Red Sox To Sign J.D. Martinez

[Kimmi]

Interleague has nothing to do with pacing. It has everything to do with fixing baseball. When teams play each other all year, the All Star Game and the World Series lose some of their aura.

 

I don't know about that.

 

I enjoy interleague play. I enjoy playing against teams that we don't see that often.

[Kimmi]

Watching pitchers hit is embarrassing. Just get rid of it.

 

I also enjoy watching pitchers hit, or attempt to hit.

 

Porcello's double not too long ago was awesome.

 

The injury risk is too great though. If I had to choose, I'd agree to go with the DH, but I'd be okay the other way too.

[Bellhorn04]

Yeah, so cut the ads.

 

Problem solved.

 

But the ads are a big part of what pays for it all.

[Kimmi]

But the ads are a big part of what pays for it all.

 

I get that, and I know that will never happen.

 

Bottom line $$$$.

[mvp 78]

Yeah, so cut the ads.

 

Problem solved.

 

You can't. The tv deals would crater (even though I think they will eventually anyway). You need to keep the ads, but increase the pace of play.

[mvp 78]

I get that, and I know that will never happen.

 

Bottom line $$$$.

 

That's why it's so much easier to just add a pitch clock.

[notin]

9. force the NL to use the DH

 

Exactly. I've been quietly and ineffectivel campaigning for this for years.

 

The whole "strategy" element of deciding to bat the pitcher late in games is all but dead since the pitch count became a ubiquitous measure. There are only two leagues that do not employ yhr DH in the world - the Pacific Coast League in Japan and the National League. And the PCL is definitely the junior league in Japan. Why is the prominent NL the only other reluctant league?

[mvp 78]

I don't know about that.

 

I enjoy interleague play. I enjoy playing against teams that we don't see that often.

 

When the teams never interact except during the All Star Game and the WS, it greatly increases the aura around those games. Fans don't watch the WS as much anymore. This could help to change that. Make it a marquee event again.

[Slasher9]

want to make the WS a marquee event?

make it 1 game - winner take all - on a Sunday evening.

f*** america the beautiful...get beyonce to perform a few diddies during the elongated 7th inning stretch....

[moonslav59]

I don't know about that.

 

I enjoy interleague play. I enjoy playing against teams that we don't see that often.

 

I agree.

 

I'd expand interleague play, so we play every NL team 2 games (2 x 15=30). We play other AL teams 6 games (6 x 10=60). We play our own division 18 games (18 x 4=72).

 

The schedule would still be unbalanced, but at least the interleague part would not be so.

 

[jacksonianmarch]

Pujols put up a .299/.366/.541 slash in his walk year with StL. While it was down from his peak with OPS's over 1.1 4 times, it was still worth 4 WAR and his BABIP was down. Im sure they thought theyd get generational talent Pujols for 5 years. Instead they got good Pujols for 1 and nothing for 9.

[S5Dewey]

want to make the WS a marquee event?

make it 1 game - winner take all - on a Sunday evening.

f*** america the beautiful...get beyonce to perform a few diddies during the elongated 7th inning stretch....

 

BLASPHEMY! (but true).

[Spudboy]

I don't know about that.

 

I enjoy interleague play. I enjoy playing against teams that we don't see that often.

 

Yup.

 

It's cool to see the other league.

 

And since the Sox seem to gorge on NL teams it feeds my ego about the AL being superior. Not that I know that the AL is that.

[sk7326]

Yup.

 

It's cool to see the other league.

 

And since the Sox seem to gorge on NL teams it feeds my ego about the AL being superior. Not that I know that the AL is that.

 

In terms of the rules - you'd expect the AL to have an advantage (even if it is small and very noisy). For the most part, ALL pitchers suck at hitting ... and the AL is almost always sitting a better player in the NL park than the NL is serving up to be an AL DH.

[cp176]

1. Agree

 

2. Strongly disagree

 

3. People love dingers. It's what got fans back after the strike shortened season. No one cares about bunting.

 

4. Not every pitcher has the ability to pitch to contact based on their stuff.

 

Honestly, none of us posting on here are "average fans". To spend hours upon hours debating the Sox online is not something the typical fan does.

 

I get the fact that everybody loves the long ball - well not everybody. Do people love the number of strikeouts just as much? Also, what did I just read - the average time now between batted balls in play is what 4 minutes - just a little too long for most. Many more pitchers just throwing as opposed to pitching. I think that it is things like these that are not making the game a better game. My question would be what's happening and what's causing it too happen? Not to mention once again an over emphasis on shifts. An over emphasis on analytics has led to these changes. If the "average" fan wants to watch a game like what we are seeing develop today - so be it. Also, yes I mentioned the word bunting an it obviously become a focal point of my statement. It shouldn't be. Whatever people think about the art of bunting it is and has been an integral part of the game along with all of the so called "small" ball concepts. I think that all of us want to see the best brand of baseball played that we can see, I don't really think that that is what we are seeing.

