To me it wouldn't be that hard to enforce. Basically it will be on the 2nd base ump to make sure the fielding team complies prior to the pitch. There would be no real need for penalties if that ump ensures the proper alignment.
The driving force for most MLB proposed changes is that pitchers are getting better faster than hitters (partly it is the best pitchers getting better, but mostly it is the sheer quantity of MLB pitchers that can pitch well for an inning or four), and the game is getting longer. The shift is such a small thing trying to give the hitters something. Making the shift illegal isn't going to cause an offensive explosion.
The shift is still gonna exist, it's just gonna get a little nerf. Your shortstop playing just to the left of 2B is still a very heavy shift, just not as extreme as we're used to. The shift being "banned" is much ado about nothing IMO. Pull lefties will likely see their BA go up a few points leaguewide, thats about it.
They are trying to cater to goldfish with an attention span of three seconds. Or youth with a similar attention span.
So after failing to lose a game against the Gourdians (Squash) becuase of mah 4AM, they take a fight to Seattle where players will sleep though the arrival of morning flights they could have taken after a night sleeping in their own bed with NO GAME scheduled for today. BRILLIANT!
This is funny. Homers, Ks, and walks don't require long attention spans. They are trying to keep the action of the game closer to that which they grew up which takes longer attention spans (i.e. more things besides homers). Old fogeys are the ones up in arms about the shift and batters not being able to hit it where they ain't for the last 150 years.
While I agree, I don't think Baker has anything to do with the players holding it together through injuries. I just don't think he's a good manager. Especially for a championship team. This is evident by the fact that despite all the talent he's coached he's never won a World Series as a manager
Maybe its only the old fogeys that remember the game was just fine before MLB started tinkering too much with it.
The game changed without MLB tinkering. I'm in close to old fogey territory. I don't want 4-hour+ games with only homers, Ks, walks, and mound visits because the catcher thinks he heard a trash can bang.
Are you against TV games being aired? Want to watch pitchers warm up? Or do you hate that MLB has set a time limit on pitchers warming up? MLB's tinkering recently has been to cut time for commercial time. Without MLB limiting pitchers to the commercial break, I expect they would take longer to warmup between innings than they currently do. Do you love pitchers facing one batter then commercial break?
But shortening the game by 12 minutes isn't going to do a damn thing to make the game more enjoyable for people who don't like baseball, especially if there are less runs. So if hockey shortens the game by 10 mins I'm all of a sudden going to watch? It's the most moronic logic I've ever heard.
I don't understand why either. You want fans in the seats as long as possible buying food, beverages, and merchandise. The longer they are in the stadium the more likely that is to happen.
