The future of baseball

[Old Red]

I doubt any of the complaints on either side were the majority…

 

Disagree. I like all the rule changes except the bigger bases. Would welcome the 6 inning suggestion too.

[notin]

Disagree. I like all the rule changes except the bigger bases. Would welcome the 6 inning suggestion too.

 

So you like watching shortstops get spiked in the knees? The bigger bases are for safety when turning double plays once the “neighborhood play” was eliminated. They had to do something, since the neighborhood play was a safety thing, too.

 

So what you’re saying is you hate clever teams that strategize ways to win but prefer an authoritarian regime that over regulates the game?

[Old Red]

So you like watching shortstops get spiked in the knees? The bigger bases are for safety when turning double plays once the “neighborhood play” was eliminated. They had to do something, since the neighborhood play was a safety thing, too.

 

So what you’re saying is you hate clever teams that strategize ways to win but prefer an authoritarian regime that over regulates the game?

I hate making it easier to steal bases, and yes I love eliminating the shift. Shifting to me is not anything clever to where it got to the point it was way ever used on everyone. Show me some good range on SS, and 2B.

[Bellhorn04]

So what you’re saying is you hate clever teams that strategize ways to win but prefer an authoritarian regime that over regulates the game?

 

I honestly don't think Red would say something like that.

[Old Red]

I honestly don't think Red would say something like that.

 

No, and I don’t really think it’s all that clever to pretty much use the shift on everyone.Teams still play up the middle a lot more than they used to that takes a lot of hits away.

[mvp 78]

So you like watching shortstops get spiked in the knees? The bigger bases are for safety when turning double plays once the “neighborhood play” was eliminated. They had to do something, since the neighborhood play was a safety thing, too.

 

So what you’re saying is you hate clever teams that strategize ways to win but prefer an authoritarian regime that over regulates the game?

 

Getting rid of the neighborhood play was so dumb.

[notin]

I hate making it easier to steal bases, and yes I love eliminating the shift. Shifting to me is not anything clever to where it got to the point it was way ever used on everyone. Show me some good range on SS, and 2B.

 

The gloves players wear to protect their hand has a larger impact on stealing bases than the base size. (Again, this is a safety thing.) Ditto the 3 pickoff rule and the pitch clock.

 

Of course the misuse of the replay role makes it harder to steal bases…

[Old Red]

Getting rid of the neighborhood play was so dumb.

 

That definitely wasn’t for safety.

[notin]

Getting rid of the neighborhood play was so dumb.

 

Yeah, I imagine it was done due to complaints (from managers?) that Shirtstop X never touched the base so his runner is safe.

 

Really, the neighborhood play had issues. When was it a neighborhood play as opposed to missing the base?

[Bellhorn04]

The gloves players wear to protect their hand has a larger impact on stealing bases than the base size. (Again, this is a safety thing.) Ditto the 3 pickoff rule and the pitch clock.

 

But making the bases bigger decreased the distance between the bases.

[notin]

That definitely wasn’t for safety.

 

The play was. Getting rid of it wasn’t. Making the bases bigger was…

[Old Red]

But making the bases bigger decreased the distance between the bases.

Yes 4 1/2” shorter path makes it a lot easier to steal bases.

[notin]

But making the bases bigger decreased the distance between the bases.

 

Yes. By 4.5 inches. Players can stretch out that glove to make their hand more than 4.5 inches longer. The pitch clock can all but tell you when a pitcher will pitch so you can get a great jump. And if a runner has 2 unsuccessful pick off attempts, he can basically start walking to second the entire time the pitcher has the ball and there is nothing anyone can do…

[mvp 78]

Yes. By 4.5 inches. Players can stretch out that glove to make their hand more than 4.5 inches longer. The pitch clock can all but tell you when a pitcher will pitch so you can get a great jump. And if a runner has 2 unsuccessful pick off attempts, he can basically start walking to second the entire time the pitcher has the ball and there is nothing anyone can do…

 

The pitcher can still throw over a third time I believe.

[mvp 78]

If a third pickoff attempt is made, the runner automatically advances one base if the pickoff attempt is not successful.

[Old Red]

The pitcher can still throw over a third time I believe.

 

He can throw over 3 times, and if picked off he’s out, but if not it’s a balk.

[notin]

He can throw over 3 times, and if picked off he’s out, but if not it’s a balk.

 

Most runners just take off after that second attempt and very few even draw the throw…

[Old Red]

Yes. By 4.5 inches. Players can stretch out that glove to make their hand more than 4.5 inches longer. The pitch clock can all but tell you when a pitcher will pitch so you can get a great jump. And if a runner has 2 unsuccessful pick off attempts, he can basically start walking to second the entire time the pitcher has the ball and there is nothing anyone can do…

 

The bigger bases just came in last year, and the mits have been around awhile. Both make it easier to steal if the mit hand is what’s touching the bag.

[notin]

The bigger bases just came in last year, and the mits have been around awhile. Both make it easier to steal if the mit hand is what’s touching the bag.

 

The whole point is to use the mitt hand to touch the base. The mitts are bigger influences. Players stretch them out while on first. Also they discourage feet first sliding, since there is no shoe extension equivalent. (And the swim slide over the much cooler hook slide is another negative impact.)

 

The pitch clock helps too. I’ve seen countless runners just take off when it gets down to 2-3 seconds.

 

The bigger base impact is probably minimal compared to other changes. Plus it beats watching infielders get Machado’d…

[mvp 78]

The mitt should be illegal.

[Old Red]

The mitt should be illegal.

 

The primary purpose of the mitt is for hand protection, and has been around for awhile. Stolen base success rate, and stolen bases themselves have gone up big time since the bigger bases, and different rules were put into play in 2023, which all have a bigger impact than the mitt making a big difference. A 1000+ difference in SB from 2022,to 2023. 2024 has already surpassed 2022 too with 40 games to go.

Edited August 17, 2024 by Old Red

[mvp 78]

Mitt looks dumb. Delete it.

[notin]

Mitt looks dumb. Delete it.

 

Can’t. Too many players burned their hand removing cookies from the oven…

[mvp 78]

Can’t. Too many players burned their hand removing cookies from the oven…

 

Just give them an Ove Glove. Problem solved!

[notin]

Just give them an Ove Glove. Problem solved!

 

But those are NOT SOLD IN STORES!!

[mvp 78]

But those are NOT SOLD IN STORES!!

 

You have never been to an Ace Hardware!

[notin]

You have never been to an Ace Hardware!

 

There’s no such place!!!

[mvp 78]

@EvanDrellich

Baseball players in Japan want to reach free agency sooner and plan to soon file a legal challenge to Nippon Professional Baseball's reserve system. If successful, NPB players could join Major League Baseball earlier in their careers — without being posted

 

Not that I wanted to post Drellich.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Still waiting for a lumbering (yet clever) baserunner like Casas to sew like three oven mitts together, end to end, and then try diving headfirst with an extra-long extension.

[notin]

On 8/23/2024 at 7:30 AM, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Still waiting for a lumbering (yet clever) baserunner like Casas to sew like three oven mitts together, end to end, and then try diving headfirst with an extra-long extension.

I saw Pete Crow-Armstrong take off his hemet and use it as an extension when sliding into second (a move that is completely illegal)…