World series

[heelmanwilm]

I haven’t watched a baseball game in years. Maybe decades. I do follow all the major sports and read the headlines and keep up with the big stories so I am fascinated by this years match up and plan to watch. The two most storied franchises each with a generational talent looks interesting. Anyone else gonna watch?

 

[dadika13]

I've watched more baseball in the last 2 years than the previous like 10 because of the pitch clock and making the shifts illegal. Those two rule changes have made the game so much better than it was in the 2010's when it was 4 hour games with pull hitters grounding into short right field for an out because the team had 7 guys on the right side.

And obviously watching this year for my Yankees. Ohtani is ridiculous though. 50/50 and a top 10 pitcher? Just absurd.

 

[heelmanwilm]

I've watched more baseball in the last 2 years than the previous like 10 because of the pitch clock and making the shifts illegal. Those two rule changes have made the game so much better than it was in the 2010's when it was 4 hour games with pull hitters grounding into short right field for an out because the team had 7 guys on the right side.

And obviously watching this year for my Yankees. Ohtani is ridiculous though. 50/50 and a top 10 pitcher? Just absurd.

What shifts are illegal? Like shifting for a left handed hitter? I didn’t know that. Evidently I don’t keep up very well. Lol

 

[dadika13]

What shifts are illegal? Like shifting for a left handed hitter? I didn’t know that. Evidently I don’t keep up very well. Lol

So teams used to move the shortstop all the way over to the 2nd base side of the diamond and basically have 3 infielders for a lefty pull hitter. They did the same for righties on the shortstop side but not as often. So what happened was there was no longer a hole on the pull side, if you grounded anywhere on that side it was an out.

Now, the shortstop cannot be on the other side of 2nd base before the ball is in play...same with the 2nd baseman to the shortstop side. It actually allows hard hit balls in the holes to be hits, as they should be.

 

[bluetoe]

So teams used to move the shortstop all the way over to the 2nd base side of the diamond and basically have 3 infielders for a lefty pull hitter. They did the same for righties on the shortstop side but not as often. So what happened was there was no longer a hole on the pull side, if you grounded anywhere on that side it was an out.

Now, the shortstop cannot be on the other side of 2nd base before the ball is in play...same with the 2nd baseman to the shortstop side. It actually allows hard hit balls in the holes to be hits, as they should be.

I know this improves play in a certain way but it also takes away from the game in a certain way. Plus if I am imagining it right, it will lead to some questionable judgement calls which isn't a good thing. JMO.

But that being said, I'm no BB fan, although once I start watching a game (almost never) I enjoy it. One thing that is interesting to me is the possibility of balls and strikes being called electronically. Is that ever considered? And what do you think of that?

 

[dadika13]

I know this improves play in a certain way but it also takes away from the game in a certain way. Plus if I am imagining it right, it will lead to some questionable judgement calls which isn't a good thing. JMO.

So it's actually been pretty black and white and I haven't even ever really seen a team have to be penalized for not following it. Everyone kinda knows now that your guys have to be in certain spots pre pitch and they adhere to it.

To me, it's made a hit a hit again. I remember a few years back that someone could smoke a shot into the hole and off that bat you think it's a good base hit but you forget that the other team has 7 guys on that side of the field so it's an out.

But that being said, I'm no BB fan, although once I start watching a game (almost never) I enjoy it. One thing that is interesting to me is the possibility of balls and strikes being called electronically. Is that ever considered? And what do you think of that?

I hate the possibility of that. I still think you need refs, umpires, line judges, etc in sports. It still needs to be a human being calling balls and strikes.

And does the computer adjust for player height or is it just one strike zone for everyone? Does Aaron Judge's low pitch get called the same as Jose Altuve's low pitch? Is Judge's strike zone larger because his body is larger from knee to chest?

I hate this idea but I'm sure it's happening.

 

[bluetoe]

So it's actually been pretty black and white and I haven't even ever really seen a team have to be penalized for not following it. Everyone kinda knows now that your guys have to be in certain spots pre pitch and they adhere to it.

To me, it's made a hit a hit again. I remember a few years back that someone could smoke a shot into the hole and off that bat you think it's a good base hit but you forget that the other team has 7 guys on that side of the field so it's an out.

I hate the possibility of that. I still think you need refs, umpires, line judges, etc in sports. It still needs to be a human being calling balls and strikes.

And does the computer adjust for player height or is it just one strike zone for everyone? Does Aaron Judge's low pitch get called the same as Jose Altuve's low pitch? Is Judge's strike zone larger because his body is larger from knee to chest?

I hate this idea but I'm sure it's happening.

I won't argue much because it just boils down to what appeals to you. But play in the field is just as much baseball as getting a hit is, and dictating how you can play is tinkering with the essence of the game. I do like the clock, it eliminates a lot of the drudgery while not really changing the game itself. But when I think of the new shift rule, I wonder if at some point they dictate that right-handed hitters only have to face right-handed pitchers, and vice versa. I know that's ridiculous, but it's what I think of when they tinker like that.

So far as the judgement call thing, I picture an ump having to judge whether the fielder moved out of position before the ball was in play, or if he was entirely IN position to begin with, kind of thing. Having umps is part of the charm of BB and I wouldn't want to see that screwed with too much, but I know there is a lot of discrepancy in the way balls and strikes are called, and a single wrong called ball can decide a game. It wouldn't surprise me to see some sort of challenge process instituted, backed up by electronic replay.

One more thing. I bitch and whine all the time that refs in other sports should be physically trained to make calls, the way that umpires are. Other than the balls and strikes thing, they ain't wrong very much.

 

[gunslingerdick]

I've watched more baseball in the last 2 years than the previous like 10 because of the pitch clock and making the shifts illegal. Those two rule changes have made the game so much better than it was in the 2010's when it was 4 hour games with pull hitters grounding into short right field for an out because the team had 7 guys on the right side.

And obviously watching this year for my Yankees. Ohtani is ridiculous though. 50/50 and a top 10 pitcher? Just absurd.