[Emp9]

I guess your point is that the protection effect occurs in some isolated instances, but not consistently. Sort of like really cheap condoms?

 

Yes! Way better than I could put it:D

[Emp9]

Not only baseball is dealing with cord cutting, their s***** MLB blackout policy and numerous other entertainment options available today, but the average game is longer than it ever has been before. It's slower than it ever has been before. In the 50's through the 70's, the average game length was consistently 2:30. Now, we have an additional 30 minutes to sit through with pitching changes, commercial breaks and pitchers lollygagging on the mound. None of that increases viewer interest. The game is longer and more boring than ever. The amount of plate appearances per game has been 75 - 77 in the modern era. The bloat has come from the game just slowing to a crawl. Attention spans aren't what they once were and it is killing these broadcasts.

 

Attendance figures overall are still really strong so the interest is still there. However, MLB has just not been able to fix the product for the at home viewer.

 

If I were commissioner:

 

1. no more interleague play

2. pitching clock

3. robot assistance for balls and strikes (would just have homeplate umps were google glass or something behind the plate)

4. built in double headers (provides more overall days off for players)

5. increase roster size

6. limit the amount of pitching changes per inning

7. instant replay for scoring plays only

8. completely revamp the All Star Game (have a money prize for the winners)

 

Good post. It’s not so much that the games are too long ( although that IS a problem ), it’s that more things need to happen during the game than just suffering through K after K to get to a HR. It needs constant action to compete with other sports.

1) nay

2) Yea

3) Yea

4) Nay

5) Yea

6) Nay ( maybe countinue to limit mound visits? )

7) Nay ( But get rid of having to “ go to NY “ on Replays. No need for all that and thats why it takes so long)

8) Yea ( League should consult w/ Mookie Betts about all this )

 

I think putting limits on exteme Shifts and adding a Pitch Clock would work wonders for the game. More action AND speed it up at the same time. Other sports are built around a clock, doesn’t hurt them. The details of such a pitch clock are worth pondering but I don’t think it would hurt the game if done correctly.

[sk7326]

Not only baseball is dealing with cord cutting, their s***** MLB blackout policy and numerous other entertainment options available today, but the average game is longer than it ever has been before. It's slower than it ever has been before. In the 50's through the 70's, the average game length was consistently 2:30. Now, we have an additional 30 minutes to sit through with pitching changes, commercial breaks and pitchers lollygagging on the mound. None of that increases viewer interest. The game is longer and more boring than ever. The amount of plate appearances per game has been 75 - 77 in the modern era. The bloat has come from the game just slowing to a crawl. Attention spans aren't what they once were and it is killing these broadcasts.

 

Attendance figures overall are still really strong so the interest is still there. However, MLB has just not been able to fix the product for the at home viewer.

 

If I were commissioner:

 

1. no more interleague play

2. pitching clock

3. robot assistance for balls and strikes (would just have homeplate umps were google glass or something behind the plate)

4. built in double headers (provides more overall days off for players)

5. increase roster size

6. limit the amount of pitching changes per inning

7. instant replay for scoring plays only

8. completely revamp the All Star Game (have a money prize for the winners)

 

1. No - but I'd curb it ... see below

2. No

3. Yes, Yes, Yes

4. No

5. Yes - sort of ... expand the rosters to 28 players, but only 25 active in a given game. One of the inactive players is a pitcher - who can be activated if a game goes extras

6. With the 6 mound visits a game, this is probably not necessary.

7. Not sure this is that important ... the review process should be tightened for sure

8. I like the idea of just stealing what the NHL does (especially if we go 4 divisions) - two 3 inning semifinals and a 3 inning final ... 16-man rosters for each division.

 

Obviously with #1, that'd involve yada-yada'ing away territorial monopolies, but since we're dreaming:

 

- Move the A's to San Jose (where they've wanted to go all along)

- Move Tampa somewhere else. I'd suggest somewhere in North Carolina.

