MLB /Union discussing drastic rules changes

[Parade_Rain]

These are the changes in the Atlantic League-

• 62'2" mound distance after mid-season. (two halves for comparison)
• bases are enlarged from 15" to 18" square
• Plate umpires in charge of check swings and also override strike call on bounced pitch
• restricted infield shifts. 2 IF on each side of 2B. Also no IF can set up in the OF grass
• pitchers must face at least 3 batters or complete the half inning, unless injured
• mound visits eliminated except for pitching changes or medical issues
• between innings cut from 2 min to 1:45

 

[CubsFaninMN]

These are the changes in the Atlantic League-

• 62'2" mound distance after mid-season. (two halves for comparison)
• bases are enlarged from 15" to 18" square
• Plate umpires in charge of check swings and also override strike call on bounced pitch
• restricted infield shifts. 2 IF on each side of 2B. Also no IF can set up in the OF grass
• pitchers must face at least 3 batters or complete the half inning, unless injured
• mound visits eliminated except for pitching changes or medical issues
• between innings cut from 2 min to 1:45

And of those, the ones I would consider adopting in 2020 at the major league level are:

- enlarged bases
- plate umps not calling balls and strikes, electronic only except in bounced pitch and checked swing cases
- restricted infield shifts (i.e., two infielders, playing inside the outfield grass, on each side of the centerline)
- between-innings time cut by 15 seconds

It seems to me that these are adjustments that correct for the ways in which baseball has been changing in negative ways over the past 30 years. They address the pendulum swinging way too far in one direction, while not changing the game at any basic level. Changing the distance from the mound to the plate, eliminating mound visits (I mean, hey, they deal with some serious shit out there... ), those kinds of things change some of the basics of the game that have persisted for more than a century.

You could argue that the most extreme change would actually be the electronic strike zone, I guess, but the tech is here for it. And since the game has accepted replay to get fielding calls right, holding off on using the tech to get the ball/strike calls right is like trying to get just a little bit pregnant. Once you open that door (as they have with replay), you can't close it again...

-Doug

 

[CubsFaninMN]

Here is a question about how an official electronic strike zone ought to work...

The current definition of the strike zone is "the knees to the letters", correct? Which means a 5'6" player has a smaller strike zone than a 6'5" player.

Do we want to abandon that, and make the strike zone an area specified by the airspace above the plate and exactly, say, no lower than 26" and no higher than 48" above the ground? In other words, not just an electronic strike zone, but a standardized strike zone that is the same for every batter?

It's not that hard for computers to calculate the top and bottom of a knees-to-letters zone, on a frame-by-frame basis, adjusting it to the batter's stance and even through his swing, without significant delay in the call. The question is, do we want to do that, or would it benefit everyone -- the pitchers, the batters, even the fans -- for the strike zone to be consistent and standard for everyone?

I'm undecided. What do y'all think?

-Doug

 

[Parade_Rain]

All a standard strike zone does is make it tougher for sub 6' players to play the game. That makes no sense. This isn't basketball.

 

[Diehardfan]

LOL, I never thought about it like that. The same computer generated strike zone for every hitter would make for a huge zone for a guy like Altuve and a postage stamp for someone like Judge. It would have to be generated hitter by hitter based on definition of the zone and the players size.

 

[Castor76]

It wouldn't take much to make the height of the strike zone adjustable. It would just take a database of each batter's stance heights.

 

[brett05]

Up to date the tech has not been there to do an unmanned strike zone. This is the test.

Moving the mound back 2 feet is not making a faster or a safer game.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Up to date the tech has not been there to do an unmanned strike zone. This is the test.

Moving the mound back 2 feet is not making a faster or a safer game.

Moving the mound back may make the game better. Faster isn't necessarily better. They want to get the advantage away from the pitching (1968) and even the odds for the hitters.

 

[brett05]

Moving the mound back may make the game better. Faster isn't necessarily better. They want to get the advantage away from the pitching (1968) and even the odds for the hitters.

You ask me the advantage is already well in the hitters "home" You want a faster game this ain't helping at all.

 

[beckdawg]

question... i haven't really read that much on these rules but something occurred to me with regard to the whole 3 batter reliever change..... what happens if you bring a guy to get the last out in say the 7th or 8th inning and then as a batter he ends up coming up in the following inning? Can you not pinch hit for him?

 

[JP Hochbaum]

question... i haven't really read that much on these rules but something occurred to me with regard to the whole 3 batter reliever change..... what happens if you bring a guy to get the last out in say the 7th or 8th inning and then as a batter he ends up coming up in the following inning? Can you not pinch hit for him?

