Major MLB changes coming?

[muwarrior69]

...and with all these changes the National League will still not have a DH!

[BrewCity83]

...and with all these changes the National League will still not have a DH!

Thank God!  I love the added strategy of pinch-hitting for a pitcher (or not), etc.

[CTWarrior]

Thank God!  I love the added strategy of pinch-hitting for a pitcher (or not), etc.

That used to be a thing.  They just pinch hit now because pitchers don't go as deep anymore.  I guess they may make the decision in the 4th or 5th inning now.

I like the DH because whatever additional strategy involved is more than offset by seeing a major league hitter hit instead of a pitcher.

[Benny B]

But football is all about the anticipation building between plays and the intensity of the play once it starts.  The entire team is involved.  Baseball is different in that way.  The "action" can oftentimes involve very few people.  This is why when people claim that soccer has 90 minutes of action, and a great deal of that action is a bunch of short passes that don't lead anywhere, that I think these kind of stats are bogus.  And I like soccer!

Put it this way, pace of play is brought up repeatedly as a problem in baseball.  The length of games has grown over the course of the last few decades which means it slower than its "natural" pace.  Football games take basically the same time now as they did 40 years ago.

I'm not so sure about the pace of baseball declining over the years... watch a video of an old-timey baseball game and Babe Ruth looks like he could outrun Willie Mays Hays.

Too bad there isn't a 1.5x button we could hit to help move things along.  But then there wouldn't be enough time to bang on garbage cans.

[Jockey]

That used to be a thing.  They just pinch hit now because pitchers don't go as deep anymore.  I guess they may make the decision in the 4th or 5th inning now.

I like the DH because whatever additional strategy involved is more than offset by seeing a major league hitter hit instead of a pitcher.

Yup. Strategy is this case is a bogus argument. The move to pinch hit for a pitch is pretty much cut and dried now.

I actually think having a DH requires more strategy by the manager and pitching coach. Pitching decisions are based on pitching rather than when the pitcher will be batting.

[Jockey]

Wow. Bellinger really rips Houston today - clip is on ESPN. Calls them frauds and cheaters and that everyone around the league has zero respect for them. Really goes after Altuve.

After the apology fiasco, I don't think things are gonna get better. I also expect there will be more calls for some permanent bans as more and more comes out. A good starting point would be a lifetime ban for Carlos Beltran - a guy who was likely to be a HoF'er and who will certainly never make it now. That would be a punishment with enough meat on the bone to actually be a deterrent.

Cora, Hinch, and the guys from the front office should also be in line for lifetime bans. This is no less of a cheating scandal than the Black Sox and should be treated as such.

As a lifelong fan for whom baseball was my 1st love (I tell my wife she is, but I may be lying), this has soured me more than anything else ever has in sports.

Bregman has been my favorite player since he came into the league - a clone of Paul Molitor who was my fave when I was much younger. Now he is simply a dishonest cheat - a fraud.

[Benny B]

I actually think having a DH requires more strategy by the manager and pitching coach. Pitching decisions are based on pitching rather than when the pitcher will be batting.

In other words, in the AL, pitching decisions are based on pitching.  In the NL, pitching decisions are based on pitching and batting.

Seems like the AL has it pretty easy.

[Jockey]

In other words, in the AL, pitching decisions are based on pitching.  In the NL, pitching decisions are based on pitching and batting.

Seems like the AL has it pretty easy.

Sounds like a slam dunk argument - except the batting decisions are almost always either pitching or batting. Pinch hitting for a pitcher is almost always automatic - the main exception being when an Ace has pitched 6 or 7 IP and is due up. Few pitchers throw 200 IP anymore, so there is normally no question if the SP's spot to bat comes up in inning 6 or 7 that it will be a PH. Very little strategy involved.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

According to the WSJ, it's 11 minutes for a NFL Game, and 18 minutes of a MLB game.  (I'm not sure what they use to determine "game action."

https://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=475

Baseball Pace of Play - Big Head Mike Francesca used to bring this up often.  Baseball games could easily be shortened significantly if they reduced the number of commercials between innings and pitching changes.  TV & radio commercials are a large contributor to the game length but MLB would never do it because it would affect revenue.

[CTWarrior]

Baseball Pace of Play - Big Head Mike Francesca used to bring this up often.  Baseball games could easily be shortened significantly if they reduced the number of commercials between innings and pitching changes.  TV & radio commercials are a large contributor to the game length but MLB would never do it because it would affect revenue.

This is correct.  Lopping 30 seconds off between innings would save 8 - 8.5 minutes a game.  Its not like the baseball announcers during the game aren't using at least a third of their words during the broadcast to promote some business or another.  "And that's the 15th pitch of the ballgame.  15 minutes could save you 15% at Geico!"  "Blah Blah Blah insurance company will donate $50 dollars for every strikeout by the home team pitchers this year.  See your local blah blah blah insurance agent today!"  That's in addition to straight commercial reads, before innings, between batters, etc.  The utter disdain MLB and the players union has for their fans is infuriating.  The Red Sox have to be the absolute worst in this regard.