- Expand to Austin/San Antonio, Bring back Les Expos

 

DIVISIONS:

 

AL East: BOS, NYY, TOR, BAL, NC, CLE, DET, CHW

AL West: TEX, HOU, ANA, SJ, SEA, KC, MIN, MIL

NL East: ATL, WAS, NYM, MIA, PHI, PIT, CIN, MON

NL West: SA, LA, SF, COL, ARI, SD, CHC, STL

 

12 games in division, 9 games cross division

Interleague is 6 games ... NYY-NYM, TOR-MTL, BAL-WAS, CLE-CIN, CHW-CHC, ANA-LA, SJ-SF, KC-STL, Rotate HOU/TEX-SA are locked in, the other 8 matchups rotate (or maybe have a lottery drawing)

 

Brand the interleague games collectively - you know, like the "Dodge, AL/NL showdown" or something cheesy like that. The league that wins it gets the home field in the WS.

[mvp 78]

I wouldn't expand, I'd contract.

[Kimmi]

That's why it's so much easier to just add a pitch clock.

 

Yes, it would be much easier to add a pitch clock.

 

I'm just saying that I'm against it.

[Kimmi]

Pujols put up a .299/.366/.541 slash in his walk year with StL. While it was down from his peak with OPS's over 1.1 4 times, it was still worth 4 WAR and his BABIP was down. Im sure they thought theyd get generational talent Pujols for 5 years. Instead they got good Pujols for 1 and nothing for 9.

 

I figured Pujols would earn his contract for at least 5 years, but this goes to show you how quickly even the best players can fizzle.

[Kimmi]

I agree.

 

I'd expand interleague play, so we play every NL team 2 games (2 x 15=30). We play other AL teams 6 games (6 x 10=60). We play our own division 18 games (18 x 4=72).

 

The schedule would still be unbalanced, but at least the interleague part would not be so.

 

 

Yup.

 

It's cool to see the other league.

 

And since the Sox seem to gorge on NL teams it feeds my ego about the AL being superior. Not that I know that the AL is that.

 

I am glad to see others enjoy the interleague games as I do.

 

I think the AL is the superior league, but that just might be bias.

 

I know that many fans of the NL absolutely hate the idea of having a DH.

[Kimmi]

Good post. It’s not so much that the games are too long ( although that IS a problem ), it’s that more things need to happen during the game than just suffering through K after K to get to a HR. It needs constant action to compete with other sports.

1) nay

2) Yea

3) Yea

4) Nay

5) Yea

6) Nay ( maybe countinue to limit mound visits? )

7) Nay ( But get rid of having to “ go to NY “ on Replays. No need for all that and thats why it takes so long)

8) Yea ( League should consult w/ Mookie Betts about all this )

 

I think putting limits on exteme Shifts and adding a Pitch Clock would work wonders for the game. More action AND speed it up at the same time. Other sports are built around a clock, doesn’t hurt them. The details of such a pitch clock are worth pondering but I don’t think it would hurt the game if done correctly.

 

That certainly seems to be the opinion of casual fans or non fans, that there is not enough action or excitement in baseball. In other words, baseball is boring.

 

IMO, trying to somehow create more action within the game, at the expense of some of the little nuances of the game that make it such a beautiful sport, would not be a positive.

[jacksonianmarch]

The old how to fix baseball idea. Well, I might as well throw my hat into the ring....

 

1. DH for all leagues. No point in watching pitchers get hurt on the bases or swinging the bat. I like watching pitchers hit as much as I like seeing the Little League All Star pitcher face the runt kid at the end of the bench. It's embarrassing for the pitcher hitting and is unnecessary

 

2. With 2 wild cards and a play in game, I find the need for 3 divisions to be utterly useless. I would add two teams to make 32 total with 16 in the AL and 16 in the NL. We would then have 2 8 team divisions within each league. The winner of each division gets a bye in the playoffs. The other 4 teams will square off 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5. It would be a best of 3 series played in the higher seed's ballpark on 3 consecutive days. The ALDS will start the following day. With the likely need for a one day buffer after the season and before the wild card games, that will leave a maximum of 4 days off for division winners, allowing them to fight for the division to the last day using their ace in the process and getting them back for game 1 of the ALDS. Wild card teams who advance will have presumably burned at least their top 2 starters and if it went to 3 games, their top 3. This would convey a huge advantage to the division winning teams. The regular season would feature equal games vs all same league teams and a smaller but equal amount of games vs the interleague teams. All teams within the same league will play all teams an equal amount of times, which would ensure that the teams fighting for the playoffs don't have an advantage or disadvantage based on scheduling.

