OT: Changes coming to baseball rules...

[brodo]

Two big changes are coming to major league baseball. They are 1) raising the bottom part of the strike zone and 2) no longer requiring a pitcher to throw 4 pitches out of the strike zone to issue an intentional walk - they will simply indicate to the ump that they wish to intentionally walk a batter and then the ump tells the batter to take his base.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...-agrees-changes-strike-zone-intentional-walks

 

[mikemarc1]

Two big changes are coming to major league baseball. They are 1) raising the bottom part of the strike zone and 2) no longer requiring a pitcher to throw 4 pitches out of the strike zone to issue an intentional walk - they will simply indicate to the ump that they wish to intentionally walk a batter and then the ump tells the batter to take his base.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...-agrees-changes-strike-zone-intentional-walks

I never understood the reasoning to throw 4 pitches for an intentional walk..this change makes sense.

The strike zone is so subjective as it is...this rule won't make much difference, in my opinion.

 

[Caliknight]

Baseball needs time limits. It's a boring game by nature, but having 20 some seconds between every single pitch is stagnation. Football can get plays off at a max of 40 in the NFL, and that by nature is a much more exciting game.

College baseball has much quicker games. MLB needs to follow their lead, and if they need a clock to do it, then so be it.

 

[retired711]

In the 1972 world series, the Oakland A's Rollie Fingers struck out Johnny Bench on a 3-2 pitch by having the catcher stand and signal for an intentional walk, then throwing a slider over the outside corner. And I believe Miguel Cabrera once actually hit an attempted pitchout when the ball came too close to the plate. These will be things of the past -- just to save a few seconds. It would be better to focus on the time between pitches and the time between half-innings.

 

[RUfromSoCal?]

they should have the manager throw a red challenge flag from behind the 3-point arch to signal an intentional walk.

 

[Caliknight]

Agree. If you want to walk a guy, you should have to actually walk him. Mistakes can happen. How many x does that happen in a game anyway? It isn't going to help the pace of play.

 

[LC-88]

Agree. If you want to walk a guy, you should have to actually walk him. Mistakes can happen. How many x does that happen in a game anyway? It isn't going to help the pace of play.

True. When my son played in Little League Majors championship game for our town, I was an assistant coach. 5th inning, runner on 2nd. My son had hit home runs in his previous two at bats. Other team starts to intentionally walk him. After first pitch out, our guy on 2nd base is having a friendly conversation with the 2nd baseman. I yell at him to pay attention, because you never know what can happen on a pitch out. Next pitch out goes over the cathcher's head. Our guy gets to 3rd. Ended up scoring on a pass ball.

 

[T2Kplus10]

The fix for baseball is simple, after the first pitch of a batter, the batter can't step out of the box and the pitcher can't leave the mound expect to retrieve a ball or try to pick off a runner.

 

[PeteGiam07]

These are pros and its just like playing catch for 4 pitches. One mistake every 20 years isnt worth keeping it part of the game. This isnt the movie rookie of the year or major league.

 

[c10j10s]

The fix for baseball is simple, after the first pitch of a batter, the batter can't step out of the box and the pitcher can't leave the mound expect to retrieve a ball or try to pick of a runner.

This.

 

[miketd1]

I think this is similar to hockey: either you're already a fan and you'll watch regardless or you're not and you most likely never will.

Tweaking the game to gain a few fringe fans is just going to tick off the base.

Saving 5 minutes isn't suddenly going to change the game itself into a high octane contest that would appeal to the A.D.D generation.

 

[DontTedonMe]

I never understood the reasoning to throw 4 pitches for an intentional walk..this change makes sense.

.

Rollie Fingers might disagree. See '72 World Series.

 

[rubaseball78]

The shift is hurting the game but I'm not ready to say they need a rule to stop it. Can't believe how many times I see hitters come up, their team down a couple runs and need base runners, and they hit right into the shift for an out. Take the bunt or hit to left.

