Pitch clock in baseball, your thoughts

[Butch Bradford]

The theory goes you move the 7th inning stretch to the 5th.

The 5th inning stretch?

Yeah, same song and dance and wAt not, just a couple innings earlier.

Concession sales might suffer in this scenario, I will grant you that.

Yeah, I'm confident that the MLB owners would fully support your plan.

[feekdogg]

Not an elite baseball mind but IMO the problem is not the pace, it's the lack of action.

Years ago, hitters tried to get on base. Lots of stolen bases and hit and runs. Bunting players over, etc.

Now it's a home run/strike out derby.

There is less action in today's game.

Am I wrong?

YOu are 100% correct. I love the game, but even I am getting bored with it. They're ruining the game.

I've been bitching about it for years. And it's directly related to the frigging nerds and their horribly overrated analytics.

[weimy froob]

i enjoy the grind of a twins baseball season. i'm at an age that i don't follow much sports if it isn't involving one of the local squads. it doesn't matter to me what happens in all the other games because it'll be a rare day that i'm watching them. not going to complain one way or the other about the new rules--but it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. i think the no shift rule is going to have the greatest impact.

[tbgh]

Not an elite baseball mind but IMO the problem is not the pace, it's the lack of action.

Years ago, hitters tried to get on base. Lots of stolen bases and hit and runs. Bunting players over, etc.

Now it's a home run/strike out derby.

There is less action in today's game.

Am I wrong?

YOu are 100% correct. I love the game, but even I am getting bored with it. They're ruining the game.

I've been bitching about it for years. And it's directly related to the frigging nerds and their horribly overrated analytics.

Yup. The nerds are the worst.

[Oriole81]

Regarding the shift, yes the hitters SHOULD be able to adapt and hit to the opposite field, but there's enough sample size to make the call that they're just not, and they're not going to.
So at some point, the league should be allowed to step in and fix the players from themselves.

[Oriole81]

I never understood why hitters couldn't just adapt to these shifts. Tony Gwynn would've loved it if they put a shift on when he was at the plate.

Tony Gwynn is one of the best hitters ever.

Right, but why don't hitters aspire to that approach? Having some level of bat control, rather than just swinging as hard as possible at a certain launch angle? That's why I'll miss Arraez.

Arraez is weird still.
He technically did win the batting title, but he still only finished with a .316 average and .375 OBP.
Tony Gwynn for comparison had years where his BA was .351, .370, .394, .368, .353, .372.

Arraez doesn't walk much, he doesn't steal bases, and he doesn't have an obvious position defensively.
I think he's more of reflection of how poor the others around him have become fundamentally, vs him actually being a comparable throw back player.

[weimy froob]

Regarding the shift, yes the hitters SHOULD be able to adapt and hit to the opposite field, but there's enough sample size to make the call that they're just not, and they're not going to.
So at some point, the league should be allowed to step in and fix the players from themselves.

there's going to be more hits this year because of the new rule. lots of them were taken away with that shift. i agree with your first sentence. i don't know if i do with your second though.

[Oriole81]

Regarding the shift, yes the hitters SHOULD be able to adapt and hit to the opposite field, but there's enough sample size to make the call that they're just not, and they're not going to.
So at some point, the league should be allowed to step in and fix the players from themselves.

there's going to be more hits this year because of the new rule. lots of them were taken away with that shift. i agree with your first sentence. i don't know if i do with your second though.

My statement was in more of an economic sense.
Allowing the free market to handle itself (players on their own deciding to become more complete hitters and taking advantage of the shift) vs having oversight bodies artificially step in (eliminating the shift entirely.)

I do agree that this change will result in more hits and a better product, but the league is taking away the players ability to fix that problem on their own. That's always a tough line to manage, because you don't want too much outside involvement.

That's the angle I was going for.

[Hornets]

It's sad that a pitch clock has to be used, but it was becoming ridiculous the antics that were taking place by hitters and pitchers in between pitches. Watching games in the 60's and 70's I know that a 2 hour game is possible, and much preferred! We won't get it down to 2 hours, but if they can at least get down to 2 1/2 or less I'm ok with that.

