Around Baseball 2018

[Captain Adama]

I'll assume he meant buried under our houses

 

The Dogg's house probably.

[Brownie19]

Ew.

 

Mods!

 

I'll assume he meant buried under our houses

 

The Dogg's house probably.

 

[Brownie19]

Reports say the Marlins want Acuna for Yelich.

[glory]

Reports say the Marlins want Acuna for Yelich.

 

If I were a GM trading with Alex, I'd ask for Acuna + others as well.

[Bobthe4th]

MLB plans to implement the following time saving rules after the players’ union rejects an agreement:

 

20 second pitch clock.

 

Any time a coach, manager or player visits a pitcher on the mound, or a pitcher leaves the mound to confer with a player, it counts as a visit. Upon the second visit to the pitcher in the same inning, he must exit the game.

 

30 seconds between batters timer.

 

From 2019 - six pitch maximum for warm-ups.

 

[Abomination]

MLB plans to implement the following time saving rules after the players’ union rejects an agreement:

 

20 second pitch clock.

 

Any time a coach, manager or player visits a pitcher on the mound, or a pitcher leaves the mound to confer with a player, it counts as a visit. Upon the second visit to the pitcher in the same inning, he must exit the game.

 

30 seconds between batters timer.

 

From 2019 - six pitch maximum for warm-ups.

 

 

Kinda seems a little bit harsh, but I have to admit I'll enjoy not seeing catchers run out to the mound every other pitch, etc.

[Bobthe4th]

Kinda seems a little bit harsh, but I have to admit I'll enjoy not seeing catchers run out to the mound every other pitch, etc.

 

Pretty much guarantee someone will forget and then get ejected for arguing when the pitcher is forced out of the game!

 

Also some umpires will no doubt be very harsh - e.g. what if the SS fields a ball near the mound and then says something to the pitcher - by the letter of the law that could count as a visit.

[BTS]

MLB plans to implement the following time saving rules after the players’ union rejects an agreement:

 

20 second pitch clock.

 

Any time a coach, manager or player visits a pitcher on the mound, or a pitcher leaves the mound to confer with a player, it counts as a visit. Upon the second visit to the pitcher in the same inning, he must exit the game.

 

30 seconds between batters timer.

 

From 2019 - six pitch maximum for warm-ups.

 

 

Good.

[Laika]

Pitch clocks are stupid. Pitchers need rest between pitches, tuned to their own bodies, in order to maintain health.

[DigitalRock]

IMO, this is all a waste of time, you either like the sport or do not. Making these changes is not going to make people start watching baseball now. Manfred is dumb. Some pitchers will be thrown off big time by this i would think.

[Boxcar]

Yeah, Rob Manfred is ruining baseball imo. I'm not a traditionalist by any means but all of his changes this far have either been pointless (no pitch intentional walk), stupid (suspending players regardless of facts in police matters) or damaging (juicing the balls while not admitting it to anyone)

[BTS]

I’m surprised at the pushback on pitch clocks. The dead time is completely out of hand, especially in the playoffs.

[Boxcar]

I’m surprised at the pushback on pitch clocks. The dead time is completely out of hand, especially in the playoffs.

 

I'm kind of questioning why the pitcher and catcher can't just have a headset. Then, mound visits would be entirely eliminated. THAT would be a good change, imo, probably why Manfred has never so much as mentioned it.

[Brownie19]

IMO, this is all a waste of time, you either like the sport or do not. Making these changes is not going to make people start watching baseball now. Manfred is dumb. Some pitchers will be thrown off big time by this i would think.

 

I don't buy that. I LOVE baseball. I'm old and still play competitive hardball 2-3 times a week, I coach 2 of my son's teams and volunteer on the executive of minor baseball. I would love to see improvements to the pace of play. There's enough strategy and drama in a 2 1/2 - 3 hour game. There's very little added to the experience when you drag it out to 4 hours in the playoffs.

 

As for Manfred - I really like the new takeout slide rules.

[Brownie19]

Pitch clocks are stupid. Pitchers need rest between pitches, tuned to their own bodies, in order to maintain health.

 

I thought there were studies suggesting fewer injuries the faster pitchers worked (although typing that - it sounds really arbitrary).

[glory]

See, I don't mind Manfred making changes. As much as I love baseball the way it is, in reality, the sport is very close to becoming regional and out of the mainstream eye due to how old its fanbase is, so in that sense I get why Manfred is trying to do things to appeal to millennials. The amount of times I have watched baseball with my wife (who is not a fan) and having her lose interest in between pitches is pretty damn common. I get it. My issue is the actual changes he is making. Are fans really going to care whether there is a 20 second clock? Is that going to bring young kids or women or any other demo they want to reach to the ball park? Will these changes makes black athletes choose baseball over other sports? Will this help market the game more? If the answer to all of those questions is no, then who cares? This is window dressing to avoid the real issues. I guarantee if the games were 4 hours but Mike Trout was as big a celebrity as LeBron James, none of this pace of play stuff would even be relevant. I actually think juicing the ball was a great idea. Home runs will excite kids, and it's easier to market Aaron Judge than it is to market a boring ass pitcher who just gets outs without any personality.

 

Eventually, I do think Manfred is going to mess something up completely. Whether it be adding more playoff teams or doing that stupid extra innings thing where there is a runner on 2nd to start the inning, etc. He seems like someone who understands the issue but has no idea how to fix it, so he throws s*** at a wall.

