Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
2017 MLB Season Thread
- Thread starter MacNut
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yes, he really needs to grow a pair in the post season. He getting paid enough to be able to afford some.
The baseball world lost someone last night. Bill Webb wasn't someone that sat in front of a camera, or on a bench in the dugout. You never heard his voice, but he had a HUGE impact on the world of baseball and sports broadcasting. He was a director, directed many of the Mets game broadcasts over the last 30+ years as well as Fox games on Saturdays, he directed broadcasts for 17 World Series and won many Emmy's for his work.
You may have heard his name at the end of broadcasts, now it will only be muttered in tribute rather than as recognition that he directed that broadcast. The Mets held a moment of silence before their game today and I'm sure there will be one before their opening day game as well. Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez reflected on their memories of him, he was involved in TV broadcasts when they both came to the Mets in the early 80's.
You may have heard his name at the end of broadcasts, now it will only be muttered in tribute rather than as recognition that he directed that broadcast. The Mets held a moment of silence before their game today and I'm sure there will be one before their opening day game as well. Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez reflected on their memories of him, he was involved in TV broadcasts when they both came to the Mets in the early 80's.
I was just going to mention this as it's been floating around the sports talk shows in NY today.
I agree. I think visits to the mound should be limited by the rules.
At first, limit it to visits only in between batters. The batter can't go talk to the hitting coach on a whim mid count, the pitcher shouldn't be able to talk to his coach either.
Later, limit it to only during pitching changes or in between innings. They can get all the advice they need while sitting in the dugout. This includes visits by the catcher too.
I'm not a fan of the shot clock idea, because I think the element of not knowing the pitchers exact timing is part of the game.
I'm also for the idea of just shortening the games in general. 7 innings. Or, if you really like 9 innings, just skip innings 3 and 4. Go straight from 2 to 5.
I read this suggestion somewhere about ties: After 13 innings, if there is still a tie: Home team gets to pick their best batter and away team gets to pick their best pitcher, anyone from the bench even if they were taken out of the game earlier. Homerun derby style. If the batter hits a homerun, home team wins. If the batter does not hit a homerun, away team wins. If the pitcher throws 5 balls, home team wins. At least 10 pitches, but the pitcher must finish with a strike.
That would give too much advantage to the pitcher.
How about letting each batter in the lineup going up for a single at bat, totaling 9 per team. One or Two pitches to each batter (only strikes count). At the end of the lineup the team that did the most homeruns wins. In case of a tie, home team wins. If the pitcher throws three balls to a single batter, his team loses.
Why do you think so? Most teams have one slugger that should be able to reliably hit one homerun out of five or so strike pitches.
EDIT: Upon more thought. Yea, that might be hard. It would require an AB/HR of like 5 of less, which is unheard of.
Because the pitcher will inevitably chose a bunch of slow non HR friendly pitches.
I think that it should be a shootout similar to the one I described, in which both team get the same possibilities, and the same actions, similar to soccer's penalty kicks. 9AB each (or even less if you will, let's say 5 to 9).
Example on a 5AB shootout:
Team 1 AB1:
HR
Score:1-0
Team 1 AB2:
Ball
Strike
Strike
Score:1-0
Team 1 AB3:
Ball
Ball
Score:2-0
Team 1 AB4:
Ball
HR
Score:3-0
Team 1 AB5:
Strike
Foul (counts as Strike)
Score:3-0
Team 2 AB1:
Strike
Strike
Score:3-0
Team 2 AB2:
Ball
Ball
Score:3-1
Team 2 AB3:
HR
Score:3-2
Team 2 AB4:
Ball
Strike
Strike
Score: 3-2
Team 2 AB5:
Strike
Foul (counts as strike)
Final score: 3-2
This should go pretty fast, certainly faster than an inning.
Ok, I buy it. That would be pretty cool to watch. Certainly more entertaining than endless extra innings.
Because it's not fun if there isn't a clear winner and a clear loser at the end of it.
