MLB Proposed Rule Change: There Goes Tradition

[Wadcutter]

I hope that MLB doesn't follow through on this proposed rule change. I think a sport that has so much tradition needs to hang on to that tradition. Of course I could be wrong. What do you baseball fans think of this:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...onal-walk-rule

[reeve21]

I'm a traditionalist. Still upset from when they lowered the mound back in the 60's to counteract Bob Gibson, even if he did crush my Red Sox in 67.

Hate the "instant" reply. Earl Weaver was so much fun to watch manage, you never knew what he would do after a call he didn't like. I miss the arguments with the umpires, really

But I really don't care too much about this proposed change. I don't think it changes the character of the game. I also don't think it will speed things up very much, but it may be one of the few areas where they can get union, management and umpire buy in.

[JCStilley]

If MLB is looking for ways to speed up the game, this isn't really a good place. Assuming that each team does one intentional walk per game, you've saved 2, maybe 3 minutes with this new rule. Why not just leave it the way it is?

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[Steve DeRosa]

From the NPR article:

This is part of a larger push to ramp up the pace of the game...[Commissioner] Manfred argued that these changes would have "little effect of the competitive character of the game" but would "take dead time out of the game" and "keep fans engaged" ...

I figure it this way - if the spectators don't have the requisite attention span:

• they could always text/tweet/play games on their smartphone;
• um, why are they at the ball park in the first place?

Sorry folks, I'm a traditionalist and the son of a traditionalist (my father was a die-hard Yankees fan - lived to see every championship team from 1927 till his passing in 2008): don't like the lower mound, don't like the DH, don't like the pitch clock - and now we can add this halfarsed idea to the list...

[gjd100]

Didn't even click on your link. I assume it's to do with the intentional walk.... Speed up the game. Now the coach can signal an intentional walk from the dugout without the pitcher having to throw 4 "balls".... Ok let's change the rules so we have 2 balls and 1 strike for a walk/out..NOT....

I guess our millennial attention span deficit fans can't focus for 2 and a half hours on a single event...

[catdaddy]

I'm OK with the change as long as it is confined to the American League. Let it reside there with the DH, and leave the National League alone, please.

[Gmountain]

No.

Occasionally there are wild pitches. It also adds to the pitch count.

They should get rid of the DH in the American league and go back to playing real baseball.

[Jim Owen]

What? There's dead time in baseball?

I'm fine with the idea that the pitcher needs to throw four balls. If you're trying to speed up the game, there are other places to look.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

If you're trying to speed up the game, there are other places to look.

Wise old Shaolin proverb: No matter what umpire say, man with four balls cannot walk...

Originally Posted by Gmountain

...They should get rid of the DH in the American League and go back to playing real baseball.

A big +1 to that...

[harmonics101]

Get a ball throwing machine to replace the pitcher, that would save time, or limit the pitcher 5 seconds per pitch,

H

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by Gmountain

No.

Occasionally there are wild pitches. It also adds to the pitch count.

They should get rid of the DH in the American league and go back to playing real baseball.

Does anyone hold out hope that the DH will go away?

Tell me why. I see a bunch of high paying hitter jobs being replaced by a bunch of lower paid relief pitchers. Union will never go for it IMHO.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Wadcutter

I hope that MLB doesn't follow through on this proposed rule change. I think a sport that has so much tradition needs to hang on to that tradition. Of course I could be wrong. What do you baseball fans think of this:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...onal-walk-rule

I think this is a really bad idea.

When I was a kid and my older brother and I got to see so many Cleveland Indians' ballgames, I once saw Vic Power hit a single by smacking one of the pitches into the outfield that were supposed to be part of an intentional walk. It was so cool!

I think if a pitcher is going to intentionally walk a batter, he needs to actually throw the pitches. Part of the deal here is that the pitcher has only so many pitches in him before he is done for the day. I realize these are not 97-mph pitches, but they still take energy to throw. And who knows, there might be another Vic Power coming up to bat!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Gmountain

... They should get rid of the DH in the American league and go back to playing real baseball.

I have been watching American League baseball most of my life and I have to say, it took me quite a while to get used to the DH rule. And after watching it for a while and then watching interleague play, I agree. The DH rule should be abolished. Just my two cents, of course.

- Glenn

[jpd]

The walk should be considered a hit, like back before the so called modern era

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by jpd

The walk should be considered a hit, like back before the so called modern era

My Little League coach always said a walk is as good as a hit when I came to bat!

It doesn't help your confidence to get the "take" sign with 2 strikes.