The future of baseball

[notin]

as long as i can get real beer i am OK with this approach.....

 

 

Robot beers now!!

[Bellhorn04]

They should just replace the umpires, players, stadiums, and equipment with an intricately calibrated computer program that simulates 162 games a season for each team.

 

Then all that remains is to replace us.

[mvp 78]

Extend the netting all the way down the foul lines and fielders have to play the ball off the netting like in Arena Football.

[notin]

Pace of play suggestions:

 

1) Foul ball = automatic out. Plus the hitter has to reimburse MLB for the cost of the ball.

2) Batter hit by pitch = batter is out. This should really move things along

3) Manager changes pitcher mid-inning - First batter up credited with a home run and

4) Manager/coach visits mound - hitter is credited with a home run. That should cut down on those time wasters.

5) Pitchers uses two baseballs and is required to pitch the second while the catcher is throwing back the first.

6) Hitter steps out of batters box - Hitter is out and suspended for two games. And is required to get divorced.

 

 

That should work.

[Kimmi]

That's a really interesting article. I'd never considered that before, but it raises a good point. Unfortunately I can't think of a perfect way to fix it.

 

Personally, I love seeing those epic battles between pitcher and batter.

 

IMO, the only real issue is the # of and the length of commercial breaks.

[Kimmi]

Pace of play suggestions:

 

1) Foul ball = automatic out. Plus the hitter has to reimburse MLB for the cost of the ball.

2) Batter hit by pitch = batter is out. This should really move things along

3) Manager changes pitcher mid-inning - First batter up credited with a home run and

4) Manager/coach visits mound - hitter is credited with a home run. That should cut down on those time wasters.

5) Pitchers uses two baseballs and is required to pitch the second while the catcher is throwing back the first.

6) Hitter steps out of batters box - Hitter is out and suspended for two games. And is required to get divorced.

 

 

That should work.

 

LOL

 

You're a nut.

[Northern Star]

That's a really interesting article. I'd never considered that before, but it raises a good point. Unfortunately I can't think of a perfect way to fix it.

 

Me neither, unless, say, a fifth foul ball is an out. But it seems unfair to punish hitters for uh-uh-uh-uh, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.

[Bellhorn04]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/foul-balls-are-the-pace-of-play-problem-nobodys-talking-about/?addata=espn:mlb:index

 

One of the points is that total foul ball territory in baseball has shrunk.

 

We can forget about that changing, because the reason it's happening is obviously to maximize revenue.

[Bellhorn04]

LOL

 

You're a nut.

 

Ha, and you talk about Canadians being crazy.

[Northern Star]

Robot beers now!!

 

I remember when I was at a game and saw them filling beers from the bottom of the cup upwards for the first time and I was mesmerized. HOW???!

[BillyWilliams]

I remember when I was at a game and saw them filling beers from the bottom of the cup upwards for the first time and I was mesmerized. HOW???!

 

https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/3/24/2070252/bottoms-up-beer-dispenser-fenway-park

[moonslav59]

One question or study that might show me more about the state of MLB would be to show home much the lowest salary teams are increasing or decreasing their salary budgets.

 

Here are some team's year ending 40 man payrolls over the last 3 years:

2016>2017>2018 in $millions

Red= Franchise Record Salary Budget

CWS: 132>101>83 (30th)

TBR: 81>100> 96 (29th)

OAK: 101>90>96 (28th)

PIT: 110>109>103 (27th)

MIA: 124>155>108 (26th)

CIN: 101>108>112 (25th)

PHI: 89>100>95 (24th) Franchise Record-178 in 2014

MIL: 72>79>121 (23rd)

ASD: 107>99>130 (22nd)

SDP: 107>99>130 (21st)

KCR: 177>185>132 (20th)

DET: 212>207>135 (19th)

MN: 122> 124> 144 (18th)

 

[Northern Star]

Jesus, more complaining about pre-arbitration salaries. Does no one understand how a CBA works? Yeah, teams COULD pay more, but they don't have to. Everyone knows the rules. Players need to STFU and if it bothers them so much, press for change in the next CBA negotiations.

