2022 MLB Thread

[MU82]

And that inside story is?

chicos will tell us someday!

[PGsHeroes32]

Correa!!!!!!!!!!

Finally willed it into existence.


Can the bullpen hold at Ynkee stadium for once is the question now.

[PGsHeroes32]

Correa!!!!!!!!!!

Finally willed it into existence.


Can the bullpen hold at Ynkee stadium for once is the question now.

Barely. But the pen held it.

Season still probably shot.

But now at least have hope heading into the battle with Clev.

Bundy/Archer/TBA vs Quantrill/McKenzie/Bieber is minimal hope though.

[Jockey]

Pretty sweeping, dramatic rule changes approved.

I like every single change. Baseball has been slowing both the pace of play AND the amount of action on the field for years. I think these changes will help propel offensive action both in the hitting game and the running game.

[JWags85]

Pretty sweeping, dramatic rule changes approved.

I like every single change. Baseball has been slowing both the pace of play AND the amount of action on the field for years. I think these changes will help propel offensive action both in the hitting game and the running game.

Yep.  All of them really seem like no brainers.  Maybe people could gripe about the bigger bases, but the rest are home runs, no pun intended.

[BM1090]

Not sure I agree with banning the shift. Fully onboard with the rest. Should make for a far better viewing experience.

[The Sultan]

The pitch clock is so long overdue.  Other sports have something similar, so this makes perfect sense.

[PGsHeroes32]

Love the two main ones of the pitch clock and the shift.

Shift has to go for the good of the game.

And the pitch clock is simply needed for pacing.

Since the Twins pitching is constantly in disarray the one joy is watching how quickly guys we just called up from minors work(they have a pitch clock).

Varland in his debut the other day was constantly ready to throw the next pitch. The days of Berrios playing with his hat 5 times between every pitch and Archer passing around chewing bubble gum are going by bye.

[tower912]

Gone to several minor league games with the pitch clock.  You forget about it after a while and then realize it is the 7th inning stretch after an hour and 50 minutes.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Huge fan of the pitch clock.

Neutral on the bigger bases.

Not a fan of banning the shift.

[Jockey]

Huge fan of the pitch clock.

Neutral on the bigger bases.

Not a fan of banning the shift.

What don't you like about banning the shift?

I like that it will put an emphasis back on infield defense - especially up the middle. Baseball was always an inside to outside game on D. Catcher, SS, 2B, and CF.

Overall, the changes represent a nod to tradition plus modern upgrades, IMO.

[jficke13]

The only shifts I like are weirdo desperation shifts at the end of playoff games. How many outfielders do you dare put in the infield to try to cut down a runner at home on a groundball at the risk of a soft flyball down a foulline clearing the bases? Your standard "this dude can't be arsed to do anything but swing dead pull so why not stack the left side of the infield because there's 0 downside risk to doing so, hell " is less fun to watch.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

What don't you like about banning the shift?

I don't like banning a within the rules strategy just because it's effective. I'd rather it be addressed by teaching batters how to hit against the shift

[PGsHeroes32]

I don't like banning a within the rules strategy just because it's effective. I'd rather it be addressed by teaching batters how to hit against the shift

Super easy to tell guys to stop hitting the way they have hit their entire lives at every level growing up.

[The Sultan]

Yeah, I think "learning how to hit against the shift" is a lot harder than people think it is.

[Uncle Rico]

Yeah, I think "learning how to hit against the shift" is a lot harder than people think it is.

Teams will gladly trade singles against the shift versus power hits to the natural side.  There have been endless studies about the effectiveness of turning power hitters into singles hitters.  It's a winning trade.  On top of that, hitters actually have better averages/power hitting into a shift by forcing them to elevate the baseball.  There's a great article out there about Daniel Murphy and hitting into the shift instead of slapping against it.  It's counterintuitive but quite convincing stuff.

We think the shift is new but baseball has done it for years but instead of saving it for one or two hitters, it's all hitters now

[Jockey]

I don't like banning a within the rules strategy just because it's effective. I'd rather it be addressed by teaching batters how to hit against the shift

Ted Williams wouldn't hit to LF when he faced the shift and he was probably the greatest ball striker in baseball history.

I wish lefties would bunt every time against the shift. Automatic singles. Won't ever happen.

[Jockey]

The only shifts I like are weirdo desperation shifts at the end of playoff games. How many outfielders do you dare put in the infield to try to cut down a runner at home on a groundball at the risk of a soft flyball down a foulline clearing the bases? Your standard "this dude can't be arsed to do anything but swing dead pull so why not stack the left side of the infield because there's 0 downside risk to doing so, hell " is less fun to watch.

That would still be allowed under the new rule.

I do wonder if we will see more bunting by the speedsters though, since the 3rd baseman can't play in on the grass against a fast guy.

Will also be interesting to see which managers use these new rules the best.

[MU82]

Ted Williams wouldn't hit to LF when he faced the shift and he was probably the greatest ball striker in baseball history.

I wish lefties would bunt every time against the shift. Automatic singles. Won't ever happen.

I was just thinking how many more hits Williams would have had under no-shift rules. Answer: Lots!

As for your wish ... I remember Kent Hrbek bunting against the shift at least a couple times, once for a double.

[Uncle Rico]

I was just thinking how many more hits Williams would have had under no-shift rules. Answer: Lots!

As for your wish ... I remember Kent Hrbek bunting against the shift at least a couple times, once for a double.

Take a look at how much Ted Williams walked once.  It's incredible.  Shift or no shift, greatest hitter ever

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Super easy to tell guys to stop hitting the way they have hit their entire lives at every level growing up.

Yeah, I think "learning how to hit against the shift" is a lot harder than people think it is.

Never meant to imply that it wasn't hard but it can be done. Given time, hitters would eventually learn how to punish the shift and it wouldn't be used as much.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Take a look at how much Ted Williams walked once.  It's incredible.  Shift or no shift, greatest hitter ever

No, I'm sorry, this is wrong: Ted did not play for St. Louis.

[Jockey]

No, I'm sorry, this is wrong: Ted did not play for St. Louis.

Even in the 40s, Yadi was the man that Ted tried to emulate.

Interesting side note: Ted had to hide his Mexican heritage because he worried he would not be allowed to play in the Majors if people found out.

[Uncle Rico]

No, I'm sorry, this is wrong: Ted did not play for St. Louis.

No, he was served in WWII honorably, so he wasn't Cardinals material like Stan the Usual

[shoothoops]

It's the St. Louis Stars tonight. (1906-1931)

https://twitter.com/Cardinals/status/1568349389827244032?t=HBMTfslB1kxsCIVReQBYMQ&s=19

So you'll need Cool Papa Bell, Willie Wells and Mules Suttles references.