 

[RU4Real]

In the 1972 world series, the Oakland A's Rollie Fingers struck out Johnny Bench on a 3-2 pitch by having the catcher stand and signal for an intentional walk, then throwing a slider over the outside corner. And I believe Miguel Cabrera once actually hit an attempted pitchout when the ball came too close to the plate. These will be things of the past -- just to save a few seconds. It would be better to focus on the time between pitches and the time between half-innings.

This.

Intentional walks should require the pitcher to throw four pitches outside the strike zone.

 

[RUfinal4]

The strike zone thing is subjective anyway but I always liked the knees to letters rule.

Fow walks they should be to throw 4 pitches because things happen. The pitches should be required when players are on base because they may want to steal or there can be a passed ball. If they allow it maybe you need a challenge like flag to be thrown where the team walking the batter has to give up something (ie. the next batter starts with a 2 ball and no strike count).

 

[tico brown]

The shift is hurting the game but I'm not ready to say they need a rule to stop it. Can't believe how many times I see hitters come up, their team down a couple runs and need base runners, and they hit right into the shift for an out. Take the bunt or hit to left.

The shift is not hurting the game. It's these $20, $30 million dead pull hitters who forgot or never learned how to become complete hitters.

As for the IBB, the automatic walk is idiotic, like little league. Maybe not allow the catcher stand up with his hand out and pitch to him in his crouch for the IBB?

As for the strike zone, they should fine umpires for not calling balls and strikes by the book. This should not be abstract art according to that ump. I don't know why umps are allow to make up their own strike zone all this time.

These sports comissioners are killing their own sports to justify or tell their athletes its ok if you're too lazy or not good enough to work on your craft. You want to beat the shift, hit the other way. You want to beat the Hack a Shaq, shoot free throws. Take off those stick um gloves that allows wide receivers to make one handed, catch 70 mph balls like nerd balls.

 

[LevaosLectures]

Baseball needs time limits. It's a boring game by nature, but having 20 some seconds between every single pitch is stagnation. Football can get plays off at a max of 40 in the NFL, and that by nature is a much more exciting game.

College baseball has much quicker games. MLB needs to follow their lead, and if they need a clock to do it, then so be it.

You don't like baseball. You mention it every baseball thread. I don't think the solution is to change baseball to appeal to people who hate baseball. Enforce the rules that exist. Maybe lower the mound to reduce strikeouts.

 

[herdof3]

I saw something a couple of years ago about how much faster the games are on getaway days. Coincidence?

 

[herdof3]

How about treating trips to the mound as timeouts. You get 3 a game.

 

[mikemarc1]

This.

Intentional walks should require the pitcher to throw four pitches outside the strike zone.

That would just be a "walk"..

There's no need for "intentional" walks..

 

[rubaseball78]

The shift is not hurting the game. It's these $20, $30 million dead pull hitters who forgot or never learned how to become complete hitters.

As for the IBB, the automatic walk is idiotic, like little league. Maybe not allow the catcher stand up with his hand out and pitch to him in his crouch for the IBB?

As for the strike zone, they should fine umpires for not calling balls and strikes by the book. This should not be abstract art according to that ump. I don't know why umps are allow to make up their own strike zone all this time.

These sports comissioners are killing their own sports to justify or tell their athletes its ok if you're too lazy or not good enough to work on your craft. You want to beat the shift, hit the other way. You want to beat the Hack a Shaq, shoot free throws. Take off those stick um gloves that allows wide receivers to make one handed, catch 70 mph balls like nerd balls.

Exactly why I said I'm not ready to put in a rule to outlaw.

 

[Source]

In the 1972 world series, the Oakland A's Rollie Fingers struck out Johnny Bench on a 3-2 pitch by having the catcher stand and signal for an intentional walk, then throwing a slider over the outside corner. And I believe Miguel Cabrera once actually hit an attempted pitchout when the ball came too close to the plate. These will be things of the past -- just to save a few seconds. It would be better to focus on the time between pitches and the time between half-innings.

I remember that.

