MLB

[Del.]

What's your thoughts on the pitch clock and no more infield shifts?

Oh, and the increased homer's rate is now because of climate change. Babe and Hank just rolled over in their graves.

[JakeL]

They've got to do something to regain interest in the sport. Is a pitch clock the best way to do this? Maybe not, but you've got to give them credit for trying to solve the problem.

IMO if MLB doesn't do anything, Savannah Banana baseball is going to takeover. It's tough to even get tickets to those games because they sell out so fast. Meanwhile, I wonder when the last time an MLB regular season game was sold out.

[beej]

I remember Baseball. I used to love that sport.

[neurosis]

T-Mobile offers a free year of MLB-TV and since I don't have cable anymore I decided to give it a try.

I noticed that they black out local games so ok, fair enough. Then I noticed that they also black out away games for your local team. WTF is with that?

I'm glad that I didn't pay for that. I'd be pissed.

Locally, the pitch clock has been received pretty well.

[Smit]

My first impression is I like the changes. A 4 hour, 9 inning game is ridiculous, so the pitch clock is welcome, imho. Limiting how many times a pitcher can throw to a base to prevent a steal is good too. It sucks to watch that go on too long.

I've never liked extreme shifts. I'm sure they're very effective against some batters but analytics can ruin a sport. Make players play in their positions, it looks better and it might boost offense too.

[RobertELee]

I remember Baseball. I used to love that sport.

Yup, then BLM hit the field.

[CNCAppsJames]

As far as "the shift"... I always thought "... whatever. Don't like it, learn how to hit the ball around the field. You're a professional for goodness sakes. Make an adjustment. Sheesh."

[JParis]

I initially loathe the notion of changing of the game....

Being a student of the game, the changes take away....

Baseball changed with analytics...it used to be it was played on the human factor....now stats are compiled by computer nerds and they really drove the game into a ground halt...I am of the minds these changes are really more about the analytics of the game today than anything else...

Something HAD to be done....and the nerds themselves weren't going to do it....when you look at how big these departments have gotten in each teams front office, there's no impetus on them to fix a problem they created and can't see...

Baseball used to have a flow to it...over the last couple of decades that flow has been destroyed. Red Sox vs Yankee games have become 4+ hour ordeals, even during the regular season...

All the money in the game now, and now toss in legalized betting in state after state....ugh.

WHen the game devolves into literal minutes between pitches....batters stepping out, pitchers stepping off the mound...meetings at the mound, numerous pitching changes during an inning....ugh...

Something needs to give. 

[Jeff]

I noticed that they black out local games so ok, fair enough. Then I noticed that they also black out away games for your local team. WTF is with that?

MLB network has been doing that for years.
Try using a VPN?

[Del.]

Bob Gibson could get 2 pitches in before pitch clock expired

[ghuns]

I'm down for the pitch clock. No reason we should have to endure 4+ hour games.

Taking away the shift is bullshit, IMHO.

I don't like the shift, but I understand it. It's was especially helpful for the smaller market/payroll teams going up against big $$$ power hitting lineups, cough-Yankees-cough.

There was nothing stopping hitters from adapting to the shift, besides their own laziness.

What other pro sport is told by league headquarters how they can play defense? Would the NFL tell teams they can't run a nickel package on 3rd and 10? Does the NBA mandate a man or zone defense? Fuck no.

Make the hitters beat the defense they are presented with.

[Tim Johnson]

I remember Baseball. I used to love that sport.

If I wanted to watch American league baseball I would have been a Tigers fan. I haven't watched a game since that bullshit started.

[Del.]

I'm down for the pitch clock. No reason we should have to endure 4+ hour games.

Taking away the shift is bullshit, IMHO.

I don't like the shift, but I understand it. It's was especially helpful for the smaller market/payroll teams going up against big $$$ power hitting lineups, cough-Yankees-cough.

There was nothing stopping hitters from adapting to the shift, besides their own laziness.

What other pro sport is told by league headquarters how they can play defense? Would the NFL tell teams they can't run a nickel package on 3rd and 10? Does the NBA mandate a man or zone defense? Fuck no.

Make the hitters beat the defense they are presented with.

I'm not sure about today but there was a time the NBA couldn't play zone.

[beej]

Bob Gibson could get 2 pitches in before pitch clock expired

But in today's game, he would be watching from the stands because of "inside" pitches.

[neurosis]

MLB network has been doing that for years.
Try using a VPN?

I'm sure I could get past it with a VPN, but I don't care enough about Baseball to pay a monthly fee for a VPN.  I don't really use a VPN for anything else.  Not at the moment anyway.