The future of baseball

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I don't think you can just play for 1 run with this rule, unless of course you're the home team and the visitors didn't score in their half.

 

Worthy of a discussion though...

 

It's a good point, but hopefully the Red Sox learned that all-or-nothing swinging, even on the road, produced a lot more nothing -- at least in '22.

 

Hopefully the no-shift rule will bring back more contact-oriented attacks. For instance, righties good at hitting behind the runners will have a better chance to reach base themselves and create additional scoring opportunities. I also don't recall many bunt defenses, like in on the corners or any infields-on-the-grass, unless the walk-off was on third.

[notin]

I don't think you can just play for 1 run with this rule, unless of course you're the home team and the visitors didn't score in their half.

 

Worthy of a discussion though...

 

Or if the visitors only scored one run in their half.

 

What this rule does now is brings back sac bunts (situationally) and creates numerous intentional walk scenarios that need to be considered, which can occur even in the ninth…

[mvp 78]

This rule has grown on me. It adds a certain strategic element to extra innings that I like…

 

I'd be fine if they moved it back to the 12th inning.

[mvp 78]

I am not. I am a Marylander.

 

Canadian at heart?

[Bellhorn04]

I'd be fine if they moved it back to the 12th inning.

 

Sure, they'll do that as soon as they eliminate interleague play.

[sk7326]

@JesseRogersESPN

Breaking: MLB’s Joint Competition Committee has voted unanimously to make the extra inning rule permanent for all regular season games moving forward. (2023 and beyond). A runner will be placed at second base at the start of every extra inning.

 

I have gone back and forth - but MLB is often so stoddgy about new rules and tinkering with entertainment value that this is a welcome departure. I don't love the ghost runner - but I do agree that in the regular season having games longer than 12 innings, particularly with how pitchers are handled - is not sustainable and kind of sucks for viewers.

 

Would you prefer something like this over declaring ties after 13 innings or something?

 

I have come around on the shift banning. Mandating suboptimal behavior so there are more balls put into play makes sense to me. Little baseball is fun - not instead of homeruns, but just being able to have that as part of my baseball life.

[sk7326]

And of course, universal DH remains a great idea.

[mvp 78]

I have come around on the shift banning. Mandating suboptimal behavior so there are more balls put into play makes sense to me. Little baseball is fun - not instead of homeruns, but just being able to have that as part of my baseball life.

 

By "putting a ball into play," are you referring to just an increase in hits or just an increase in balls reaching the field? The change in shifting just rewards some deadpull hitters who were unable to hit a ball to the opposite side of 2b. Does that make baseball better? It doesn't bring us back to 1980's Cardinals baseball. I don't think doing away with the shift moves the focus away from homeruns at all.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

By "putting a ball into play," are you referring to just an increase in hits or just an increase in balls reaching the field? The change in shifting just rewards some deadpull hitters who were unable to hit a ball to the opposite side of 2b. Does that make baseball better? It doesn't bring us back to 1980's Cardinals baseball. I don't think doing away with the shift moves the focus away from homeruns at all.

 

I think the pick-off limits -- not the size of the bases -- will result in more stolen bases for certain players... or more balks until skittish pitchers adapt.

[Bellhorn04]

By "putting a ball into play," are you referring to just an increase in hits or just an increase in balls reaching the field? The change in shifting just rewards some deadpull hitters who were unable to hit a ball to the opposite side of 2b. Does that make baseball better? It doesn't bring us back to 1980's Cardinals baseball. I don't think doing away with the shift moves the focus away from homeruns at all.

 

I think it makes the game a little better. Seeing a guy smash one on the ground between first and second only to have it played by a guy in short right field wasn't a great thing to watch. Nor was seeing a guy smash one on the ground up the middle only to have it played by the shifted SS.

[sk7326]

By "putting a ball into play," are you referring to just an increase in hits or just an increase in balls reaching the field? The change in shifting just rewards some deadpull hitters who were unable to hit a ball to the opposite side of 2b. Does that make baseball better? It doesn't bring us back to 1980's Cardinals baseball. I don't think doing away with the shift moves the focus away from homeruns at all.

 

Oh i am not sure it will work necessarily - but I am okay with trying it. The sport - at a 30,000 foot level - has been trending towards less and less action, and I really do appreciate attempts to roll that back. The sport shouldn't be snooty and overly precious about tradition in exchange for trying to make the sport more entertaining.

 

The pitch clock is fine too - in the minor leagues it did knock time off the games, and as long as nobody's arm falls off whatever.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'm ok with umps setting the example in ST, but disagree with automatic called strikes if a batter is in the box but not looking at the pitcher. That's the hitter's problem, ready or not -- if he's in the box, he's fair game for the pitcher to pitch to.