Exactly how many intentional walks are there in a game and how much time does that really save in your typical game? And, of course, there will be the mistaken signals between pitcher and umpire on whether he wanted to give the batter a free pass. Regarding the strike zone, I think players just want to see consistency in umpires. You give them that, and they'll figure out the rest.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Intentional walk should require four pitches - keep tiring out the pitcher's arm - and as said above, anything can happen. Plus, as also said above, it's a minor part of the game.

 

[Purple-Ed]

Baseball is near perfect - leave it alone.

 

[RUtrumpet92]

I don't like either change. If anything, they need to raise the top of the strIke zone back to what the rules are.

The shifts are great IMO. Advantages for the teams that are better at figuring out what the opponent does not do well and make them try to do that. It will take time for batters to adjust and hit away from the shifts if that is what they want to do.

Games take longer than before because of more commercials between half innings and from some hitters having ridiculously long routines between every pitch. An extra 30 second commercial every half inning adds 8+ minutes to every game.

 

[retired711]

I'm pretty old now (almost 65), so forgive me for saying that when I was a kid, Yankee games started at 8 p.m. and were over with by 10:15 or so. I would listen as Luis Arroyo would pitch the ninth inning and often save the game for Whitey Ford. (I'm thinking 1961, the year Ford went 25-4 or something like that.

Yes, all the strike zone needs to be is consistent (at least within reason). Disputes happen when an umpire calls a strike on a pitch he had been calling a ball.

I don't know if I'd say baseball is near perfect, but it's always been my favorite sport. I don't think that most people here feel that way, but then again, this *is* a football board.

 

[DJ Spanky]

I don't know if I'd say baseball is near perfect, but it's always been my favorite sport. I don't think that most people here feel that way, but then again, this *is* a football board.

Baseball was my favorite game, which I followed religiously, up until the 1994 strike.

 

[BoogieKnight]

I'm going to get killed for saying this but in addition to keeping the batters in the box and pitchers on the mound (not stepping out of the box or off the rubber after the first pitch of an at-bat) which I think would be great rule changes, I think they need to make the dimensions of ballparks bigger again (except Wrigley and Fenway of course). Many people think the most exciting play in baseball is the home run...I vehemently disagree with this because fundamentally speaking the ball goes out of play. The most exciting play in baseball is a play at the plate and with home runs and strike outs up and contact down these opportunities are few and far between in today's game. Also the stolen base is all but a lost art in major league baseball and to me that is totally sad. I remember growing up when guys like Ricky Henderson and Vince Coleman would swipe 100+ bags a piece every season. I guess it's pretty clear that I'm a "National League" guy although I root for both home NY teams. I think the addition of the DH and the steroid era both lead to the demise of the running game in the sport at the MLB level and it has killed my interest in it.

 

[seels2662]

The real point is that the intentional walk rule won't shorten the game. It happens only once or twice a game and will save probably 45 seconds. The arsenal of relief pitchers that gets trotted out every game each needing 5-10 minutes to warm up is what is slowing it down. Not sure what you can do to fix it.

 

[BoogieKnight]

The real point is that the intentional walk rule won't shorten the game. It happens only once or twice a game and will save probably 45 seconds. The arsenal of relief pitchers that gets trotted out every game each needing 5-10 minutes to warm up is what is slowing it down. Not sure what you can do to fix it.

Implement pitching change restrictions. Imagine you could only make 3 per game? That would be one way to get scoring back up.

 

[brodo]

Baseball was my favorite game, which I followed religiously, up until the 1994 strike.

I felt the same way. I vowed to not follow the game again until "the last of those striking a-holes" had retired. I knew that Chipper Jones was the last player called up before the strike so I kept my eye out on his career. He hung it up a couple of years ago so I started to watch again. I didn't like the changes I saw. Virtual advertising on the backstop and ads on the outfield walls were two of the most aggregious changes. I'm not nearly the fan today that I was 20+ years ago.

 

[BoogieKnight]

I felt the same way. I vowed to not follow the game again until "the last of those striking a-holes" had retired. I knew that Chipper Jones was the last player called up before the strike so I kept my eye out on his career. He hung it up a couple of years ago so I started to watch again. I didn't like the changes I saw. Virtual advertising on the backstop and ads on the outfield walls were two of the most aggregious changes. I'm not nearly the fan today that I was 20+ years ago.