[Oriole81]

Regarding the shift, yes the hitters SHOULD be able to adapt and hit to the opposite field, but there's enough sample size to make the call that they're just not, and they're not going to.
So at some point, the league should be allowed to step in and fix the players from themselves.

there's going to be more hits this year because of the new rule. lots of them were taken away with that shift. i agree with your first sentence. i don't know if i do with your second though.

My statement was in more of an economic sense.
Allowing the free market to handle itself (players on their own deciding to become more complete hitters and taking advantage of the shift) vs having oversight bodies artificially step in (eliminating the shift entirely.)

I do agree that this change will result in more hits and a better product, but the league is taking away the players ability to fix that problem on their own. That's always a tough line to manage, because you don't want too much outside involvement.

That's the angle I was going for.

Like when a mod steps in and moves a perfectly good thread to the outskirts of the already bleak MLB chat universe, and the thread dies.

[weimy froob]

not dead yet. here's another post.

[ForCaleb]

not dead yet. here's another post.

Grate start.

Now if they could cut down on the time in between innings that would be great. MLB would never do it though. Too much money tied into advertising/

[Big Head]

I'd think the pitch clock will eventually help base runners a lot. Runners will somewhat know when the pitcher needs to pitch the ball, and they know they won't have to worry about a pitcher throwing over 8 times and holding onto the ball for 13 seconds before pitching it.

[Hornets]

I'd think the pitch clock will eventually help base runners a lot. Runners will somewhat know when the pitcher needs to pitch the ball, and they know they won't have to worry about a pitcher throwing over 8 times and holding onto the ball for 13 seconds before pitching it.

Good point, I hadn't thought of that. Would enjoy seeing the stolen base make a comeback in baseball!

[jffl_commish]

I'd think the pitch clock will eventually help base runners a lot. Runners will somewhat know when the pitcher needs to pitch the ball, and they know they won't have to worry about a pitcher throwing over 8 times and holding onto the ball for 13 seconds before pitching it.

Good point, I hadn't thought of that. Would enjoy seeing the stolen base make a comeback in baseball!

Ricky Henderson probably had more career steals than the entire league now.

[Hornets]

I'd think the pitch clock will eventually help base runners a lot. Runners will somewhat know when the pitcher needs to pitch the ball, and they know they won't have to worry about a pitcher throwing over 8 times and holding onto the ball for 13 seconds before pitching it.

Good point, I hadn't thought of that. Would enjoy seeing the stolen base make a comeback in baseball!

Ricky Henderson probably had more career steals than the entire league now.

No doubt....

[jffl_commish]

On the right is ridiculous and why casual fans don't give a shit about baseball. Yeah, that's kind of an outlier, but it certainly isn't rare either.

[weimy froob]

After player input, MLB allows some pitch clock delays

NEW YORK – Major League Baseball has clarified its new rules to allow umpires to delay the start of the pitch clock after big swings in which a hitter loses footing or when a pitcher covers first base, third or home, in addition to other clarifications announced Wednesday.

The commissioner’s office said in its memo that if a catcher ends an inning on base, at bat or on deck, an umpire may determine the catcher needs additional time and allow the pitcher another warmup throw and the catcher to throw to second base.

The MLB also said whether a defensive team violated the new shift restrictions will be subject to a video review only involving the first player to touch a ball after a pitch.

The league also said that after a batter uses his one allowed timeout during a plate appearance, the clock shall start when the hitter indicates he is ready in addition to the previous specification when he returned to the batter’s box.

The clarifications ahead of March 30 openers were contained in a four-page memo sent by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill to managers, general managers and assistant general managers, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2023/03/22/af ... ck-delays/

[weimy froob]

Pitch clock hits a home run on Opening Day, shortening games by 26 minutes over 2022

https://sports.yahoo.com/pitch-clock-hi ... 45689.html

[weimy froob]

[Hornets]

Sounds like its been a smashing success!

[jffl_commish]

Indeed. Much more enjoyable to watch, so far.

[Miley Cyrus]

I, for one, enjoy lounging around for 3+ hours at a game.

[weimy froob]

MLB streaming viewership up 42% on Opening Day in 1st season with pitch clock

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-streaming- ... 51890.html

[weimy froob]

twins seem to be having a little problem on both sides lately with the clock.

[weimy froob]

sonny gray gets a pitch violation to start the game. i'd assume that's not going to happen too many times this year in MLB.