MLB Pitch Clock and other New Stuff (Page 3): For well over 100 years the former rules worked effectively. Remember when MLB played double-headers. I go to a baseball game to enjoy the...

Linthicum

For well over 100 years the former rules worked effectively. Remember when MLB played double-headers. I go to a baseball game to enjoy the "game". Baseball used to be an afternoon of enjoyment. People spend 1-2 hours getting to the ballpark and back and then complain about a 3 hour game. I played a lot of baseball and IMHO these changes are unwarranted. Players haven't changed their playing behaviors over time. There are other factors contributing to the length of a game. Challenges, play reviews, etc. They'll soon consider changing a 9 inning game to 8 or 7 innings. If the games too long, leave early ........... Enjoy life, it's too short !

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

jbk224 wrote:

The ones that come to mind are Judge, Schwarber, Vogelbach, Altuve, and Mike Trout--the best of them all. I'm sure there are a bunch of others.

I did a tiny bit of googling and Judge was mentioned as not doing so well against the shift. Maybe that's why he decided to just hit home runs

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

bobforman wrote:

Remember the "proximity" rule. Hated that just as I hate the DH.

I forgot all about that one!

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

Linda From Maine wrote:

I did a tiny bit of googling and Judge was mentioned as not doing so well against the shift. Maybe that's why he decided to just hit home runs

He was 50/50 for Pitch Attempts (shift vs non-shift)and wOBA, weighted on base average, of .470. This is a good average. Home runs don't hurt against the shift.
Trout, the best, given his shift % 72/28, had a .430 wOBA. The best when taking the # of at bats against the shift as a proportion of his total at bats.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Linthicum wrote:

For well over 100 years the former rules worked effectively...Players haven't changed their playing behaviors over time.

My perception is that there have been a lot of changes in my relatively short experience following the sport: the emphasis on home runs vs. "small ball," strength conditioning, speed of pitches? You guys are making me curious to read some history (and to rewatch Ken Burns's PBS series)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

jbk224 wrote:

He was 50/50 for Pitch Attempts (shift vs non-shift)and wOBA, weighted on base average, of .470. This is a good average. Home runs don't hurt against the shift.
Trout, the best, given his shift % 72/28, had a .430 wOBA. The best when taking the # of at bats against the shift as a proportion of his total at bats.

Thanks!

Rich2236 Loc: E. Hampstead, New Hampshire

Linda From Maine wrote:

For those who have watched a few 2023 spring training games, what do you think of the changes?

I am not sure if these changes will be good or not good. I'll take a wait and see attitude. BUT, what I am really PEEVED at, are these idiotic playoff and "wild card," games.

When I was a kid, which was a looonnnggg time ago, (lol) there were no playoff's or wild card teams. The team that won the most games in each league throughout the season would square off and play each other for the World Series. (In other words, the BEST team in each league.) NOWADAYS, if a team won ALL its season games, they still have to go to the playoff's and if they lose to a team who lost half of the season games, they are OUT. IMHO, this is not fair! Also, I think there are tooooo many teams.

To me, these playoff games are just another excuse for the owners of the ball clubs to make more money! (I bet this is going to invoke an uproar.....har har.)

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

Baseball can get boring sometimes. If you think baseball is boring and want a faster pace, check out Banana Ball on you tube, its a whole new perspective on baseball.

Rich2236 Loc: E. Hampstead, New Hampshire

DaveD65 wrote:

Baseball can get boring sometimes. If you think baseball is boring and want a faster pace, check out Banana Ball on you tube, its a whole new perspective on baseball.

I took your advice Dave, and went to utube and watched Banana Ball. It was both hilarious, and fun. It reminds me of the Harlem Globetrotters! I loved it.

Rich...

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Rich2236 wrote:

...To me, these playoff games are just another excuse for the owners of the ball clubs to make more money! (I bet this is going to invoke an uproar.....har har.)

Pro sports are a business. The point is to make money for owners and investors, same as any other for-profit business.

Players are the "product." Does the final product of a season (playoff games) have willing buyers (fans)? Do the ballparks fill? Are the tv ratings good? Does everyone in the business make money? Well, there you go

Rich2236 Loc: E. Hampstead, New Hampshire

Linda From Maine wrote:

Pro sports are a business. The point is to make money for owners and investors, same as any other for-profit business.

Players are the "product." Does the final product of a season (playoff games) have willing buyers (fans)? Do the ballparks fill? Are the tv ratings good? Does everyone in the business make money? Well, there you go

That's the thing, Linda, to me it is just crass commercialism, and that took the fun of the game out of it for me. And that goes for any of the "professional" sports. The only game I watch is college football.

Just as a side note, "Jess White," the comedian, years ago, made a record called "Green Christmas," That was a GREAT record. If you ever find it, listen to it, it is a satiric dissertation on the amount of money people spend on Christmas gifts.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Rich2236 wrote:

That's the thing, Linda, to me it is just crass commercialism, and that took the fun of the game out of it for me. And that goes for any of the "professional" sports. The only game I watch is college football.

Just as a side note, "Jess White," the comedian, years ago, made a record called "Green Christmas," That was a GREAT record. If you ever find it, listen to it, it is a satiric dissertation on the amount of money people spend on Christmas gifts.

Thanks for the recommendation!

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

The pitch clock ... don't like it ... even in Spring Training recently, a game was decided in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs, tied score, bases loaded, full count. Ump called a pitch clock violation...batter thought it was against the pitcher (thus ball 4, a walk), and started towards 1st base, meaning the batter's team would have won...but no...ump called the violation against the batter...game over...tied score...and there are no extra innings in spring training game.

The SHIFT rule ... don't like it ... a team should be able to position their defense anywhere they like. Maybe batters who pull the ball consistently, should learn how to hit to the opposite field.

LARGER Bases ... OK with that ... might mean more stolen bases, where an extra 3 inches (?) helps the runner.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

bobbyjohn wrote:

The pitch clock ... don't like it ... even in Spri... (show quote)

I heard about that game. I'm sure everyone hopes there won't be many decided in that way. I even hate when a game is decided by an ump's strike call

Distances between first and second, and second and third, bases have been reduced by 4.5" due to positioning of the bag.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Linda From Maine wrote:

Sounds like you are excited about the possibilities, as am I.

Do you have any info on which players were the most successful in learning to hit a different direction once the shift became common?

The shift first came into being in the late ’40s or early ‘50s against Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox because he was so good at hitting the hole. Williams was the last player to hit .400 for a season average. He went into the last season game over .400, and the manager wanted to bench him to preserve the average. Williams wouldn’t have it and insisted that he play. The manager relented, Williams got another hit, and preserved his record. He was one of the best of all time.