IF they go 3 innings or finish an inning you can remove them.

 

[CubsFaninMN]

And it's any pitcher. The starter must face three batters before he can be pulled in the first inning, excepting in cases of injury or ejection. And it is three batters or to end an inning.

I wonder, though -- let's say you bring in a guy to pitch with two outs and he gets the first guy he faces, but his slot doesn't come up for an at-bat in the next half-inning and his coach keeps him in. Does he have to face a minimum of two batters in the next inning, since he already faced one the prior inning? Or is this something where any pitcher who starts an inning has to face at least the first three batters in that inning, regardless of how many batters they may have faced in the prior inning?

That would really impact starters, if it were the case, wouldn't it? But the question also needs to be addressed with relievers. I mean, what about the case where a guy faces two batters and stays in -- can he be pulled after facing the first batter in the next inning? And if so, you're not reducing your pitching changes as much as you might want...

-Doug

 

[chibears55]

And it's any pitcher. The starter must face three batters before he can be pulled in the first inning, excepting in cases of injury or ejection. And it is three batters or to end an inning.

I wonder, though -- let's say you bring in a guy to pitch with two outs and he gets the first guy he faces, but his slot doesn't come up for an at-bat in the next half-inning and his coach keeps him in. Does he have to face a minimum of two batters in the next inning, since he already faced one the prior inning? Or is this something where any pitcher who starts an inning has to face at least the first three batters in that inning, regardless of how many batters they may have faced in the prior inning?

That would really impact starters, if it were the case, wouldn't it? But the question also needs to be addressed with relievers. I mean, what about the case where a guy faces two batters and stays in -- can he be pulled after facing the first batter in the next inning? And if so, you're not reducing your pitching changes as much as you might want...

-Doug

if a pitcher finishes the inning he doesn't need to pitch the next inning if he faced less then 3 hitters...

 

[CubsFaninMN]

if a pitcher finishes the inning he doesn't need to pitch the next inning if he faced less then 3 hitters...

That's not what I was asking. I was asking, what if the manager keeps him in for the start of the next inning? Like, on purpose? If he already faced one guy the last inning, does he need to face another two this inning? Or is it that any pitcher that starts an inning has to face at least three batters in that inning, no matter how many batters he's faced thus far in the game?

-Doug

 

[chibears55]

That's not what I was asking. I was asking, what if the manager keeps him in for the start of the next inning? Like, on purpose? If he already faced one guy the last inning, does he need to face another two this inning? Or is it that any pitcher that starts an inning has to face at least three batters in that inning, no matter how many batters he's faced thus far in the game?

-Doug

No, because he had finished an inning

 

[Raskolnikov]

They should put schwarbervinto a DJ/C/LF role. Rest everyone. Let him be him. Etc.

 

[CSF77]

They should put schwarbervinto a DJ/C/LF role. Rest everyone. Let him be him. Etc.

He is a quality LF now.

Alex Gordon: wRC+: 89 DRS: 18 fWAR: 1.6
Kyle Schwarber: wRC+: 115 DRS: 2 fWAR: 3.2

For a LF you have him out there for his bat first and try not to lose value with the glove. He is doing that. As a catcher you need the glove first with out losing the bat. He is not doing that. Even Contreras' future is in doubt there with his league worst framing.

 

[anotheridiot]

So I got a bit mesmerized watching Iricho's 7th inning K yesterday and saw the easiest way to speed up a game while doing it.

It is pretty simple too.

Just have the catcher start flashing his signs before the batter does his tighten the gloves, dig dirt hole, go thru his routine, before stepping out again because he was not ready.

And when he does step out again? Why start all over with the signs again.

I bet they can get games to 2 hours easy that way.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

So I got a bit mesmerized watching Iricho's 7th inning K yesterday and saw the easiest way to speed up a game while doing it.

It is pretty simple too.

Just have the catcher start flashing his signs before the batter does his tighten the gloves, dig dirt hole, go thru his routine, before stepping out again because he was not ready.

And when he does step out again? Why start all over with the signs again.

I bet they can get games to 2 hours easy that way.

Don't allow the pitcher to adjust his crotch after every pitch and you would shave off 15-20 minutes as well.

 

[anotheridiot]

I think if they stop shaving their crotch they would not be so itchy and need to adjust each pitch.

It was truly painful to watch. Yes, ESPN wanted drama, but it was painful.