The MLB Competition committee is set to shake up the baseball world and send old people like yours truly into a WTF mode we have not reached since the inception of interleague play. While some of the changes I can deal with some of them are downright moronic. Lets get into it.
I’m a Sox fan and I don’t go to games to watch Raphael Devers “go the other way” or Matt Barnes step off, fix his belt, bend backwards, take his cap off, lick his lips, shake off signs then throw a breaking ball in the dirt. Keep the bases the same, the other two are fantastic. — Mark E. Romano (@Markrom) September 8, 2022
A 15-second pitch clock with the bases empty and a 20-second clock with runners on ..
The San Francisco Giants Sammy Long works faster than anyone in MLB. 17.5 seconds between pitches. In retrospect Kenly Jansen’s is one of the slowest pitchers in MLB at 29.8 seconds. Now using Jansen here is disingenuous as he’s a closer. As most of the longer wait times are. But, you’ve made it this far. What’s an extra 45 seconds ?
It took some time and a few minor league games for me to get behind this, I mean a clock in baseball ? the beauty of this game is it’s nonlinear. But the minor league games ive attended have gone by much quicker.
Two disengagements from the rubber — including pickoff attempts — per plate appearance
Okay here I have an issue, This changes the dynamics of the game in a huge way. Limiting pickoff attempts is moronic. In fact it’s sub-moronic. Here a runner can get a pitcher to throw over twice then what ? he gets to get a huge jump on any pitch he wants ? imagine Rickey Henderson stealing second and third on the same pitch.
A requirement by hitters to be in the batter’s box and “alert” with eight seconds to go on the clock. Hitters are allowed one timeout per plate appearance.
Wow get knocked down with some chin music you have seven seconds to dust yourself off and be ready for the next pitch ? just kidding the up decides when the clock starts but there is always Angel Hernandez.
Only two infielders will be allowed on each side of second base, with all four required to be on the dirt (or inner grass)
Now this is something I wrote about back in 2019, my take was very similar but I allowed the infielders 10 feet into the outfield. I think my suggestion is better than this proposal,
Infielders cannot position themselves on the outfield grass before the pitch is thrown
Something else for umps to watch when they can’t get anything right already.
Bases will increase in size from 15 inches squared to 18
"𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮-𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝘇𝘇𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝘅𝗲𝘀." The minor leagues are testing grounds for potential new MLB rules. Players and coaches with the @GoStripers, @mbraves and @TheRomeBraves offer their insight on the current experiments.#ATLProspectWeek pic.twitter.com/22rlCuo7NC — Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) September 4, 2022
Want Peperoni on that ? Okay this I loath. three inches is a huge break for runners. be it stealing or going first to third it also changes the diamond . We play on the 90 here people…
Well what are you going to do? We just work here right ? I can’t stand the three batter per pitcher rule, hate the DH in the NL. and Loath Extra innings beer league softball rules. so you keep screwing up MLB
As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207