Thursday, February 16, 2017

Extra Innings, Free Baseball and Changes Coming to the Game?


If you thought instant replay was bad you may want to dust off your pitchforks and get ready to protest like the end of the world is coming, because you know… change, because change may be coming to Major League Baseball.

Major League Baseball is at least discussing and considering two possibilities that will forever change the game as we know it. First the league is considering implementing a clock to the game in order to help with the ever-growing pace of play issue while another idea will affect free baseball and extra innings. Commissioner Rob Manfred has confirmed that the notion of starting an inning with a runner on second base, you know… just because, is also being discussed and could be tested in the very near future.

Tug at my heart why don’t you. The World Baseball Classic will employ the whole “start the inning with a runner on second base” rule starting in the 11th inning this year while two rookie-level summer leagues will also begin every extra inning of baseball this season with a runner on second.

I mean, I get it. You don’t want pitchers taxing their arms any more than you have to and it saves the subsequent roster shuffling for the next week or so that the fans absolutely cannot be a fan of but this is imply going too far if you ask me. If MLB is trying to go for that whole “sudden death” feel much like the College Football overtime system is made I think they can do much better than this, no? I don’t know why but this just doesn’t feel right to me. It feels like something you would do in Little League or in the park with your friends, not at the Major League level…. Maybe it’s just me.

Just an FYI for you all. MLB’s television ratings actually go up when games go into extra innings. Also their advertising dollars and such are made on a nine-inning game. Would they not be making extra money if the game goes into extras? Would the teams not be making extra concessions money if the game goes into extras? I get the whole saving the pitchers arms things but why can’t you change another rule? Like a case-by-case basis where a player doesn’t have to stay down for 10 days after being called up and sent down in the case of an 11+ inning game the night before? Don’t put a damn runner at second base and turn this into Rock’em Sock’em Baseball.


Please?

8 comments:

  1. Come on Daniel, you have to be kidding right?
    I don't think I am up to many more changes with this game that was good for over 100 years until some Shirts show up to make things better for the money people.
    Leave the Damn GAME ALONE, you dumb son of a bit-hes...it's not your game, it is our game.
    This is getting to look like a little kids game. Some changes were good for the game but this stuff stinks to high heaven!

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    1. Reed,

      I'm not kidding. Not at all. I'm not even considered a purist by any means and this pisses me off. So I can imagine what the purists are saying right about now.

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  2. Some have the idea sports are easy because as one looks at the pros play, it looks so easy...no, no, NO! One looks at those playing in the majors and you will see 95% of them have been playing the game as far back as 9/10 years old or younger. Being good at baseball as with any sport starts with the music in your soul/body. Everything is 1, 2, 3, finish!

    If anyone of you played to a good level, stop and think...It is a hard thing to explain unless you can think in the abstract. Everything is done with music, even walking...you can't touch it, you don't even think about it but, it is there in everything one does!

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    1. Are you drunk? Did you accidentally grabbed the "hard" root beer this time? I kid of course. Hope you're well.

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    2. Think about it Daniel, you were a SS! Everything is in rhythm in sports..."a particular type of pattern formed by rhythm"!
      Remember when you would "boot" a ball, grab at it and try to make the throw? After the "boot" you were out of rhythm right?
      #1 get the ball, #2 see target, #3 Throw the ball, Finish, man out!

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    3. I tried to respond to this last night, but I got a new phone and couldn't remember my password to log on. I don't understand why people want to shorten games. The beauty about baseball is that there is no time limit. There's nothing more frustrating than watching a game (like football) that takes 3 hours to watch when there's only 1 hour on the clock. On the other hand, watching extra innings is about as adrenaline packed as you can get. (In my opinion anyways.) Every single pitch could be the difference between a win and a loss. It's edge of your seat stuff. There's things that can be done to speed up the pace, but a clock and beer league softball rules aren't the answer.

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    4. Damn right Jeff. Shortening the games and such is ridiculous. I can get behind speeding things up because hour-long half innings and such can become a bit tedious when you're on the wrong side of it but still. The overall length of the game is not a concern of mine.

      Making this game go from MLB The Show to some arcade game you play in a bowling alley.... I have a problem with that.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)