While I wasn't even alive, I'd theorize the last great era in the sport was the 1960's. Pitching hadn't yet been watered down by expansion, pitchers batted in both leagues and there was still a nastiness to the game you just don't see anymore. Even growing up in the 80's i remember how intense the games would be between the Mets and the Reds and Mets and the Cardinals. You saw some of that with Yanks and Bosox in the early 2000's but it's virtually dead.

 

[rbled]

They should just use technology for balls and strikes already. This is the least subjective rule in all of sports. It's either over the plate and in the zone or not. The technology is there and while it may not be 100% it will be much more accurate than umpires and infinitely more consistent.

 

[Bamm Bamm Rubble]

Dying a slow death

 

[DontTedonMe]

While I wasn't even alive, I'd theorize the last great era in the sport was the 1960's. Pitching hadn't yet been watered down by expansion, pitchers batted in both leagues and there was still a nastiness to the game you just don't see anymore. Even growing up in the 80's i remember how intense the games would be between the Mets and the Reds and Mets and the Cardinals. You saw some of that with Yanks and Bosox in the early 2000's but it's virtually dead.

This. The millennial generation wussification the game I would call it. Millenials ruin everything

 

[Caliknight]

I'm pretty old now (almost 65), so forgive me for saying that when I was a kid, Yankee games started at 8 p.m. and were over with by 10:15 or so. I would listen as Luis Arroyo would pitch the ninth inning and often save the game for Whitey Ford. (I'm thinking 1961, the year Ford went 25-4 or something like that.

Yes, all the strike zone needs to be is consistent (at least within reason). Disputes happen when an umpire calls a strike on a pitch he had been calling a ball.

I don't know if I'd say baseball is near perfect, but it's always been my favorite sport. I don't think that most people here feel that way, but then again, this *is* a football board.

Why are average games now 45 minutes longer, advertising?

I have no love for baseball but did watch an RU game. Infinitely better than MLB. The college game lasted 2 hours. MLB has more standing around, spitting, and ball adjusting than action.

 

[RU4Real]

There are a lot of things that contribute to the slowness of the game. Last night Milwaukee brought Frank Capuano in to pitch the last two innings against the Mets. Ron Darling and Gary Cohen were talking about how Capuano "takes a while between pitches with runners on base". A while? I'm pretty sure at one point he ordered Chinese.

 

[retired711]

While I wasn't even alive, I'd theorize the last great era in the sport was the 1960's. Pitching hadn't yet been watered down by expansion, pitchers batted in both leagues and there was still a nastiness to the game you just don't see anymore. Even growing up in the 80's i remember how intense the games would be between the Mets and the Reds and Mets and the Cardinals. You saw some of that with Yanks and Bosox in the early 2000's but it's virtually dead.

The 1960s were a great time, but remember that expansion happened before the 1961 and 1962 seasons. 1961 was a big home run year (Maris, Mantle, Jim Gentile), and that was the year of AL expansion.

 

[retired711]

Why are average games now 45 minutes longer, advertising?

I have no love for baseball but did watch an RU game. Infinitely better than MLB. The college game lasted 2 hours. MLB has more standing around, spitting, and ball adjusting than action.

I think advertising has a lot to do with it. I may be wrong, but I believe the gap between half-innings used to be a minute. It crept up to over two minutes, and that is due to ads. In addition, players have just plain slowed down. Part of this is the decline of the inside pitch, which used to be an excellent way for pitchers to deal with hitters who took forever to get into the box.

I've liked college baseball too, and yes, the game does move more quickly.,

 

[BoogieKnight]

The 1960s were a great time, but remember that expansion happened before the 1961 and 1962 seasons. 1961 was a big home run year (Maris, Mantle, Jim Gentile), and that was the year of AL expansion.

True. I know California is enormous but does it really need FIVE MLB franchises? Texas and Florida definitely needed franchises but IMO the addition of franchises such as SD and KC were not necessary with LAD/LAA already in the So Cal market and STL in the Kansas City/St. Louis market.