[MU82]

I like the idea of the 3-batter rule and I will be interested to see how it affects strategy.

[CTWarrior]

I like the idea of the 3-batter rule and I will be interested to see how it affects strategy.

I actually like that one too.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

I like the idea of the 3-batter rule and I will be interested to see how it affects strategy.

I'm very much against the rule.  Rest in Peace, LOOGY.

[Cheeks]

Wow. Bellinger really rips Houston today - clip is on ESPN. Calls them frauds and cheaters and that everyone around the league has zero respect for them. Really goes after Altuve.

After the apology fiasco, I don't think things are gonna get better. I also expect there will be more calls for some permanent bans as more and more comes out. A good starting point would be a lifetime ban for Carlos Beltran - a guy who was likely to be a HoF'er and who will certainly never make it now. That would be a punishment with enough meat on the bone to actually be a deterrent.

Cora, Hinch, and the guys from the front office should also be in line for lifetime bans. This is no less of a cheating scandal than the Black Sox and should be treated as such.

As a lifelong fan for whom baseball was my 1st love (I tell my wife she is, but I may be lying), this has soured me more than anything else ever has in sports.

Bregman has been my favorite player since he came into the league - a clone of Paul Molitor who was my fave when I was much younger. Now he is simply a dishonest cheat - a fraud.

Disagree that it is on par with what the Black Sox did.   

End of the day, teams try to steal signs all the time and it is encouraged....Astro's took it way way too far and deserve the punishment.  Black Sox literally threw games...no comparison.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I like the idea of the 3-batter rule and I will be interested to see how it affects strategy.

I haven't made my mind up on it yet, but I'm certain my Yankees with their deep bullpen will benefit.

[muwarrior69]

Baseball Pace of Play - Big Head Mike Francesca used to bring this up often.  Baseball games could easily be shortened significantly if they reduced the number of commercials between innings and pitching changes.  TV & radio commercials are a large contributor to the game length but MLB would never do it because it would affect revenue.

...but that is true for every sport except soccer (futbol) where there are no time outs.

[Jockey]

Altuve and Bregman are probably on pace to be in the Hall of Fame.

Should they be allowed in when they are eligible if they have the stats to back it up?

[🏀]

Altuve and Bregman are probably on pace to be in the Hall of Fame.

Should they be allowed in when they are eligible if they have the stats to back it up?

Before their press day, I would've thought about it. Now probably not.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Altuve and Bregman are probably on pace to be in the Hall of Fame.

Should they be allowed in when they are eligible if they have the stats to back it up?

IMO, nope.  Let's see how Altuve the shirt clutcher does without knowing what pitch is coming and the location.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

New excuse floated by Altuve's teammate as to why he didn't want his short removed: A bad, unfinished tattoo. 

[Cheeks]

IMO, nope.  Let's see how Altuve the shirt clutcher does without knowing what pitch is coming and the location.

Can't we figure that out pretty easily with road games?

[Pakuni]

Altuve and Bregman are probably on pace to be in the Hall of Fame.

Should they be allowed in when they are eligible if they have the stats to back it up?

Obviously a lot depends on what happens going forward, but there are more than a few known cheaters in the Hall of Fame. Not sure why these guys should be treated any differently.

[Jockey]

Obviously a lot depends on what happens going forward, but there are more than a few known cheaters in the Hall of Fame. Not sure why these guys should be treated any differently.

I asked because, as we know, the steroid guys have been kept out. The cheating that Altuve and Bregman did is, to me at least, much worse.

Personally, I have no problem with the steroid guys getting into the Hall - we certainly have a fair share of drunks and druggies there - but I am torn on these guys from the Astros.

[Cheeks]

I asked because, as we know, the steroid guys have been kept out. The cheating that Altuve and Bregman did is, to me at least, much worse.

Personally, I have no problem with the steroid guys getting into the Hall - we certainly have a fair share of drunks and druggies there - but I am torn on these guys from the Astros.

Why is it much worse, please explain.

Of what we know, they cheated in 2017 only and at SOME home games.

Steroid guys cheated multiple years, home and away.....all games.  An unfair advantage over pitchers not juicing.


How is it much worse and I ask that based on volume alone?  Can you provide rational reason why it is much worse?  Or for that matter, why the Black Sox scandal is much less as you also stated.

[MUBurrow]

I understand that players are rightfully frustrated by MLB's response on the cheating scandal, but the MLBPA really needs to batten down the hatches and concentrate their response.  Or like, have a conference call or something.  This is an opportunity for them to score some points big points on Manfred leading up to the next CBA negotiation, but there's some real galaxy brain takes being thrown out there by players right now.

Best example is Phil Hughes proposing a work stoppage to protest the light player punishments from MLB.  So you want to violate the CBA, shortly before the negotiation of a new one, and strike becuase MLB didn't unilaterally punish MLBPA members harshly enough? Imagine if Manfred had suspended the heart of the Astros lineup for all of 2020 - it would have been in the players' interest to appeal that and flip out!  Eyes on the prize, my guy.