 

https://deadspin.com/does-mlb-care-if-no-one-cares-1833054171

[mvp 78]

@MiLB

 

Minor League Baseball announces pace-of-play rule changes for 2019, including a three-batter minimum for pitchers in Double-A and Triple-A

[Kimmi]

@MiLB

 

Minor League Baseball announces pace-of-play rule changes for 2019, including a three-batter minimum for pitchers in Double-A and Triple-A

 

I may be the only one, but I am on board with this rule.

 

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I like it.

[Slasher9]

I may be the only one, but I am on board with this rule.

 

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I like it.

I really think they should have gone with 2 but am OK with 3

[Bellhorn04]

Is baseball turning into a game of LaunchBall? Emphasis on home runs, much more strikeouts?

 

Is this good?

 

Was it as a response to all the shifting?

 

Is this what Rob Manfred wants? It would appear he has nothing against it since we now know as a certified fact that the baseballs they're using fly much further than the ones before.

[notin]

Is baseball turning into a game of LaunchBall? Emphasis on home runs, much more strikeouts?

 

Is this good?

 

Was it as a response to all the shifting?

 

Is this what Rob Manfred wants? It would appear he has nothing against it since we now know as a certified fact that the baseballs they're using fly much further than the ones before.

 

Home runs are good for business, as we all saw in 1998. Chasing untouchable records is as well.

 

MLB would absolutely LOVE a player to challenge DiMaggio’s hitting streak or come close to hitting .400...

[Bellhorn04]

Home runs are good for business, as we all saw in 1998. Chasing untouchable records is as well.

 

But there was some pretty negative fallout from 1998 and McGwire, Sosa and Bonds smashing the home run record in the 'assisted' way they did.

 

I wouldn't have thought MLB would want to head right back there, with juiced baseballs (and some still lingering PED concerns).

[notin]

But there was some pretty negative fallout from 1998 and McGwire, Sosa and Bonds smashing the home run record in the 'assisted' way they did.

 

I wouldn't have thought MLB would want to head right back there, with juiced baseballs (and some still lingering PED concerns).

 

Not in 1998 when it was McGwire and Sosa. When McGwire got to 60, games were nationally televised.

 

But yes with Bonds...

[Bellhorn04]

Not in 1998 when it was McGwire and Sosa. When McGwire got to 60, games were nationally televised.

 

That was before fans realized the home runs were pharmaceutically enhanced.

[notin]

That was before fans realized the home runs were pharmaceutically enhanced.

 

 

Not the point.

 

The point is baseball did well because of the enhanced home runs and record challenges at the time. Just like how every game in America switched over to watch Pete Rose bat once his streak reached 40 games...

[Bellhorn04]

Not the point.

 

The point is baseball did well because of the enhanced home runs and record challenges at the time. Just like how every game in America switched over to watch Pete Rose bat once his streak reached 40 games...

 

It doesn't seem to be working quite as well in 2019.

[notin]

It doesn't seem to be working quite as well in 2019.

 

Is revenue down?

[Bellhorn04]

Is revenue down?

 

Attendance is down.

 

I don't know where to find the total revenue numbers.

[notin]

Attendance is down.

 

I don't know where to find the total revenue numbers.

 

As I have been saying for years, free agency isn’t about improving teams. It’s about showing your tabard you are willing to spend money in an attempt to get better. It’s PR.

 

So when teams don’t spend money and show fans they want to at least try to win, fans follow suit and don’t spend money to try and support the team...

[Bellhorn04]

As I have been saying for years, free agency isn’t about improving teams. It’s about showing your tabard you are willing to spend money in an attempt to get better. It’s PR.

 

I think it can be both.

[notin]

I think it can be both.

 

It can be both, but at the very least it serves as a show for fans that the plan is to re-invest their money into the team. Even if you spend badly, at least fans see you trying.

 

But these past two off-seasons, a lot of teams stood pat and didn’t spend a dime. Fans simply followed their lead. And why shouldn’t they?

[Slasher9]

I think they are definitely attempting to recreate the McGuire/Sosa hr race. That brought baseball back in a big way.

Also, if the bonds single season record happens to fall as a byproduct....the league will be very pleased....

[Bellhorn04]

I think they are definitely attempting to recreate the McGuire/Sosa hr race. That brought baseball back in a big way.

Also, if the bonds single season record happens to fall as a byproduct....the league will be very pleased....

 

Triple A home runs are up about 50% this year. Why? Because they switched to the MLB ball.

 

That's almost funny.