Auto strikes/balls are stupid or the pitch clock? What else could they do for pitch clock violations?
The penalties for it. Just seems a bit harsh to give the hitter or pitcher an advantage over a few seconds. Not sure what else they could do but I'll think about it. Make the pitcher earn the strikeout and reward the hitter with a walk by having good plate discipline.
Lol all they need to do is send links of Jomboy videos on Angel Hernandez. The Kyle Schwarber losing his mind on Angel Hernandez video is one of the funniest baseball things I've seen in a while.
I saw another article making a big deal out of the pickoff thing. Like it was basically going to be handing doubles to singles hitters right and left. But how often does it happen that speedy runners get on first and still have a pitcher make a pickoff attempt more than twice? I mean, if a pitcher throws more than a couple pickoffs on one pitch the fans typically will start booing (unless it is their player) because it feels excessive. I can't see it happening often enough to make a huge deal in the long run.
I read somewhere that you are allowed a 3rd pick off attempt, but it's do or die. If you fail to catch the runner on the 3rd throw they are awarded the next base. I think it's a good balance to encourage steals, but avoiding runners getting a comical lead after the second attempt. It would most importantly stop the rain delay game stopper we all loathe.
Something like that would have to exist. After 2 throws over the runner could basically start slow walking to 2nd and wave at the pitcher while he does it.
I believe the rule limiting throws to first will increase both throws to first and steals. Base runners will be trying to force pitchers to throw on them to get to the limit so they can take long leads with impunity. On the other hand pitchers will be reluctant to waste throws wanting to keep one in their pocket in case they really need it. Both those situations will increase steals.
Penalties may be harsh, but it isn't something that should happen often. If the batters would have just stayed in the box and the pitchers wouldn't stall, this wouldn't have been needed to be done. MLB has given the players multiple seasons to be better. This is the players fault. Minor league games have been cut by 20 minutes. With all the paranoia gamesmanship by MLB teams in the postseason, that could be 30 minutes in October. As much as I look forward to the Astros defeating the Dodgers in the World Series again, I am not looking forward to the morning the next day at work after each game.
I can see that. Instead of pitchers throwing...it'll be catchers that'll toss to 1B or even pre-emptively 2B.
I guess all those seconds add up. Surprised to see the 26 minute claim. Nothing about limiting throws over to 1st base. Could we see infielders making a mad dash to a shift position as the pitch is released?
Teams could still put one of their outfielders in that right field roaming area that second baseman have been playing...
Beating the shift has been frowned upon because singles don't win you games. Best to keep trying to rip it and go big. Any ball to left field would be an almost guaranteed triple, possibly inside the parker. Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez can have the few extra singles not shifting brings if subjecting my defense to that formation is what it takes to shift now.
I hate the new shift rule. Why punish teams that are smart enough to scout tendencies. I mean, for a sport that is 99.9% based on statistics, teams that track the stats and use them to their advantage should be allowed to play the game in such a manner. You are rewarding one-dimensional hitters who cannot go the opposite way.
As Astros fans we have a pretty big reason to happy about this change. Not all shifts are the same. There aren't left field rovers for right handed hitters but there are right field rovers for left handed hitters for obvious reasons. Our two best power hitters are both lefthanded and they get burned by that right field second baseman too often.
