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

[JohnU]

Somehow that same game has added a legit hour to it's game time despite not really changing that much....

I saw a video of a 1965 game that Jim Maloney pitched (a 10 inning no-hitter AND walked 10 guys!). Watch Maloney's stretch move. Compare that to almost any stretch move today. Add another 6 or 7 minutes over a whole game. Jonathan Broxton comes to mind.

Here is the Maloney link ... pick it up around the 9 minute mark. TIME OF GAME ... 10 innings, 2:51 despite 10 walks and 12 strikeouts ... 187 pitches. (Larry Jackson also went the entire game for the Cubs.)

LINK IS HERE

The batting glove adjustments now. Ah, Velcro. The oldtimers didn't bother. They just ... didn't.

Multiple pitching changes are adding at least 2 minutes per event.

Add it up and there's 30 to 50 minutes. Replay is costing us time.

 

[tducey]

Talked about it on PTI just now, I actually agree with the proposed changed rules for intentional walks. Find it a bit mundane to intentionally walk a guy but still throw 4 pitches to him.

 

[JohnU]

Talked about it on PTI just now, I actually agree with the proposed changed rules for intentional walks. Find it a bit mundane to intentionally walk a guy but still throw 4 pitches to him.

I think the defense has the right to change its mind about its strategy halfway through the intentional walk. What if the guy on 2nd base gets to wandering too far off base and the catcher flips one down to the SS and the guy is picked off? Now there is no longer "a base open" for the hitter so they decide to go ahead and pitch to him. If they automatically let the guy take 1st base, none of that can happen.

 

[packerzrule]

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)

bout fuckin time

 

[The Q]

I think the defense has the right to change its mind about its strategy halfway through the intentional walk. What if the guy on 2nd base gets to wandering too far off base and the catcher flips one down to the SS and the guy is picked off? Now there is no longer "a base open" for the hitter so they decide to go ahead and pitch to him. If they automatically let the guy take 1st base, none of that can happen.

then waste everyones time with the intentional unintentional walk.

 

[Guy Incognito]

every umpire has a different strike zone anyway, so changing it wont make any difference

Low strikes are killing offense. Making pitchers pitch to the knees should prevent hitters from taking so many pitches.

 

[JohnU]

then waste everyones time with the intentional unintentional walk.

You may be onto something here that hasn't been stated.

 

[black francis]

Nobody bitches about the length of football games.

Low strikes are killing offense. Making pitchers pitch to the knees should prevent hitters from taking so many pitches.

which would make the games longer

I'm cool with that, but everybody seems to think games take too much time as it is.

 

[The Q]

Nobody bitches about the length of football games.


which would make the games longer

I'm cool with that, but everybody seems to think games take too much time as it is.

Baseball actually has more action than football as well.

 

[black francis]

Baseball actually has more action than football as well.

Yep, there is what, like 10 minutes of actual football action?

50 minutes of standing around

120 minutes of halftimes, timeouts and commercials

 

[Guy Incognito]

Nobody bitches about the length of football games.


which would make the games longer

I'm cool with that, but everybody seems to think games take too much time as it is.

I don't know that getting more swings equates to longer games. If anything, the real time killer is watching a batter and pitcher figure out where the bottom of the zone is, and the pitcher spending time trying to get it even lower.

 

[black francis]

I don't know that getting more swings equates to longer games. If anything, the real time killer is watching a batter and pitcher figure out where the bottom of the zone is, and the pitcher spending time trying to get it even lower.

Maybe not, but a smaller strike zone leads to more walks. More base runners leads to more runs, which leads to more pitching changes.

Or maybe I am interpreting it wrong.

 

[The Q]

Maybe not, but a smaller strike zone leads to more walks. More base runners leads to more runs, which leads to more pitching changes.

Or maybe I am interpreting it wrong.

I think MLB is thinking this will make pitchers pound the zone more. More balls in play.

 

[JohnU]

Maybe not, but a smaller strike zone leads to more walks. More base runners leads to more runs, which leads to more pitching changes.

Or maybe I am interpreting it wrong.

We may be worrying too much about the length of game. What I want is more action. More runners, more runs ...

 

[black francis]

We may be worrying too much about the length of game. What I want is more action. More runners, more runs ...

I don't give a shit about more offense.

I just want my team to win games. Whether that's with pitching, offense, defense, deflated baseballs, I don't care.

 

[Virginia Gamecock]

Want to speed up the game?

1) Relievers coming in only get 4 warm up pitches. They should already be warm anyway. This would require that the home teams HAVE to make both bullpen mounds the same height and that they are regulation.
2) 90 seconds from the end of the play to declare a challenge. Once the replay umps "have it", they have 120 seconds to determine the call. If it takes longer than that, the play was too close to reverse.
3) enforce the clock. Some pitchers take WAY too long, and some batters take forever to get ready. The umps need to enforce that shit.

