Things that are wrong with Baseball (not the Angels)

[Hubs]

As another Angels season comes to an end, I was just thinking about issues with the game itself. I went to the final game of the season, in Seattle, and the atmosphere was great. Lots of scoreboard watching.

I want the shift to be limited.

I want the IBB rule to be pulled, throw the 4 pitches.

I want the extra innings thing to be moved to the 12th inning, play two extra innings with no one on base, then the second base thing starts.

They need to add two more teams. I want 16 in each league and I want inter-league to only exist for the same games at the same time. I'm fine with interleague week once a month, or whatever.

They need to limit division play. By cutting to 4 divisions of four teams, this limits it from 76 games to 57, but I would go further and cut it 54 or 48 or even 42. Play three other divisions in same league 6 times each is 72 games. Play one whole other league division home and away, and your rival division home and home (4 games), and your rival 6 games. This is 42 interleague games but, I'm okay with that. Alternately, you can cut 12 of these, and play 30, and increase division play to 84.

42+48+72 = 162 games. Or 30+48+84. Or 36+42+84. Less games against division opponents is the key.

Finally, I want the pitching clock (30 seconds even), but more importantly, hitters have to be in the box if the pitcher is on the mound. No step out and time called more than once per AB.

 

 

 

[Angelsjunky]

Good ideas.

I don't know how it would be addressed, but TTO (three true outcomes) is boring. I want to see more stolen bases, more in-game tactics ala that 2015 Royals team that was so fun to watch. I miss players like Tim Raines and Willie McGee. Also, so many god-damn strikeouts. 

That said, I did read somewhere that TTO is on the wane a bit.

[Junkballer]

Limit mound visits

Except maybe.....hey does Morganna have an adult granddaughter?  But I digress.

[arch stanton]

Some of mine are a bit more radical.

Once the game starts no electronics of any kind other than the bullpen phone. No communication to video watchers or checking your at bats. Replay decisions made based on what you see from the field

Universal DH but no more than 3 consecutive appearances at DH without a full game in the field. You can make an exception for a SP who makes regular starts

As far as the shift, make an imaginary line from home through 2B out to the wall. Minimum 3 fielders on each side when the ball is released

I'd prefer to see a somewhat more balanced schedule though I think both sides currently like the idea of less travel. But yeah, sick to death of watching games against the AL West

[beatlesrule]

[halomatt]

Do away with the current divisional formats and realign according to geographical location. 

[Taylor]

Penalize billionaire owners whose teams consistently suck.

[Dtwncbad]

Here is a simple rule that would discourage the defense from using an extreme shift:

If the defense uses the shift and the hitter gets on base safely, after the play is over the hitter is awarded an extra base.

Suddenly a left handed power hitter might want to push a bunt toward third.  If he is safe, he is then awarded second base.

The scoring would be a bunt single with getting to second being defensive indifference (just as when you steal but the defense doesn’t care and you don’t get credited with the stolen base).

I like the criteria being three defenders minimum on each side of 2B but would add that no more than three players be in the OF.

[T.G.]

1 hour ago, Dtwncbad said:

Here is a simple rule that would discourage the defense from using an extreme shift:

If the defense uses the shift and the hitter gets on base safely, after the play is over the hitter is awarded an extra base.

That ranks right up there with the player on second base in extra innings... I don't like anything that artificially awards a player.

[mmc]

No salary floor or draft pick trading are my biggest gripes

[Dtwncbad]

2 hours ago, True Grich said:

That ranks right up there with the player on second base in extra innings... I don't like anything that artificially awards a player.

I don’t disagree.  But is it an acceptable trade off for reducing the shift and seeing more “normal” baseball?

Keep in mind the rule would strongly discourage teams from using extreme shifts, and in doing so the rule would (hopefully) very rarely occur.

And also keep in mind that if it happened, the defensive team CHOSE to take the risk. So you can argue that the base wasn’t really just given for free.

[PattyD22]

4 hours ago, Taylor said:

Penalize billionaire owners whose teams consistently suck.

