Baseball has changed

[LVSteve]

The guy starting on second in extra inning games was tried in the minors before COVID, so were 7 inning double headers. It's all an effort to speed up the game. Back in the good ole days of baseball a game usually took less than 3 hours. Now with most batters primping, adjusting and trying to look cool between pitches the games are taking over 3 hours, closer to 4.

I hate the new rules, supposedly after this season they're gone, back to normal, too many complaints from the fans. I just wish they would do away with the DH too but now rumor has it next year it will be in effect in both leagues. The DH was put into effect mostly to prolong the careers of older stars but it eliminated a lot of strategy that really was good for the game.

They need to go back to the way it was played in it's golden days, you want to speed it up? Penalize batters stepping out of the box between each pitch to make sure they look good. Give the pitcher the ball and a few seconds and then throw it, if the batter isn't ready it's on him.

Watch any game Bob Gibson pitched back in the day. He often kept it under 2 hours. He didn't play, if you kept him waiting you'd be eating a 97 m p.h. fastball on the next pitch.

Primping and slow play have afflicted many sports. Golf and especially tennis come to mind. In tennis the pace of the game is supposed to be set by the server. Watching Her Majesty Czarina Sharapova having a hissy fit because her opponent wants to get on with it did nothing for my lover of tennis. Even today Novak allows me enough time to take a good pee and wash my hands properly between points. Bloody ridiculous.

 

[Chuck24]

This started in fast pitch softball. I umpired for over thirty years and this was introduced in tournament play to help keep the games on schedule. One 15 inning game could throw off the whole tournament.

 

[Rexquan]

It started last year during the abbreviated season. Still not sure how I feel about it, but it does prevent a lot of those games that go 16 innings or more.

 

[Jon651]

It started last year during the abbreviated season. Still not sure how I feel about it, but it does prevent a lot of those games that go 16 innings or more.

All these "pace of play" changes may have been initiated during last season, but they weren't because of the abbreviated schedule or the covid restrictions. The games have been slowing to a crawl for several years before the changes were implemented. The joke used to be when the Yankees played the Red Sox if the game didn't last four hours then the fans thought they were being cheated! And it didn't matter which fans...

The wife and I have been following pro baseball for years now and feel that the Yankees and the Red Sox were the worst for deliberately delaying games. Their batters were slow AND their pitchers were slow - I guess it was part of their strategy to bore the other teams to death!

 

[Rustyt1953]

Having been in the stands I know how a 4+ hour game can cause "bleacher back". As far as viewing from my recliner, I am in for the long haul (whatever that might be).

Play ball!

 

[mtgianni]

I think this is the last year the NL is without the DH. I prefer that the pitcher takes a turn at the plate, though bean balls are less now than when I was a kid. I think the 2nd base runner after the 10th gives the home team an advantage but it's just me.

The real killer for me was the abandonment of the many minor league teams pushed by the Astros ownership. There is no minor league baseball associated with a major league team in Montana, Wyoming or North Dakota. How will young fans ever have an interest in the game.

 

[sheepdawg]

The shift is gone next year - thank goodness.

I've heard this discussed but is it official? I have no problem with the shift, it's been around since Ted Williams. I don't care if they put seven fielders behind third base. As HOFr Willie Keeler said "you got to hit em' where they ain't".

 

[Jon651]

The mound height was lowered for the '69 season because of Bob Gibson's ERA in '68 of 1.12 - still a record in MLB. Sheepdawg got it right about Gibby - sure miss that kind of baseball.

The shift is gone next year - thank goodness. The most odorous rule this year is that relief pitchers must throw to three batters before they are removed. This takes an incredibly important strategic portion of the game off the table and is ridiculous. Like the shortened double-header games and the ghost runner it's all "designed" to speed up the game. For crying out loud if you need a faster paced game go watch badminton.

One of the reasons baseball is (was) the greatest game is it takes as long as it takes. The almighty dollar - if you want to speed it up how about play continues during the commercial breaks. That'll save close to an hour a game.

You don't have to worry about play during the commercial breaks. Ever since Bally took over the regional sports networks from Fox they've gotten into the habit of using a split screen and showing a commercial on one side while the game is played on the other. Sad. Anything to increase that ad revenue, I guess...

As for the shift, I don't see it as going anywhere anytime soon. If anything, the shift speeds up a game slightly instead of slowing it down. What it does is force batters to either learn more control or vary their hit locations more often so the algorhythm can't determine where to shift to based on their past performance (it's called a "spray chart"). I like it when teams use their collective brains to gain an advantage - it forces their opponents to use their collective brains to find a way to defeat it instead of always relying on a rule change because someone can't adapt.

 

[JohnRippert]

Everything changes. You just have to roll with them. I agree that the psychological jiu-jitsu between pitchers and hitters is a big part of the slowdown.