That should help. Anything else really begins to attack the game itself.

I completely agree. These strategies for increasing the pace of play is total BS and shows that baseball doesn't get it.

To add to what was stated above, here is what really needs to be done:

1.) Relievers getting only 4 warm up pitches. They've been throwing enough in the bullpen already. Why do they need to throw that many more? Good idea to keep mounds the same height.

2.) Totally agree with the 90/120 second rule above.

3.) This, above all else. Has anyone ever seen Pedro Baez pitch? Pitchers like that are detrimental to the pace of play as well as their own teammates. You often see players having to stretch in the field or ease up because it takes too long between pitches. Same thing goes for hitters. If they step to the plate, take a pitch without swinging at it, then they shouldn't be allowed to step out of the batter's box and readjust. They didn't even move!! MLB should crack down on that MUCH harder. I invite people to go back and watch or listen to an MLB game from the 50s or 60s and listen to how little time there was between pitches.

4.) I support the new way of calling intentional walks. That will help a little, but it's only a bandaid. Shrinking the strike zone, I predict, will have the exact opposite effect. I think we're going to see many more balls and walks which will really slow down the game.

5.) Time between innings is way too long. MLB has crammed it with as much promotion stuff (commercials on TV, dog and pony show crap at the game) that the time between innings is taking much longer. Remember the Orioles game where they played in an empty stadium? That game flew by in just over 2 hours! I'm not saying get rid of the Kiss Cam or anything like that, but the never ending parade of sponsor crap that keeps increasing is a big reason the games take so long anymore.

6.) Limit the number of relievers you can use in an inning. Bringing in a reliever for one batter or one pitch and then switching him out for another pitcher can take forever.

Just my two cents.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Maybe not, but a smaller strike zone leads to more walks. More base runners leads to more runs, which leads to more pitching changes.

Or maybe I am interpreting it wrong.

It will probably bring walks up some, but it should also bring up swing rates, as hitters actually have a chance at hitting most of the stuff in the strike zone. Guys are just taking these pitches at their shins as strikes, because there is next to nothing you can actually do with a pitch down there.

I don't think that the length of games per se is the issue, it's more that there's an average (I could be misremembering this) of like 3 minutes between balls getting put into play. I don't think MLB would have an issue with a slightly longer game if the tradeoff was more action in the field.

 

[calsnowskier]

I completely agree. These strategies for increasing the pace of play is total BS and shows that baseball doesn't get it.

To add to what was stated above, here is what really needs to be done:

1.) Relievers getting only 4 warm up pitches. They've been throwing enough in the bullpen already. Why do they need to throw that many more? Good idea to keep mounds the same height.

2.) Totally agree with the 90/120 second rule above.

3.) This, above all else. Has anyone ever seen Pedro Baez pitch? Pitchers like that are detrimental to the pace of play as well as their own teammates. You often see players having to stretch in the field or ease up because it takes too long between pitches. Same thing goes for hitters. If they step to the plate, take a pitch without swinging at it, then they shouldn't be allowed to step out of the batter's box and readjust. They didn't even move!! MLB should crack down on that MUCH harder. I invite people to go back and watch or listen to an MLB game from the 50s or 60s and listen to how little time there was between pitches.

4.) I support the new way of calling intentional walks. That will help a little, but it's only a bandaid. Shrinking the strike zone, I predict, will have the exact opposite effect. I think we're going to see many more balls and walks which will really slow down the game.

5.) Time between innings is way too long. MLB has crammed it with as much promotion stuff (commercials on TV, dog and pony show crap at the game) that the time between innings is taking much longer. Remember the Orioles game where they played in an empty stadium? That game flew by in just over 2 hours! I'm not saying get rid of the Kiss Cam or anything like that, but the never ending parade of sponsor crap that keeps increasing is a big reason the games take so long anymore.

6.) Limit the number of relievers you can use in an inning. Bringing in a reliever for one batter or one pitch and then switching him out for another pitcher can take forever.

Just my two cents.

Your points 1, 2 and 3 are in response to my post, so obviously we agree.

4) As has been stated, there is only 1 IBB every other game or so league wide. A full IBB also only takes what, 90 seconds? So we are talking 45 seconds per game here? And you remove the potential of a wild pitch, balk, or some gamesmanship. This is a structural change that I an VERY against.

5) This is the REAL reason why game times have increased, but this will not change. Not even worth the effort to discuss.

6)

 

[black francis]

People who complain about baseball games taking too long need to shut the fuck up, then go fuck themselves.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

I got some ideas to make baseball better....

First of all, they need to reshape the ball to look more like a football. That way pitching is harder to miss bats, and fielding takes real talent.

Secondly, move the home run fence in 150 feet. Nobody wants to see pop outs, they want home runs.

Third, make all the players play on unicycles. This would add another dimension to the game that would make it more fun for the average fan.

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...