2022 MLB Season Thread

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Well if the only other option is your entire fanbase dying out and no revenue at all, then yeah, whatever you have to do to get butts in the seats.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Nothing in there about getting rid of that silly blocking home plate stuff, eh?

[bluejays]

My thoughts - pitch clock, about time. But the 2 baserunner thing? That's ridiculous. Poorly thought out which will lead to little league automatic stealing of second in many situations. Now speed really becomes important on the basepads as every pitcher will have to pay attention to how runners bluff. I'm a fan of the pitch count because some pitchers are just notoriously slow, but the 2 attempts per batter is silly.


2 inch increase in base pads seems actually a big deal. A lot of runners safe at first or second then you think. It's a fundamental shift for the sport.


The shift ban is terribly dumb. I know some think otherwise, but there really has to be a paradigm shift in batters for them to learn to hit the other way. It's part of the strategy against one dimensional players. These guys have to learn to bunt or something. I think it's just dumb to not let the game evolve itself.

[ben voyonsdonc]

The rule around throwing over is a bit of an overreach. What might be better is that a pitcher can throw over twice and have the pitch clock reset but after that, the pitch clock starts from where it was when the pitcher threw over.

[Party Elephant]

Pitch clock is fine.

The shift ban is a real win for the dinosaurs and a loss for dynamic hitters. I'm a lifelong fan and I'm really disappointed. People act like it's some new thing, and sure it's used more frequently than in the past thanks to it's usefulness, but f'ing Ted Williams famously had to contend with the shift in the 1940s because even back then defenses understood how to get him out. Joe Siddall said it best on a recent Blue Jays broadcast, "[banning the shift] punishes you for being smart."

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Party Elephant

Pitch clock is fine.

The shift ban is a real win for the dinosaurs and a loss for dynamic hitters. I'm a lifelong fan and I'm really disappointed. People act like it's some new thing, and sure it's used more frequently than in the past thanks to it's usefulness, but f'ing Ted Williams famously had to contend with the shift in the 1940s because even back then defenses understood how to get him out. Joe Siddall said it best on a recent Blue Jays broadcast, "[banning the shift] punishes you for being smart."

Cool.

Now tell me how you feel about the two line offside pass in hockey because that's the intention of the change...to increase offense.

Ted Williams didn't have to contend with analytics and spray charts. It was a gut instinct back then.

You can still shift, you just can't put 3 guys on one side of 2nd base. Seems fair to me.

[Kasi]

I agree with Cali. There will still be shifts they just won’t be extreme anymore. You’ll likely see the 2b/SS line up on top of 2b and shift laterally when the pitch is thrown. Sort of like NFL where the players have to lineup as specific spots and can then go in motion. I like the pitch clock change a lot. It’s pretty much like the 24 second shot clock which helped basketball tremendously. Same for NFL for its play clock. Bag change is a no brainer just for safety and it has a chance of helping stolen base numbers a small amount. Only change I’m not really a fan of is the 1b throw overs since I don’t like rules that have arbitrary limits. I totally agree they need to minimize throws to first but I wonder if it could have been done in another way. So to me 3 really good rule changes and 1 meh one. (Although I understand why they did that one too)

[Senator Clay Davis]

The analytics dorks aren't gonna just stop trying to find ways to win. For instance, ban the shift? Ok, here's how to quickly bring it back:



The analytics dorks get paid to find ways to utilize whatever system is in place, find the weaknesses, take advantage. If the counter to the above shift is "now a ball into left field is almost a guaranteed triple"....well these guys can't drag bunt or go the other when teams are literally handing them a free base, to think they'll all of a sudden be able to go the other way with power is pretty hilarious. I am looking forward to when someone gives this a rip.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Kasi

I agree with Cali. There will still be shifts they just won’t be extreme anymore. You’ll likely see the 2b/SS line up on top of 2b and shift laterally when the pitch is thrown. Sort of like NFL where the players have to lineup as specific spots and can then go in motion. I like the pitch clock change a lot. It’s pretty much like the 24 second shot clock which helped basketball tremendously. Same for NFL for its play clock. Bag change is a no brainer just for safety and it has a chance of helping stolen base numbers a small amount. Only change I’m not really a fan of is the 1b throw overs since I don’t like rules that have arbitrary limits. I totally agree they need to minimize throws to first but I wonder if it could have been done in another way. So to me 3 really good rule changes and 1 meh one. (Although I understand why they did that one too)

The rule on throw overs is a little extreme. I had thought about a 2 throw over limit between pitches. That way the guy has to pitch after 2 throw overs, but not one, so he can keep the runner close but not waste time. The pitcher has to be selective in his throw overs so that he doesn't let the runner know if he's automatically going home. Pitch clock will also help with this.

[Party Elephant]

Watching Bo Bichette smash balls opposite field last night had me thinking, who benefits from the change here? It's not Bo and hitters like him. Defences have to respect Bo because he can put the ball all over the field (or in classic baseball terms, "hit it where they ain't"). I would rather have college and minor league players aspire to be that kind of hitter. I would rather teams prioritise drafting and developing multi-dimensional hitters. I would rather watch a league of Bo Bichettes than a league of Daniel Vogelbachs.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Class act.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1569064175518859264

[flamingred89]

Baseball is so lucky to have a man(machine) like Albert Pujols. I am enjoying his race to 700 more than any other home run race I've seen. Absolute legend.

[DoubleK]

LAD/ARI just about got weird.

[Strange Brew]

At the Astros game, Alvarez with over 1300 feet of homeruns through 5 innings.

[Jiggy_12]

Pujols just hit 698

[DoubleK]

Kershaw with 10Ks tonight

[DoubleK]

No lead is safe against the Yankees

[Drake]

Pujols update: He just hit 699.

[Jiggy_12]

Should get at least two more AB’s this game too.

Game is free on Apple TV for anyone who wants to tune in to his AB’s (don’t need a subscription)

[DoubleK]

He got it!!!! 700!!!!!