After 13 innings (almost a game and a half) it is time to call it. Any longer and it just blows up your bullpen.
I agree completely. But there should be a tie-breaker of some kind, which is relatively quick and balanced. I like @yaxomoxay 's idea.
I agree. More than 13 inning is too much of a stretch. I wouldn't mind 9 innings + tie breaker and call it a day, at least for regular season. 9 innings is a long game already. I can see postseason going to 12 or 13 innings.
In any case, the book "Bottom of the 33rd" is a great book by Dan Barry about baseball's longest professional game. A very good read, focused more on the people both in the field and on the stands than the game itself, which works as a perfect milieu to a romantic look on the game.
Last edited:
MLB Agrees To Alter Intentional Walks
Major League Baseball, in an effort to move forward with initiative to improve pace of play, agreed to change the way intentional walks are issued. Instead of a pitcher throwing four balls to the plate, a signal will be given from the dugout and the batter will automatically be awarded first base. MLB announced the change in Febuary.
The change is not final and still awaits approval from the union. MLBPA president Tony Clark, however, said the union was likely to accept the change.
“As part of a broader discussion with other moving pieces, the answer is yes,’’ Clark told the Associated Press. “There are details, as part of that discussion, that are still being worked through, however.’’ Commissioner Rob Manfred proposed to the union a suite of potential changes, but the intentional walk rule is the only one that has gained traction with the players.
In a press conference, Manfred said the MLBPA had not been cooperative with the other changes the league had proposed.
“There’s a variety of changes that can be undertaken,’’ he said. “I’m committed to the idea that we have a set of proposals out there and we continue to discuss those proposals in private.’’
[doublepost=1489207229][/doublepost]for the record, I found out that there are 16 cases of a player swinging to an IBB, putting the ball in play.Oldest case, July 11, 1892, Kid Nichols.
Newest case, 10 September 2016, Enny Romero (Rays).
Major League Baseball, in an effort to move forward with initiative to improve pace of play, agreed to change the way intentional walks are issued. Instead of a pitcher throwing four balls to the plate, a signal will be given from the dugout and the batter will automatically be awarded first base. MLB announced the change in Febuary.
The change is not final and still awaits approval from the union. MLBPA president Tony Clark, however, said the union was likely to accept the change.
“As part of a broader discussion with other moving pieces, the answer is yes,’’ Clark told the Associated Press. “There are details, as part of that discussion, that are still being worked through, however.’’ Commissioner Rob Manfred proposed to the union a suite of potential changes, but the intentional walk rule is the only one that has gained traction with the players.
In a press conference, Manfred said the MLBPA had not been cooperative with the other changes the league had proposed.
“There’s a variety of changes that can be undertaken,’’ he said. “I’m committed to the idea that we have a set of proposals out there and we continue to discuss those proposals in private.’’
[doublepost=1489207229][/doublepost]for the record, I found out that there are 16 cases of a player swinging to an IBB, putting the ball in play.Oldest case, July 11, 1892, Kid Nichols.
Newest case, 10 September 2016, Enny Romero (Rays).
Somewhat off topic, but is anyone using with MLB.tv app having video issues? Both my ATV3 and ATV4 have a beautiful picture. iPad Air2 and 6s are horrible. Studdering, pixelated just awful. Internet isn't the issue, it's the app itself. I've turned off HQ streaming and it didn't improve. The apps and devices are all up to date.
I remember with the older MLB.tv app versions, there was the ability to choose video quality and now that doesn't seem to be available now.
Bad enough the Tigers closers are the worst and getting back alex avila is nothing short of nepotism.
Any help or suggestions to fix this would be much appreciated. Thanks
I remember with the older MLB.tv app versions, there was the ability to choose video quality and now that doesn't seem to be available now.
Bad enough the Tigers closers are the worst and getting back alex avila is nothing short of nepotism.
Any help or suggestions to fix this would be much appreciated. Thanks
That's an everyday thing on MLB TV
My season in a nutshell
TankforBeer: Or How I learned to Stop worrying and love the White Sox