If said billionaire’s team gives up more than 10 runs, everyone gets a free beer (21 and over only though)

Edited October 11, 2021 by PattyD22

[WicketMaiden]

The thing I find annoying about the shift is the way the hitters have failed to adjust to it. There are easy, low risk singles and doubles to be had when facing some shifts but it's a rare thing to see a hitter take advantage of it. They have access to the same data the opponents will use to determine whether to shift or not, so why not have a plan for when they shift to take advantage of it, and also introduce something into the hitter's game to level out the data that is indicating they only hit one way? I can't think of any other sport where huge defensive gaps are so often ignored.

[T.G.]

4 minutes ago, WicketMaiden said:

The thing I find annoying about the shift is the way the hitters have failed to adjust to it. There are easy, low risk singles and doubles to be had when facing some shifts but it's a rare thing to see a hitter take advantage of it. They have access to the same data the opponents will use to determine whether to shift or not, so why not have a plan for when they shift to take advantage of it, and also introduce something into the hitter's game to level out the data that is indicating they only hit one way? I can't think of any other sport where huge defensive gaps are so often ignored.

I hate the shift, but what I hate more is when players don't adapt.  I'm not for getting rid of the shift... I'd rather see players adjust accordingly.  Baseball is a game of constant adjustments... this is just another part of it, IMO. 

[arch stanton]

9 hours ago, WicketMaiden said:

The thing I find annoying about the shift is the way the hitters have failed to adjust to it. There are easy, low risk singles and doubles to be had when facing some shifts but it's a rare thing to see a hitter take advantage of it. They have access to the same data the opponents will use to determine whether to shift or not, so why not have a plan for when they shift to take advantage of it, and also introduce something into the hitter's game to level out the data that is indicating they only hit one way? I can't think of any other sport where huge defensive gaps are so often ignored.

You could actually argue the opposite that traditional positioning was ignoring the gaps that hitters were taking advantage of on ground balls. How many left handed hitters truly hit ground balls down the 3rd base line as opposed to up the middle? And as far as bunting goes, I’m betting far more bunts are fielded by catchers or pitchers than 3B and those two are still in the same position. So if you want to emphasize beating the shift you’re really just encouraging the hitters to sell out their at bat for a slightly higher chance to get a single with no other potential outcome 

[Jeff Fletcher]

On 10/6/2021 at 11:45 PM, arch stanton said:

As far as the shift, make an imaginary line from home through 2B out to the wall. Minimum 3 fielders on each side when the ball is released

How much difference will it make if the SS has to stand directly behind 2B instead of 10-15 feet to the right? And what’s to stop him from just taking a couple quick steps once the ball is released and only being 10 feet from where he is in a shift?

I really don’t understand why people don’t like the shift. It has a negligible impact. Teams do it because even if it’s 1 percent more effective than no shift, they want that 1 percent. It shouldn’t impact your enjoyment of the game.

The reason batting averages have plummeted is not the shift. It’s strikeouts. I am for finding a solution for that one. 
 

(EDIT: Also, a lot of guys pull the ball on the ground but not in the air, so teams would happily put their CF straight up or a step to the opposite field if it meant they could have 3 infielders on the pull side. You really need to just make the rule for infielders if you want to eliminate the shift.)

Edited October 12, 2021 by Jeff Fletcher

[arch stanton]

9 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

How much difference will it make if the SS has to stand directly behind 2B instead of 10-15 feet to the right? And what’s to stop him from just taking a couple quick steps once the ball is released and only being 10 feet from where he is in a shift?

I really don’t understand why people don’t like the shift. It has a negligible impact. Teams do it because even if it’s 1 percent more effective than no shift, they want that 1 percent. It shouldn’t impact your enjoyment of the game.

The reason batting averages have plummeted is not the shift. It’s strikeouts. I am for finding a solution for that one. 

I did some quick math and it seems it would make 10-15 feet of difference

[eligrba]

Make it affordable for more families to come to a game and make it an evening.

[zenmaster]

Speeding up pitchers is a big one for me. Nothing is worse than a guy who takes forever in between pitches. And if I never see the Manfred runner again it will be too soon!

[HaloBronco]

On 10/11/2021 at 6:17 AM, halomatt said:

Do away with the current divisional formats and realign according to geographical location. 

Yep, this is what I've been wanting for a while.

plus need to have the universal DH.