[Brownie19]

See, I don't mind Manfred making changes. As much as I love baseball the way it is, in reality, the sport is very close to becoming regional and out of the mainstream eye due to how old its fanbase is, so in that sense I get why Manfred is trying to do things to appeal to millennials. The amount of times I have watched baseball with my wife (who is not a fan) and having her lose interest in between pitches is pretty damn common. I get it. My issue is the actual changes he is making. Are fans really going to care whether there is a 20 second clock? Is that going to bring young kids or women or any other demo they want to reach to the ball park? Will these changes makes black athletes choose baseball over other sports? Will this help market the game more? If the answer to all of those questions is no, then who cares? This is window dressing to avoid the real issues. I guarantee if the games were 4 hours but Mike Trout was as big a celebrity as LeBron James, none of this pace of play stuff would even be relevant. I actually think juicing the ball was a great idea. Home runs will excite kids, and it's easier to market Aaron Judge than it is to market a boring ass pitcher who just gets outs without any personality.

 

Eventually, I do think Manfred is going to mess something up completely. Whether it be adding more playoff teams or doing that stupid extra innings thing where there is a runner on 2nd to start the inning, etc. He seems like someone who understands the issue but has no idea how to fix it, so he throws s*** at a wall.

 

Why can't he do both? Implement changes to improve the pace of the game and reduce the total game time, while also finding ways to market the stars better. There isn't an "easy" button he can just push to fix everything. It's going to be a cumulative effect.

 

I also wonder if the understanding of concussions is going to help push more and more kids towards baseball (and probably basketball) vs. football.

[Krylian]

Pitch clocks are stupid. Pitchers need rest between pitches, tuned to their own bodies, in order to maintain health.

 

How long did Buehrle and Doc take between pitches? They were quick and didn't break down. It's just like any other job. There are targets and expectations. This is what's expected of you. Do it.

[AledmysDiaz]

Braves reddit shows a lot of Braves fans comparing Acuna to Trout.

[Bobthe4th]

Why can't he do both? Implement changes to improve the pace of the game and reduce the total game time, while also finding ways to market the stars better. There isn't an "easy" button he can just push to fix everything. It's going to be a cumulative effect.

 

Yeah exactly, it's part of an overall strategy. That strategy isn't for existing baseball fans, or even adult non baseball fans. It's for the kids who will be the next generation of sports fans.

 

For a lot of people their first exposure to sport is at a game with their (usually) Dad - as a kid if you recognise a few of the players, and you're not too bored (i.e. it's not too long or have too many breaks) then there's a good chance you'll enjoy it and eventually become a fan.

 

I also wonder if the understanding of concussions is going to help push more and more kids towards baseball (and probably basketball) vs. football.

 

And soccer which IMO (obviously I'm biased) is the most fun to play, and requires the least amount of specialist equipment.

[glory]

Why can't he do both? Implement changes to improve the pace of the game and reduce the total game time, while also finding ways to market the stars better. There isn't an "easy" button he can just push to fix everything. It's going to be a cumulative effect.

 

I also wonder if the understanding of concussions is going to help push more and more kids towards baseball (and probably basketball) vs. football.

 

Sure he can do that. I don't necessarily have an issue with a pitch clock (as long as it doesn't affect pitcher health) or instant intentional walk, but I just don't see it making much of a difference. Shaving 10 minutes off a game seems like a rather pointless exercise when the issue is a lot bigger than that. The NBA is at peak popularity despite having no parity and the games being between two and a half to three hours long with timeouts, reviews, etc. No one is asking them to lower the length of time outs and things like that to make the games shorter.

 

Juicing the balls is a tangible difference maker. 100% behind that move. The playoffs this year in particular got a ton of mainstream attention because of the long balls and comebacks. That will help the game. Pace of play might just have to be a thing they have to live with. I don't think it will make a real difference on how the game is perceived.

[Abomination]

I'm kind of questioning why the pitcher and catcher can't just have a headset. Then, mound visits would be entirely eliminated. THAT would be a good change, imo, probably why Manfred has never so much as mentioned it.

 

Yeah, this would make the most sense to me. Really though, there ARE other ways they can handle it (the glove swipe to change the sign for example). I'm sure we'll see the pitchers and catchers get creative.

[Dr. Dinger]

I'm kind of questioning why the pitcher and catcher can't just have a headset. Then, mound visits would be entirely eliminated. THAT would be a good change, imo, probably why Manfred has never so much as mentioned it.

 

So the catcher is going to talk pitch selection with the pitcher from behind home plate? Within full earshot of the hitter? Probably not gonna work.

[Abomination]

So the catcher is going to talk pitch selection with the pitcher from behind home plate? Within full earshot of the hitter? Probably not gonna work.

 

I assume it would be the pitcher talking to the catcher, or maybe even the pitching coach talking to both.

[Pendleton]

So the catcher is going to talk pitch selection with the pitcher from behind home plate? Within full earshot of the hitter? Probably not gonna work.

 

Morse code through teeth clicking.

[Brownie19]

Reports now say that Boston offer to JD Martinez is 5 years $125M

[Terminator]

Austin Jackson to SanFran. 2 years, 6 mil. Another 2.5 mill in incentives available.

[Brownie19]

Austin Jackson to SanFran. 2 years, 6 mil. Another 2.5 mill in incentives available.

 

Veteran part-time players are going cheap y'all!

[Jonn]

Austin Jackson to SanFran. 2 years, 6 mil. Another 2.5 mill in incentives available.

 

Great move for the Giants. Baseball contracts really are changing.

[Boxcar]

So the catcher is going to talk pitch selection with the pitcher from behind home plate? Within full earshot of the hitter? Probably not gonna work.

 

Oh come on, it's not like he'd be shouting. The hitter wouldn't be able to hear it.

 

If NJH posted that, you'd be begging to suck his dick but maybe it's my turn.