New MLB Rules?

[bluenote]

Because late inning comebacks are one of the most exciting parts of the sport?

If you want to shorten the games, cut out the fat.
Shorter commercial breaks.
No practice pitches from the mound for relief pitchers.
No stepping out of the batter's box.
That's a half hour shorter right there, and you didn't even have to tinker with the game itself.

I dont disagree with any of that. My point was that this proposed (lets remember, its proposed, not implemented) rule has nothing to do with hurt feelings of the players, its about shortening the game. We can debate what would be better to accomplish that, but hurt feelings or the egos of players has nothing to do with this, in my opinion.

[bluenote]

Sorry critic, I see in my original quote where I said who wants to sit through that! Your point about making a comeback makes sense

But it's still not about players ego

[VideoGameCritic]

It's not you bluenote - I'm just a cranky old coot that remembers baseball heyday of the late 70's. Baseball was such a big deal you would listen to the games on the radio, usually while sitting on your front porch. When the game was on TV - that was an event. You mom would even let you stay up to watch it. Games were about 2.5 hours on average.

I feel like today baseball is destroying itself from within. It seems like shorter commercial breaks are a non-starter because of money, but isn't money the one thing MLB is flush with? Why tinker with the game itself? I believe that baseball at its purist is perfect blend of skill and strategy.

I think the MLB made a deal with the devil around the time when the home run records were being shattered. In addition to allowing steroids (looking the other way), they allowed new ballparks to be homerun-"friendly", and I'm pretty sure they've juiced up the balls as well. So much for "manufacturing runs" and "strategy".

[C64_Critic]

Ah yes the mercy rule, because players are so sensitive it might hurt their self esteem to lose badly.
Give me a break.
If you're getting blown out through 7, I think you'll survive two more.
Want to avoid getting blown out? Try not to suck so much.

Timely. I was recently reminded of one of the reasons I stopped paying attention to MLB years ago, the "Unspoken Rule". Apparently a player very recently homered off the opposing team, who was losing so badly they decided (for some reason) to put their catcher in as a pitcher. The OBVIOUS result of this bone-headed action was - shocker - a competent batter took him to the house. Apparently this has caused some major uproar, to include the batter's own coach, Tommy LaRussa, to complain about his action and say that the opposing team was RIGHT to pitch 'behind him' in the following game.

Whatever happened to accepting your azz-whopping like a pro and just working to get better so it doesn't happen again? What a bunch of pansies. If you feel you're being "shown up", maybe you weren't ready for the big leagues after all.

[VideoGameCritic]

The MLB is like the division of Microsoft responsible for coming up with new console names. They don't understand their own product!

[MSR1701]

The MLB is like the division of Microsoft responsible for coming up with new console names. They don't understand their own product!

That is a very good analogy

[jon]

Every single ballpark has short dimensions now. At least in the late '80's early '90's there were some ballparks that had long power alleys and a really long center field. I love reading about baseball history. In 1920 the ball got juiced. But in around 2017-2018 they juiced it even more. Now there's no strategy. I get the feeling that most baseball fans loved the strategy of it. I think that's the main reason they're losing their fan base. Does anyone even care about MLB anymore.

[MSR1701]

Every single ballpark has short dimensions now. At least in the late '80's early '90's there were some ballparks that had long power alleys and a really long center field. I love reading about baseball history. In 1920 the ball got juiced. But in around 2017-2018 they juiced it even more. Now there's no strategy. I get the feeling that most baseball fans loved the strategy of it. I think that's the main reason they're losing their fan base. Does anyone even care about MLB anymore.

I would like to get back in to watching the Braves, though with my work hours the typical evening game is something I cannot watch due to sleep. Would love to have an excuse to have the radio on while working to listen like I did during the 90s...

[VideoGameCritic]

I think pitching has also hurt the game. In the 1970's a pitcher was EXPECTED to pitch 9 innings. Most of the time he wouldn't make it, but that was the idea.

Now, if a pitcher throws six "quality" inning he's treated like a hero. And then you have all the specialized pitcher: set-up man, closer, etc. These roles are actually included in the player's contract, so that's one less option the manager has at his disposal.

Players are too coddled nowadays. Heck, I think they should play in the rain instead of running into the dugout when they feel a few drops as if they're afraid to get their hair wet.