2017 MLB Season Thread

[MacNut]

Spring training is upon us and soon it will be opening day. Lets get ready for baseball!

 

[AustinIllini]

Well, White Sox are out. Glad I started the NFL thread.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I'm fully expecting a 7th straight losing season by the Colorado Rockies.

 

[MacNut]

I'm fully expecting a 7th straight losing season by the Colorado Rockies.

How successful is that franchise in Denver. Just doesn't seem like a baseball city.

 

[ucfgrad93]

How successful is that franchise in Denver. Just doesn't seem like a baseball city.

For a team that has 6 straight losing seasons attendance is surprisingly good. I stopped going a few years ago, when I realized they weren't serious about fielding a competitive team.

 

[xthine]

Went to Scottsdale Stadium a few days ago to watch the Giants practice. So excited! Will go to a couple of Spring Training games and will go to their games here in Arizona.

 

[ucfgrad93]

The traditional intentional walk has been scrapped.

As part of its initiative to improve the pace of game play, Major League Baseball has approved a change to the intentional walk rule, going from the traditional four-pitch walk to a dugout signal, it was announced Wednesday.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...tional-intentional-walkwill-use-signal-dugout

 

[MacNut]

The traditional intentional walk has been scrapped.



http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...tional-intentional-walkwill-use-signal-dugout

Stupid change, it won't speed up the game any and will take the risk out of a wild throw. If they want to speed up the game put in a real pitch clock and limit the discussions on the mound.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I agree it won't speed up the game, but how many "wild throws" are there on an intentional walk?

 

[MacNut]

I agree it won't speed up the game, but how many "wild throws" are there on an intentional walk?

Once or twice a season you will see a pitcher throw a ball to the backstop and a runner advance.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Once or twice a season you will see a pitcher throw a ball to the backstop and a runner advance.

So it is pretty freaking rare. Not sure that changing it will have any meaningful impact on the game.

 

[JamesMike]

I see they are considering changes to the strike zone, installation of pitching clocks and limiting on trips to the mound. Is this good or bad?

 

[Gregg2]

So it is pretty freaking rare. Not sure that changing it will have any meaningful impact on the game.

Symbolic change only. Soon enough, there will be stats to prove my assertion.

 

[MacNut]

I see they are considering changes to the strike zone, installation of pitching clocks and limiting on trips to the mound. Is this good or bad?

The strike zone if called properly is letters to knees. More swings is good, put the ball in play. We need pitch clocks to speed up the game. And less mound visits and pitching changes per inning.

 

[AustinIllini]

Computers should be calling balls and strikes.

 

[MacNut]

Computers should be calling balls and strikes.

Naw, umps make it interesting.

 

[ucfgrad93]

And less mound visits and pitching changes per inning.

This would do the most to speed up the game.

 

[AustinIllini]

Naw, umps make it interesting.

They're completely flawed. It's damaging to the game.

 

[MacNut]

They're completely flawed. It's damaging to the game.

What's damaging to the game is the length of play.

 

[AustinIllini]

What's damaging to the game is the length of play.

Or the fact that umpires call strikes to low, severely hurting BABIP and causing batters to foul off bad pitchers, lengthening the game.

 

[MacNut]

Or the fact that umpires call strikes to low, severely hurting BABIP and causing batters to foul off bad pitchers, lengthening the game.

The strike zone as written is letters to top of the knee.

 

[AustinIllini]

The strike zone as written is letters to top of the knee.

Statistics show that Umpires most commonly miss low pitches out of the strike zone, so the strike zone can be almost on the ground depending on the pitcher.

There's no need for that. Just make the computer determine it. Umpires make the game worse by blowing calls.

 

[Gregg2]

The strike zone if called properly is letters to knees.

So if you can't hit high pitches, wear an oversized jersey, and pull the back up to make the letters drop as low as possible... ;0

Computers should be calling balls and strikes.
They'(umpires)re completely flawed. It's damaging to the game.

I agree 100%. It's so frustrating for me as a fan when the ump continually blows calls. Technology will eventually force MLB to take this out of the hands of the umpire.

 

[MacNut]

Rumors that David Price might need Tommy John? That would be a huge blow to the Red Sox if true.

 

[td1439]

Rumors that David Price might need Tommy John? That would be a huge blow to the Red Sox if true.

Won't mean much if they don't devise a pair of testicles he can attach to himself in October when his own disappear.

Supposedly the news is good on his elbow, but we'll see.