New rules to speed up MLB games

[T_Bone0806]

I'll tell you one of the main culprits in the lengthening of today's game: the changing of pitchers every stinkin' batter. And the manager of my team, "Notebook Joe" Girardi, is one of the worst offenders. Maybe if we didn't carry a hundred freakin' pitchers in our bullpen, we'd have a bench to call on. The constant pitching changes drive me nuts. Otherwise, to those complaining about the pace of the game, feel free to return to the comfort of your Playstation. Baseball was made for a summer day (or evening)..it's a long distance run, not a sprint. Those with short attention spans need not apply, and MLB should not be selling its soul to try to hook those folks...even if they come to the stadiums, they'll be texting and taking selfies 80% of the time anyway. Who needs 'em.

Oh, intelligence borne out of experience masculine-gendered individual, ay?


Verily, I shall murderlize thee!


nyuk nyuk nyuk

[Vandal]

Pitchless intentional walks approved.

The players' association has agreed to Major League Baseball's proposal to have intentional walks without pitches this year.

While the union has resisted many of MLB's proposed innovations, players are willing to accept the intentional walk change.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml ... /98245846/

[silverscreenselect]

Pitchless intentional walks approved.

The players' association has agreed to Major League Baseball's proposal to have intentional walks without pitches this year.

While the union has resisted many of MLB's proposed innovations, players are willing to accept the intentional walk change.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml ... /98245846/

Well, in addition to the occasional wild pitch or wild throw back to the pitcher that will no longer be a part of the game, I seem to recall instances in which teams bluffed an intentional walk and instead through the ball right over the plate to catch the batter off guard (usually in full count situations). I also recall batters swinging at pitches that were a bit too close to the strike zone and slapping them to the opposite field for extra base hits. None of which is part of the game any more.

It's like the occasional fake that occurred on an extra point attempt to catch the defense off guard. No one is going to fake a 15-yard extra point to try for one additional point.

[littlebeast13]

Well, in addition to the occasional wild pitch or wild throw back to the pitcher that will no longer be a part of the game, I seem to recall instances in which teams bluffed an intentional walk and instead through the ball right over the plate to catch the batter off guard (usually in full count situations). I also recall batters swinging at pitches that were a bit too close to the strike zone and slapping them to the opposite field for extra base hits. None of which is part of the game any more.

It's like the occasional fake that occurred on an extra point attempt to catch the defense off guard. No one is going to fake a 15-yard extra point to try for one additional point.

There were 932 intentional walks in the Majors last year in 2428 regular season games. Someone please explain to me how saving one minute every three games is doing anything constructive about this "pace of play" the new MLB czar seems to have his panties in a wad over....

As much as I generally despise the players' union, I hope they give Robbie (Borrowing a Bobism) every last bit of hell over his ridiculous pace of play agenda....

lb13

[jarnon]

Well, in addition to the occasional wild pitch or wild throw back to the pitcher that will no longer be a part of the game, I seem to recall instances in which teams bluffed an intentional walk and instead through the ball right over the plate to catch the batter off guard (usually in full count situations). I also recall batters swinging at pitches that were a bit too close to the strike zone and slapping them to the opposite field for extra base hits. None of which is part of the game any more.

It's like the occasional fake that occurred on an extra point attempt to catch the defense off guard. No one is going to fake a 15-yard extra point to try for one additional point.

Or like fumbling the snap when running out the clock at the end of a game.

[Bob78164]

Pitchless intentional walks approved.

The players' association has agreed to Major League Baseball's proposal to have intentional walks without pitches this year.

While the union has resisted many of MLB's proposed innovations, players are willing to accept the intentional walk change.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml ... /98245846/

Well, in addition to the occasional wild pitch or wild throw back to the pitcher that will no longer be a part of the game, I seem to recall instances in which teams bluffed an intentional walk and instead through the ball right over the plate to catch the batter off guard (usually in full count situations). I also recall batters swinging at pitches that were a bit too close to the strike zone and slapping them to the opposite field for extra base hits. None of which is part of the game any more.

It's like the occasional fake that occurred on an extra point attempt to catch the defense off guard. No one is going to fake a 15-yard extra point to try for one additional point.

There was a famous instance in the World Series -- Johnny Bench was the victim. And just last year, Gary Sanchez hit a long sacrifice fly when they were trying to walk him. He very nearly hit it out of the yard. I hate that this change is going to occur. --Bob

[elwoodblues]

In a game many years ago I remember a Reds' pitcher being called for a balk during an intentional walk. But that was the day after Reds' manager Pete Rose shoved an umpire, so that no doubt had something to do with the call.

[littlebeast13]

In a game many years ago I remember a Reds' pitcher being called for a balk during an intentional walk. But that was the day after Reds' manager Pete Rose shoved an umpire, so that no doubt had something to do with the call.

I read an article on Fangraphs last night about an obscure rule that nobody seems to know about because it's almost never enforced that states that a balk shall be called if the catcher leaves the catcher's box during an intentional walk before the pitcher releases the ball. Catchers almost universally cheat out of the box on IBB's yet the "catcher's balk" is never called. The intention of the rule was to keep the catcher from gaining an advantage should a baserunner try to steal on an intentional walk....

It's ripe for the picking for an umpire with a grudge, though... or at least it was before the new ruling now made it obsolete...

lb13

[silverscreenselect]

Here's another rule change they voted in:

Each game there will be a drawing and one inning will be selected as the home run inning. Anyone hitting a home run during that inning counts double. Grand slams count triple.

Plus, in the ninth inning the team that's behind gets one extra out for every run they're behind.

And there will be a big target in left and right field with a hole in it. Any batter who hits the ball through the hole wins the game for his team automatically.

[President Chump]

Here's another rule change they voted in:

Each game there will be a drawing and one inning will be selected as the home run inning. Anyone hitting a home run during that inning counts double. Grand slams count triple.

Plus, in the ninth inning the team that's behind gets one extra out for every run they're behind.

And there will be a big target in left and right field with a hole in it. Any batter who hits the ball through the hole wins the game for his team automatically.

My flunkies I'm writing up the executive order as we speak!

#MBGA!

[silverscreenselect]

This chart is for 2015, but I'm guessing that last year would be pretty close. In 2015, teams issued between 10 and 45 walks for the entire season. The average number of intentional walks issued per team per game was 0.2. Double that (for two teams), and you get 0.4 walks per game. My guess would be that it takes about one minute to issue an intentional walk, so we're talking about saving 20-30 seconds per game on the average.

https://www.sportingcharts.com/mlb/stat ... game/2015/