 

3. Each spot in the order gets a single strike zone challenge per game. This would be reviewed by electronic means with an immediate result. The batter must make the request within 3 seconds of the pitch. Conversely, a team gets 9 strike or ball challenges per game on the pitching side with the catcher making that request within 3 seconds. This preserves the ability of the umpires to manage nearly all of the game with the batter and pitcher having some say on egregious calls

 

4. 28 man rosters with 25 active is a brilliant idea. Stash the last 3 starters on the inactive before each game and actually have 24 of your 25 guys able to enter the game. This will flesh out some benches and allow for better pinch hitting opportunities later in the game. As it is, every pen is deep and a lot of teams are carrying 13 pitchers. This allows for only 3 bench guys limiting the effectiveness of the pinch hitters to preserve depth

 

5. You cannot limit the amount of pitching changes per inning, but you can require a pitcher to face 3 batters. This will effectively limit the LOOGY's and force a manager to play more than just matchups. Also, any pitcher removed for "injury" before their 3rd batter gets immediately placed on the DL.

 

6. Move teams from abysmal fan bases. We have some great cities in this country and in Canada. Why do we continue to watch games in Oakland and TB? Move Oakland to SJ (I like that idea). Move TB to the Carolinas or to New Orleans. Expand in Las Vegas and in Boston (yes, an NL Boston team or maybe outskirts of Boston like Foxboro). Montreal had a terrible fan base. No need to revisit that mistake.

Edited August 24, 2018 by jacksonianmarch

[Emp9]

That certainly seems to be the opinion of casual fans or non fans, that there is not enough action or excitement in baseball. In other words, baseball is boring.

 

IMO, trying to somehow create more action within the game, at the expense of some of the little nuances of the game that make it such a beautiful sport, would not be a positive.

 

Me? I’d rather watch a “boring” baseball game than an “exciting” football game any day. But a Pitch Clock would not ruin the game. And limiting the Shifts wouldn’t ruin it either. There is widespread concern throughout the league about MLB keeping up with the NBA, the NFL and other sports. The game of baseball has always been strong enough to survive minor tweaks. That’s what they’d be in my opinion. What’s so beautiful about the shift anyway? The shift hampers the action that was always there to begin with. It would be organically creating more action by getting rid of it (in most capacities).

[Station 13]

Pujols put up a .299/.366/.541 slash in his walk year with StL. While it was down from his peak with OPS's over 1.1 4 times, it was still worth 4 WAR and his BABIP was down. Im sure they thought theyd get generational talent Pujols for 5 years. Instead they got good Pujols for 1 and nothing for 9.

 

They gave Pujols an astronomical contract that was never going to be lived up to. JD couldn't even find a market until 5+ months ago this year.

[Emp9]

The old how to fix baseball idea. Well, I might as well throw my hat into the ring....

 

1. DH for all leagues. No point in watching pitchers get hurt on the bases or swinging the bat. I like watching pitchers hit as much as I like seeing the Little League All Star pitcher face the runt kid at the end of the bench. It's embarrassing for the pitcher hitting and is unnecessary

 

2. With 2 wild cards and a play in game, I find the need for 3 divisions to be utterly useless. I would add two teams to make 32 total with 16 in the AL and 16 in the NL. We would then have 2 8 team divisions within each league. The winner of each division gets a bye in the playoffs. The other 4 teams will square off 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5. It would be a best of 3 series played in the higher seed's ballpark on 3 consecutive days. The ALDS will start the following day. With the likely need for a one day buffer after the season and before the wild card games, that will leave a maximum of 4 days off for division winners, allowing them to fight for the division to the last day using their ace in the process and getting them back for game 1 of the ALDS. Wild card teams who advance will have presumably burned at least their top 2 starters and if it went to 3 games, their top 3. This would convey a huge advantage to the division winning teams. The regular season would feature equal games vs all same league teams and a smaller but equal amount of games vs the interleague teams. All teams within the same league will play all teams an equal amount of times, which would ensure that the teams fighting for the playoffs don't have an advantage or disadvantage based on scheduling.

 

3. Each spot in the order gets a single strike zone challenge per game. This would be reviewed by electronic means with an immediate result. The batter must make the request within 3 seconds of the pitch. Conversely, a team gets 9 strike or ball challenges per game on the pitching side with the catcher making that request within 3 seconds. This preserves the ability of the umpires to manage nearly all of the game with the batter and pitcher having some say on egregious calls

 

4. 28 man rosters with 25 active is a brilliant idea. Stash the last 3 starters on the inactive before each game and actually have 24 of your 25 guys able to enter the game. This will flesh out some benches and allow for better pinch hitting opportunities later in the game. As it is, every pen is deep and a lot of teams are carrying 13 pitchers. This allows for only 3 bench guys limiting the effectiveness of the pinch hitters to preserve depth

 

5. You cannot limit the amount of pitching changes per inning, but you can require a pitcher to face 3 batters. This will effectively limit the LOOGY's and force a manager to play more than just matchups. Also, any pitcher removed for "injury" before their 3rd batter gets immediately placed on the DL.