 

Come on, young people's brains are just wired differently growing up scrolling devices every day. Any Little League coach knows we can't even get kids to look at us for more than two seconds in practice, when we're actually trying to give tips on how to improve...

[mvp 78]

I'm ok with umps setting the example in ST, but disagree with automatic called strikes if a batter is in the box but not looking at the pitcher. That's the hitter's problem, ready or not -- if he's in the box, he's fair game for the pitcher to pitch to.

 

Come on, young people's brains are just wired differently growing up scrolling devices every day. Any Little League coach knows we can't even get kids to look at us for more than two seconds in practice, when we're actually trying to give tips on how to improve...

 

I think it's to prevent the batter from trying to call time? I'm not sure. I'm fine with the rule. Batters take as much time these days as the pitcher. There's no reason to adjust your gloves and helmet after each pitch, especially if you didn't even swing.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I think it's to prevent the batter from trying to call time? I'm not sure. I'm fine with the rule. Batters take as much time these days as the pitcher. There's no reason to adjust your gloves and helmet after each pitch, especially if you didn't even swing.

 

If you're in the box, it's batter up, no excuses. What's the first thing you learn when you bat? Watch the pitcher...

 

No ump's going to save you from wearing one in the ear.

[mvp 78]

https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1630210278238371842

 

Max Scherzer is now calling his own pitches using PitchCom.

[notin]

I think it's to prevent the batter from trying to call time? I'm not sure. I'm fine with the rule. Batters take as much time these days as the pitcher. There's no reason to adjust your gloves and helmet after each pitch, especially if you didn't even swing.

 

There are two reasons.

 

1. OCD

2. Superstition

 

Not sure about number 1, but number two is absolutely rampant throughout MLB…

[moonslav59]

There are two reasons.

 

1. OCD

2. Superstition

 

Not sure about number 1, but number two is absolutely rampant throughout MLB…

 

3. Force of habit.

 

I remember when I switched to softball, I used to still hit my sneakers with my bat to knock the dirt from my cleats.

[mvp 78]

@JomboyMedia

Yankees relief pitcher Wandy Peralta struck out a hitter in 20 seconds

 

Thank you based pitch clock!

[mvp 78]

@Travis_Sawchik

Players are stealing at an 81% success rate this spring compared to 73% last spring (75% in regular season). There are 10 seasons on record when the success rate was 78% or better (most recent was 1948)

[moonslav59]

@Travis_Sawchik

Players are stealing at an 81% success rate this spring compared to 73% last spring (75% in regular season). There are 10 seasons on record when the success rate was 78% or better (most recent was 1948)

 

I like this trend.

[Bellhorn04]

I like this trend.

 

You like the pizza boxes.

[moonslav59]

You like the pizza boxes.

 

Only when full.

[notin]

Only when full.

 

And no spinach…

[mvp 78]

@markjburns88

Major League Pickleball founder Steve Kuhn says pickleball "will be easily a top 5 sport in the next five years in terms of viewership."

 

"We will challenge MLS, Major League Baseball and the NHL. I think we'll be in that category soon."

[Bellhorn04]

@markjburns88

Major League Pickleball founder Steve Kuhn says pickleball "will be easily a top 5 sport in the next five years in terms of viewership."

 

"We will challenge MLS, Major League Baseball and the NHL. I think we'll be in that category soon."

 

I'm sure it'll be right up there with LIV Golf.

[Maxbialystock]

I'm sure it'll be right up there with LIV Golf.

 

I lived in Saudi Arabia for 4 1/2 years and absolutely despise their government and the dominance of the Wahabi sect. The Muslim call to prayer is hauntingly beautiful, but Shariah Law is a travesty.

 

So of course I'm delighted with the failure of LIV golf. I don't much like Greg Norman either.

 

Pickle ball is silly, but harmless--so have at it, players.

 

As for the new rules, I think they are going to change the game of MLB, hopefully for the better. I have personally raged endlessly on talksox about the delays caused by both pitchers and hitters, and I see only good in the new base sizes.

[sk7326]

The rule changes are promising so far. I actually even kinda-sorta-grudgingly understand the ghost runner and trying to limit super long games.

[mvp 78]

@redsoxstats

The automatic ball-strike system in AAA will run Monday through Thursdays; on weekends umps call the strike zone with a challenge system in place.

[Bellhorn04]

@redsoxstats

The automatic ball-strike system in AAA will run Monday through Thursdays; on weekends umps call the strike zone with a challenge system in place.

 

Seems like they are really having some fun with it!

[moonslav59]

Seems like they are really having some fun with it!

 

I hope it works well, and will be in MLB by next season.