2022 MLB Thread

[MU82]

#backpocketcocaine

It was an accident!

[ChuckyChip]

Universal DH coming in 2022 

https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/sports/mlb-commissioner-universal-designated-hitter-2022-season

[MU82]

Universal DH coming in 2022 

https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/sports/mlb-commissioner-universal-designated-hitter-2022-season

That's fine. I would have been fine with the status quo, too.

I understand all the arguments for DH in both leagues, and I agree with most of them. But I also liked that the leagues had that one difference, and it was always fun to see a .125 hitting pitcher hit one over the fence; that it was a rare occurrence added to the fun.

[tower912]

About damn time.

[The Sultan]

About damn time.

Yeah, while I have gained an appreciation with the "traditional way" with Milwaukee moving to the NL, it just seems to be ridiculous that they don't play by the same rules.  Time to move on.

[BrewCity83]

I'm going to miss the NL managers strategizing around the pitchers in the batting order.  Will this change slightly minimize the Brewers' advantage by having such a strong and deep bullpen? Or will it allow their rotation to pitch a few extra innings?

[Uncle Rico]

Good.  The strategy of the double switch was too complicated for me

[GB Warrior]

"Thanks a ton"
-Jimmy Nelson

[Lennys Tap]

Good.  The strategy of the double switch was too complicated for me

Agree that it's nearly impossible for fans to comprehend but once I got it it made baseball SO much more exciting!

[BrewCity83]

Agree that it's nearly impossible for fans to comprehend but once I got it it made baseball SO much more exciting!

+100

[Uncle Rico]

Agree that it's nearly impossible for fans to comprehend but once I got it it made baseball SO much more exciting!

The only thing more confounding in baseball is how the sport hasn't been renamed after Yadier Molina

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

It's better than the leagues having different rules.... but I always preferred the NL rules

[Lennys Tap]

The only thing more confounding in baseball is how the sport hasn't been renamed after Yadier Molina

Hopefully addressed in the new CBA - something virtually everyone agrees on.

[CTWarrior]

It's better than the leagues having different rules.... but I always preferred the NL rules

From Joe Posnanski

In 2000, pitchers hit .150/.186/.195 and struck out 37% of the time they came to the plate. This is terrible, by the way, but pretty much in line with how pitchers had been hitting for decades. In 1978, to pull a random year, pitchers hit .148/.183/.188.

In 2005, pitchers hit .150/.182/.190 and struck out 36% of the time. Same thing.

In 2010, pitchers hit .143/.177/.177 and struck out 33% of the time. Worse in some ways, but they put the ball in play more — lots of sacrifice bunts.

In 2015, pitchers hit .133/.160/.171 and struck out 37% of the time. Things seem to be going in the wrong direction, don't they?

And then in 2021, pitchers hit .110/.149/.140 and struck out 44% of the time.

You can see this is definitely going in the wrong direction, and in my view it just isn't sustainable. How badly would pitchers have to hit to convince hardened fans of pitchers hitting that it no longer works? Would pitchers have to hit .060 to make the case? How about .038?

I don't understand what took so long.

[The Sultan]

The most hardened fans would never change their position regardless of outcome.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

From Joe Posnanski

In 2000, pitchers hit .150/.186/.195 and struck out 37% of the time they came to the plate. This is terrible, by the way, but pretty much in line with how pitchers had been hitting for decades. In 1978, to pull a random year, pitchers hit .148/.183/.188.

In 2005, pitchers hit .150/.182/.190 and struck out 36% of the time. Same thing.

In 2010, pitchers hit .143/.177/.177 and struck out 33% of the time. Worse in some ways, but they put the ball in play more — lots of sacrifice bunts.

In 2015, pitchers hit .133/.160/.171 and struck out 37% of the time. Things seem to be going in the wrong direction, don't they?

And then in 2021, pitchers hit .110/.149/.140 and struck out 44% of the time.

You can see this is definitely going in the wrong direction, and in my view it just isn't sustainable. How badly would pitchers have to hit to convince hardened fans of pitchers hitting that it no longer works? Would pitchers have to hit .060 to make the case? How about .038?

I don't understand what took so long.

I don't really care about that. For me, it added to the strategy of the game.  Baseball is also the only sport I know of that has every player play both offense and defense... except one.

[tower912]

Football?   Donald wasn't catching passes.

[The Sultan]

I don't really care about that. For me, it added to the strategy of the game.  Baseball is also the only sport I know of that has every player play both offense and defense... except one.

Hockey goalies don't play offense.  But regardless, sports are different. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Hockey goalies don't play offense.  But regardless, sports are different.

Yes they do.  They are out there while the offense is on the ice. Same in soccer.

And yes sports are different, thank you for making that clear 

[The Sultan]

Football?   Donald wasn't catching passes.

Those on the punt team play both offense and defense.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Football?   Donald wasn't catching passes.

Football has separate positions for offense and defense.

What my post was saying was that every major sport in the USA (and most sports in general) has either:
Separate positions for offense/defense or
Every position playing on both sides of the ball

The one exception in the states is AL rules (now all) baseball which has 8/9 positions play both sides and 2 special positions that alternate offense/defense. Which is fine, as FBM pointed out every sport is different. I just personally enjoyed the NL rules more than the AL rules.

[tower912]

Cool

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Yes they do.  They are out there while the offense is on the ice. Same in soccer.

And yes sports are different, thank you for making that clear 

Basketball?

And Clarissa will explain it all to you.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Basketball?

And Clarissa will explain it all to you.

Sorry this one went over my head

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Sorry this one went over my head

Basketball players play offense and defense. Football is an outlier.

Sultan's new name is Clarissa, because he explains it all.