 

6. Move teams from abysmal fan bases. We have some great cities in this country and in Canada. Why do we continue to watch games in Oakland and TB? Move Oakland to SJ (I like that idea). Move TB to the Carolinas or to New Orleans. Expand in Las Vegas and in Boston (yes, an NL Boston team or maybe outskirts of Boston like Foxboro). Montreal had a terrible fan base. No need to revisit that mistake.

 

I like most of these ideas, if not all of them.

[Bellhorn04]

One of the things I love about JDM is that when he hits the ball he is into running mode immediately, almost like that's a designed part of his swing. He takes nothing for granted. When you hit it you run, you don't watch it.

 

Makes him a pretty good model for kids.

[sk7326]

They gave Pujols an astronomical contract that was never going to be lived up to. JD couldn't even find a market until 5+ months ago this year.

 

The Angels knew the last years would stink - they were just hoping the early years (3 years) would be enough along with a gradual decline. That didn't happen.

[sk7326]

The old how to fix baseball idea. Well, I might as well throw my hat into the ring....

 

1. DH for all leagues. No point in watching pitchers get hurt on the bases or swinging the bat. I like watching pitchers hit as much as I like seeing the Little League All Star pitcher face the runt kid at the end of the bench. It's embarrassing for the pitcher hitting and is unnecessary

 

2. With 2 wild cards and a play in game, I find the need for 3 divisions to be utterly useless. I would add two teams to make 32 total with 16 in the AL and 16 in the NL. We would then have 2 8 team divisions within each league. The winner of each division gets a bye in the playoffs. The other 4 teams will square off 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5. It would be a best of 3 series played in the higher seed's ballpark on 3 consecutive days. The ALDS will start the following day. With the likely need for a one day buffer after the season and before the wild card games, that will leave a maximum of 4 days off for division winners, allowing them to fight for the division to the last day using their ace in the process and getting them back for game 1 of the ALDS. Wild card teams who advance will have presumably burned at least their top 2 starters and if it went to 3 games, their top 3. This would convey a huge advantage to the division winning teams. The regular season would feature equal games vs all same league teams and a smaller but equal amount of games vs the interleague teams. All teams within the same league will play all teams an equal amount of times, which would ensure that the teams fighting for the playoffs don't have an advantage or disadvantage based on scheduling.

 

3. Each spot in the order gets a single strike zone challenge per game. This would be reviewed by electronic means with an immediate result. The batter must make the request within 3 seconds of the pitch. Conversely, a team gets 9 strike or ball challenges per game on the pitching side with the catcher making that request within 3 seconds. This preserves the ability of the umpires to manage nearly all of the game with the batter and pitcher having some say on egregious calls

 

4. 28 man rosters with 25 active is a brilliant idea. Stash the last 3 starters on the inactive before each game and actually have 24 of your 25 guys able to enter the game. This will flesh out some benches and allow for better pinch hitting opportunities later in the game. As it is, every pen is deep and a lot of teams are carrying 13 pitchers. This allows for only 3 bench guys limiting the effectiveness of the pinch hitters to preserve depth

 

5. You cannot limit the amount of pitching changes per inning, but you can require a pitcher to face 3 batters. This will effectively limit the LOOGY's and force a manager to play more than just matchups. Also, any pitcher removed for "injury" before their 3rd batter gets immediately placed on the DL.

 

6. Move teams from abysmal fan bases. We have some great cities in this country and in Canada. Why do we continue to watch games in Oakland and TB? Move Oakland to SJ (I like that idea). Move TB to the Carolinas or to New Orleans. Expand in Las Vegas and in Boston (yes, an NL Boston team or maybe outskirts of Boston like Foxboro). Montreal had a terrible fan base. No need to revisit that mistake.

 

I think Austin/San Antonio could clearly support a team. Vegas might (and I am generally hesitant as a baseball fan to have another elevation driven launching pad). If there were no territorial issues, Brooklyn would be an obvious candidate.

 

It is hard to say the Expos fan base was bad because they reacted poorly to how horribly baseball treated them - between the Loria reign, getting rid of their French radio outlet, the 3-way franchise deal with Boston and Miami, and then the league running them as a ward of the state. IF they had ownership that was committed to actually serving that community it could (Would) very well work out.