players learn to overcome shifts , not make teams lose a defensive strategy exposing hitters weaknesses.
What next, hitters telling the Umps what pitches are allowed to be thrown to them..
Editing to add: pitch clock needed, making batter ready a must.
Mike Hargrove - The Human Rain Delay - YouTube
Shifts that expose the batters weakness need to be allowed.
Let the players learn to overcome shifts , not make teams lose a defensive strategy exposing hitters weaknesses.
What next, hitters telling the Umps what pitches are allowed to be thrown to them..
Editing to add: pitch clock needed, making batter ready a must.
Mike Hargrove - The Human Rain Delay - YouTube
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I don't think stepping out of the batters box for 2 minutes after every pitch to adjust your hitting glove is a hallowed tradition or integral part of the game. When they go too far, oppose it. But this makes the game better.
I’ve already given my opinion.
I’m grateful for and happy as hell about the clock.
I’m 100% against banning the shift.
You set up your defense and you pitch to the hitters according to your defense.
You should be able tell 7 players to go sit in centerfield like old Satch did if you want, as long as 7 of them are inside the white lines
And it's not like they are getting signs so no reason to step out. No one hit & runs or sacrifices.
In the 1946 World Series the Cardinals shifted for Ted Williams EXACTLY the way they do today.
He tried to smash his way through it and later said his stubbornness to hit the ball the other way cost his team the series
He tried to smash his way through it and later said his stubbornness to hit the ball the other way cost his team the series
In fairness it’s not that easy considering the pitchers are all seemingly throwing 100 mph today. They pitch and defend you based on precise computer readouts that’s calculated by percentages exactly where you hit the ball.
Bunting 100 mph and 90 mph breaking balls, not as easy as it sounds.
There was no such thing as a batting glove. Players use to wear golf gloves. Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson claimed to be the first one to wear them in a game.
I hear what you're saying. I faced some hard throwers in the day but nothing like the guys today. The velocity today is crazy. Always admire the skill of great hitters.
You're saying guys now are just deducing pitch and location hoping for the best? Can't choose which half of the field to put it in play?
I would see, on a regular basis, pitchers throwing low and away with the infield shifted to pull and just scratch my head. I thought why not just go with it and drive it opposite field? Guessing with the speed now there is no thought process @ all. Just put a bat on it. Crazy
The consequences of analytics (shifts, launch angle, no stealing, no productive outs, no butting, always swing for HRs, pitching changes, 95+ mph is a must, etc):
The consequences of analytics (shifts, launch angle, no stealing, no productive outs, no butting, always swing for HRs, pitching changes, 95+ mph is a must, etc):
Go back to '67 and '68 and those numbers were similar to the last 5 years. IIRC Yaz won the '67 AL batting title with a .301 BA. 2nd place was .267. There is more involved than analytics.
I think no butting has had the biggest effect.The consequences of analytics (shifts, launch angle, no stealing, no productive outs, no butting, always swing for HRs, pitching changes, 95+ mph is a must, etc):
Last sentence is correct Cowbell imo.
The shear velocity of both fastball and slider has removed hitting mechanics from the game and replaced it with reaction and self preservation.
Good luck keeping that shoulder in, bat back and taking that 100 mile an hour down and away fastball the other way.
If I used that approach to hit off of Nolan I’m not sure I’d be here today typing this.
The shift forces good power hitters either to forego their power and try to hit to the open part of the field, or swing for the fences and increase (greatly) strikeouts. Both adversely affect the performance of hitters with no recourse.
You are right about the shift for players like Rod Carew or Tony Gwynn - but the D doesn't shift for guys who can hit to all fields as one of their strengths.
Basically it's a re-evening of the game.
Once the dust settles and players get with the program, I would make an exception to the rule to prevent violations from ending games:
But for now, call all violations! Tough love.
Yeah that probably needs to be addressed.
The consequences of analytics (shifts, launch angle, no stealing, no productive outs, no butting, always swing for HRs, pitching changes, 95+ mph is a must, etc):
I'd lower the mound too.
In today's Athletic article on the Phillies there's a interesting tidbit about one of the lesser talked about changes the limiting of pitcher disengagements (pickoffs attempts and step offs) from the rubber. It seems that pickoff attempts have increased the past couple of years with the use of the pitcher/catcher/infielder com devices. With the new rule that will go down, which IMO is good for the game.
Relevant info from the article:
Relevant info from the article:
My only issue with that is what happens when you run out of pickoff attempts? The runner gets a walking lead off the base for an easy steal?
Totally agree...I'm not opposed to the clock issue, but I have a real problem with the shift...or lack of creating a shift.
Where do you draw the line? What's next, no foul balls?
MO
I dislike the pitch clock rule change for one primary reason ... pitchers and batters taking too long to get ready are not the reason games take so long now. Anyone who has ever watched a Yankees vs. Red Sox game knows the reason games take too freaking long is because of the inevitable 13 pitching changes. The reason games take forever is because the managers (and really, it's now the General Managers and front offices) try to micromanage every aspect of the game and they bring in reliever after reliever after reliever. And the easy solution to fix that is to simply make the rosters smaller. Everyone knows this; it's obvious. Less pitchers on the roster means you can't bring them into the game. The problem is that MLB will never, ever implement this obvious solution for two reasons: (1) each pitching change is accompanied by a 12 minute commercial break while the guy comes in from the bullpen and warms up, and (2) bigger major league rosters are (and were) an easy concession to make in collective bargaining. I hate the 3 batter minimum rule and the man-on-second in extra innings rule for the same reason.
That said, even hating the pitch clock ... if we're gonna have it, 15 seconds feels too short. Everything felt rushed this weekend.
That said, even hating the pitch clock ... if we're gonna have it, 15 seconds feels too short. Everything felt rushed this weekend.
Next proposal: No more "double play depth", "No doubles OF" or "IF in to avoid a bunt".
It's not fair to the batters......
Each fielder will have a designated 3'×3' square they have to be in when the pitch is thrown.