Report: MLB proposes changes to intentional walk and the strike zone

[JohnU]

If they make these three changes, baseball goes from a boring snooze fest of watching players wait for a hit, to the most entertaining game to watch ever. Think of the drinking games that could be played...

I think this is your sport ................

 

[podsox]

Don't allow batters to walk out of the box between pitches. One ft in one out. Get your sign and get in the box. Take too long and the ump awards a pitcher a strike. Pitchers that take 9 hrs to go home with the ball with runners on base (scherzer and shields for ex) get delay penalties and ball given. Eliminate catchers going out to talk to pitchers. We are watching the highest level of baseball. We don't need catchers going out there every inning to calm their pitchers down. Treat it as the mound visit

 

[msgkings322]

Report: MLB proposes changes to intentional walk and the strike zone

In an effort to improve pace of play and generate more offense, Major League Baseball has made formal proposals to the players union seeking changes to intentional walks and the strike zone, reports ESPN Jayson Stark. No rule changes can be made without the MLBPA's approval.

Here are some details from Stark:

MLB's proposal would raise the lower part of the strike zone to the top of the hitter's knees. Since 1996, the bottom of the zone has been defined as "the hollow beneath the kneecap." But data shows that umpires have been increasingly calling strikes on so many pitches below the knees that, if umpires enforce the redefined strike zone, it would effectively raise the zone by an estimated 2 inches.

The change in the intentional-walk rule would end the long-standing practice of requiring the pitcher to toss four soft pitches outside the strike zone. Instead, a team could just signify it wants to issue an intentional walk, and the hitter would be sent directly to first base.

The intentional walk proposal has been floated in the past and really, it won't have much impact. There were 932 intentional walks issued in 2,428 games last season. It works out to one intentional walk every 46 1/3 innings or so. Changing the rule won't increase the pace of play that much.

As for raising the strike zone, that could have a significant affect on offense. Research by Jon Roegele of the Hardball Times has shown the strike zone has grown in recent years, mostly downward below the knees. Not only are pitchers getting more strike calls in those spots, but hitters also have to protect against those pitches, and it's really hard to drive a pitch down below the knees.

Raising the zone an estimated two inches, per Stark's report, would lead to more favorable counts for hitters and ostensibly more well-hit balls in play, increasing offense. Run-scoring did tick up around the league in 2016, though it's still down considerably from where it was in the early-to-mid 2000s.

Any rule changes would presumably have to happen very soon. MLB and the MLBPA will want the new rules in place by the start of Grapefruit League and Cactus League play so players could get used them before the regular season. Spring training games begin in nearly three weeks.

I am pro raising the strike zone -- hooray more offense! -- but anti-automatic intentional walk. I say make the pitcher execute the pitches because there's always a chance for a wild pitch or a mistake pitch, like this one: (doesn't let me post video but it's the one of Sanchez of the Yankees hitting a homer on a supposid intentional walk pitch)

This may have already been mentioned but increasing offense and scoring isn't going to make the games shorter. Quite the opposite.

 

[redseat]

This may have already been mentioned but increasing offense and scoring isn't going to make the games shorter. Quite the opposite.

absolutley

 

[black francis]

How about don't change anything.

If the games are too long and boring, don't fucking go.