350 replies to this topic

[DJ MC]

Rare footage from the 1924 World Series unearthed

 

Really, really cool.

[BSLChrisStoner]

The Hardball Times: The Strike Zone Expansion is Out of Control

http://www.hardballt...out-of-control/

[Mike in STL]

Because l wanna take my mind off the O's. Not sure if this has already been mentioned in a thread or anything. The AZ Fall League is experimenting with this.

One of my favorite things about baseball is that there is no clock. They are tinkering with a 20 second clock. I guess if the pitcher doesn't throw before the clock, its a ball.

I really hope this fails miserably. We dont need a pitch clock. So can the pitcher not step off? Does it reset after a pick off attempt? If im a pitcher and the clock is running out and im not ready, just toss to first base and reset.

Oh yeah. I can't wait for the crowd to count down "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" every GD pitch!

Thoughts?

[NewMarketSean]

Agreed.

No clock needed. It should be up to the umpire to decide.

[DJ MC]

Agreed.

No clock needed. It should be up to the umpire to decide.

 

Except that this is the way it currently works, and the umpires have decided to...not decide. So if you believe that pitchers taking too much time is a problem, there needs to be a better manner of enforcement.

 

I've said all along what I know is the biggest problem, and how it's not changing, so this doesn't register for me as necessary.

[NewMarketSean]

Except that this is the way it currently works, and the umpires have decided to...not decide. So if you believe that pitchers taking too much time is a problem, there needs to be a better manner of enforcement.

 

I've said all along what I know is the biggest problem, and how it's not changing, so this doesn't register for me as necessary.

 

Because it's not an important issue.

 

I actually can't believe that MLB wants to shorten games. Less commercials, less vendor sales, etc.

 

Games are 3-3.5 hours. Deal with it.

[DJ MC]

Because it's not an important issue.

 

I actually can't believe that MLB wants to shorten games. Less commercials, less vendor sales, etc.

 

Games are 3-3.5 hours. Deal with it.

 

Commercials aren't going to change. It's less actual game time.

[NewMarketSean]

Commercials aren't going to change. It's less actual game time.

Good point. Duh.

[SammyBirdland]

I vote no.  Do I get a vote?

 

If there is a pitch clock, can you still step off the rubber as often as you want?   Will they limit the number of times you can throw over to first base?

 

How much time is supposed to be saved over the course of the game?  A minute and thirty seconds?

[Mike in STL]

I vote no.  Do I get a vote?
 
If there is a pitch clock, can you still step off the rubber as often as you want?   Will they limit the number of times you can throw over to first base?
 
How much time is supposed to be saved over the course of the game?  A minute and thirty seconds?

Not to mention the batters calling time. Stepping out after every pitch.

If I remember, I may track the time between pitches for the first part of today's game. I can't think its really anything well over 20 seconds now. Even for sake of argument, if they cut down five seconds per pitch, call it 300 pitches per game, thats 1500 seconds, or 25 minutes.

[RShack]

No: Pitch clock

 

Yes:  Better velcro for batting gloves.  We lose 20 minutes per game to the dang batting glove adjustments.

[SammyBirdland]

No: Pitch clock

 

Yes:  Better velcro for batting gloves.  We lose 20 minutes per game to the dang batting glove adjustments.

 

Even better:   No batting gloves.  No elbow pads.  No body armor.   Just hands on wood, like that first pee in the morning.

[Mike in STL]

Was just timing Vargas here. His time from receiving the ball to throwing the next pitch was between 9 and 12 seconds from the wind up. Around 13 to 15 seconds from the stretch. Not sure if he's considered a fast worker, but if that is average, a 20 second clock won't be speeding games up.

[Mike in STL]

Gonzalez was a little slower to the plate. A couple times he was around 12-14 seconds, but hung around 18 seconds usually. Still. 20 seconds isn't going to make the game faster. It's just to add an annoying element. A clock where you really don't need one, and fans counting down like they're at a basketball game. 

[DJ MC]

Even better:   No batting gloves.  No elbow pads.  No body armor.   Just hands on wood, like that first pee in the morning.

 

Moises Alou approves.

[SportsGuy]

Hitters are probably a bigger issue than the pitchers.

I think this concept is so overrated...there are minor things you can address but if they take off 3-5 minutes, will that even matter?

[mweb08]

To me, it's not so much about total time, rather it's about pace. It's very frustrating when you have pitchers that work slowly and hitters that are constantly stepping out.

[DJ MC]

David Eckstein responds to the baseball blogosphere which has hated on him so

 

Utterly magnificent.

[DJ MC]

One night at an Orioles game, my brother-in-law and I were talking and we ended up on the subject of World Series winners, and I blew his mind when I named every one going back to 1903.

 

I don't know what will happen when he sees Mark Simon of ESPN describe the last out of every World Series going back to 1954.

 

http://espn.go.com/v...d=espn:11755483

[SportsGuy]

@BNightengale: Oscar Taveras' agent is telling news reporters in the Dominican that Oscar Taveras was killed in a car wreck. Horrible. #STLCards.