Oso planning to go pro
Only 2017 season
Pitchers and catchers have reported!The unseasonably warm weather has put the thoughts of the MLB season into my head a little sooner than usual. Coupled with being a Cubs fan and still riding a high from the fall, I'm aching to get going. Cubs, Dodgers and Nationals look like easy picks for division winners at this point, but the Giants can never be counted out and the Mets still look really good if they can get a full season out of those arms. I'll look at the Rockies to be a surprise contender for the wild card.In the AL it looks like all Indians and Red Sox. Boston getting Sale is going to make them really tough to beat in a series. I expect Houston to bounce back from their disappointing season. I'd like to see the Mariners finally pull through and live up to expectations.
I've heard a lot of bitching about getting rid of the four pitch intentional walk, but I'm a big fan.
Only 2017 season I've heard a lot of bitching about getting rid of the four pitch intentional walk, but I'm a big fan.I know IBB have trended downward in recent years but it doesn't change the basic structure of the game and nothing's more annoying than spending a minute and a half watching an intentional walk.
So we save 60-90 seconds every three games or so. I suppose its a good thing, but I would prefer they make real changes, like a 20 second pitch clock with no one on base, limit visits to the mound by ANYBODY (catcher or manager) to one per pitcher per inning, with the second meeting meaning the pitcher has to leave the game, instituting a rule that any pitcher entering a game mid-inning has to face at least two batters, batter has to stay in the batters box, no time outs by the batter, etc. I love baseball, but MLB should insure we spend more time playing baseball and less time just dawdling.I'd also like to do something to reduce strikeouts. Baseball is at its best when the ball is put in play and fielders and base runners are on the move. Not sure how to accomplish that, but I think the specialization and proliferation of relief pitchers is the primary cause, and expanding the roster to 26 is just going to make it worse.
I'd like to see pitching changes just signaled from the dugout. There's no need for the manager to slowly walk out there to take the ball from the pitcher. Get the umps attention, motion to the pen and have the reliever come in. Again, it's not going to save a huge amount of time but it could average out to 4-5 minutes a game.
There was a White Sox game I went to once when Buehrle was pithing, and the game didnt even take two hours, and if it did, it was barely over 2.
I don't see much in the way of roster decisions for the defending champs. It could be a Szczur or LaStella call.Maddon recently brought up having two fifth starters, meaning they would take turns in the fifth spot, sighting that neither of these two potential #5's has thrown many innings over a season. I don't think it's a terrible idea, but you'd have to be really creative with how that other 5th guy was used and still available, so you weren't just going 10 straight days with one less arm.
Are they going with the automatic ( no pitches) walk this season?
Yes, it's official.
Seems like a silly change. How much time per game is spent on intentional walks? One minute?
Sounds like David Price may need Tommy John...
I'm personally glad it's gone, but I'm not sure how they are selling it. It also has some implications with pitch counts, as these pitches were listed as part of the pitch count. I'm sure coaches were smart enough to ignore this, but it appears on the stat count..... I don't know, just grasping as straws here. I'm glad it's gone but I can't give a good reason as to why it really matters.
I'd also like to do something to reduce strikeouts. Baseball is at its best when the ball is put in play and fielders and base runners are on the move. Not sure how to accomplish that, but I think the specialization and proliferation of relief pitchers is the primary cause, and expanding the roster to 26 is just going to make it worse.
Some things that are both measurably longer and perceived to take longer:- multiple pitching changes within an inning- multiple mound visits to buy time for relievers to warm up in the bullpen