 

[quikdraw67]

I don't like the Designated Hitter, never did.

I'm disappointed that this may be the last year for it in the National League.

 

[nodpete]

The guy starting on second in extra inning games was tried in the minors before COVID, so were 7 inning double headers. It's all an effort to speed up the game. Back in the good ole days of baseball a game usually took less than 3 hours. Now with most batters primping, adjusting and trying to look cool between pitches the games are taking over 3 hours, closer to 4.

I hate the new rules, supposedly after this season they're gone, back to normal, too many complaints from the fans. I just wish they would do away with the DH too but now rumor has it next year it will be in effect in both leagues. The DH was put into effect mostly to prolong the careers of older stars but it eliminated a lot of strategy that really was good for the game.

They need to go back to the way it was played in it's golden days, you want to speed it up? Penalize batters stepping out of the box between each pitch to make sure they look good. Give the pitcher the ball and a few seconds and then throw it, if the batter isn't ready it's on him.

Watch any game Bob Gibson pitched back in the day. He often kept it under 2 hours. He didn't play, if you kept him waiting you'd be eating a 97 m p.h. fastball on the next pitch.[/QUOTE]



I loved watching him pitch. I understand he had asthma and when it was hot, he said he wanted to get the game over with quickly.

 

[LVSteve]

Getting rid of the shift is ridiculous. That's like telling a defender in the NFL if he lines up on the left that he can't move across the field to make a tackle.

 

[SMSgt]

I think the shift sucks too. But that's just me.

A smart batter learns to hit the opposite direction.

 

[TXBryan]

Commissioner Manfred has stated there is serious consideration of banning the shift by requiring two defensive players on either side of 2nd base. Not official yet. Manfred has also said the seven-inning double-headers are likely headed the way of the Dodo.

I still think the rule requiring each relief pitcher to face three batters is a crippling blow to the game's strategery. Making the game less interesting for the sake of faster is ridiculous.

And speaking of speeding up the game; by all means get rid of call challenges. There is little doubt that the "New York" official makes as many, or more, mistakes than the umps on the field. Sure have seen some good calls overturned and bad calls confirmed so what are we doing here? And get rid of the little strike-zone outline on television. What difference does it make? A pitch is whatever the umpire calls it and knowing it's two inches outside and called a strike doesn't do my temper any good when the call goes against my team. Since players and team staff "cannot" argue balls & strikes why do we need anything except the umpire's call?

Good thing my son is playing ball for another four years at our local high school as it renews my appreciation for the game every spring. Still doing it right in the bush leagues.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Getting rid of the shift is ridiculous. That's like telling a defender in the NFL if he lines up on the left that he can't move across the field to make a tackle.

Yup. A simple bunt down the third base line wins every time. Arenado had an infield single yesterday against the Padres' shift, albeit the little tap down third wasn't on purpose.

Learn a new skill. It's not like they're being paid to play or anything . . .

 

[mtgianni]

I like the ability to challenge a call for replay. I don't know of a profession that doesn't have some review. I see far too many that were not right the first time.

 

[doublesharp]

Sad to watch the Reds fold up but glad to see the class a Cincy fan and a Dodger outfielder showed Sunday.

A Reds rookie got his 1st hit and it was a home run. Dodger outfielder, Mookie Betts, had the presence of mind to ask the fan for the ball - fan did not hesitate in tossing Betts the ball and Betts got it to the Reds clubhouse so rookie has a souvenir.

Next inning Betts gives the fan an autographed bat. Class act all the way around.

Mookie Betts trades bat to get TJ Friedl'''s first home run ball

 

[375hh1973]

1. Shorten the season to 130 games
2. Permanently keep a pitch clock
3. Permanently keep double headers at 7 innings
4. Have cheerleaders
5. If the game is tied after 11 innings, have a derby

Baseball is boring to my generation. As the older generation dies off, there will be fewer fans. Better start attracting them now

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

It's NOT overtime. It's EXTRA INNINGS. Or as the announcer says "Free Baseball"

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

1. Shorten the season to 130 games
2. Permanently keep a pitch clock
3. Permanently keep double headers at 7 innings
4. Have cheerleaders
5. If the game is tied after 11 innings, have a derby

Baseball is boring to my generation. As the older generation dies off, there will be fewer fans. Better start attracting them now

Suggest that you watch the movie "Money Ball" to see what actually goes into a baseball season-it is absolutely fascinating the strategy that a manager implements over the course of a season. Baseball is NOT a game made for TV. It is a throwback to a more relaxed time whee one had time ot savot te game, read stats figure out who to pitch, what shifts, etc. It isn't made for fast paced times like today. One gets that in following a college team but unless you pick and follow one team you loose a lot of it especially id you do not live in a major league city and have a rooting interest in a particular team. It is why football has become so popular.Totally different animal. I think baseball is perhaps the hardest game to play successfully over time for a player.