BATTER UP!

[GHT]

What's the date in March? On the 2nd and 6th they play the Astros. Bring Kleenex, there could be tears.

If you were on this side of the pond and your sport just happened to be Rugby you would witness many a Scottish celebratory hangover today, whilst The English are probably still crying into their beer.

 

[HudsonHawk]

"Truck Day" was Friday, the day all New England celebrates the departure of the Red Sox' equipment truck from Boston to Fort Myers. I understand Chris Sale was driving -- they have to find some way for the big lump of cheese to work off his contract.

$75 million doesn't buy as many wins as it used to.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I hear he also mows John Henry's lawn.

 

[belfastboy]

I hear he also mows John Henry's lawn.

It was supposed to be Story doing the lawn mowing but with his rehab he has a note from his doctor.

 

[Fading Fast]

Any thoughts about the new rules for the upcoming season?

Lizzie?

 

[Frunobulax]

I'm intrigued by the larger bases.

They still have some kinks to work out with the pitcher/batter timer. There's been some weird stuff in ST games already.

I still hate the ghost runner.

 

[DeaconKC]

Well, I too, still hate the ghost runner. Larger bases? Stealing bases is one of the most exciting aspects of the game, so if it encourages that, I kinda like it. Keep the size of the base gloves down, no "oven mitts". Pitch clock? I think it will do more to control the batters who were obnoxious with their prima dona routines taking forever between pitches. I still wish they would not limit pitchers throwing to keep a runner pinned.

 

[belfastboy]

Well, I too, still hate the ghost runner. Larger bases? Stealing bases is one of the most exciting aspects of the game, so if it encourages that, I kinda like it. Keep the size of the base gloves down, no "oven mitts". Pitch clock? I think it will do more to control the batters who were obnoxious with their prima dona routines taking forever between pitches. I still wish they would not limit pitchers throwing to keep a runner pinned.

I have watched 3 of my BlueJays games on the telly so far. I think the pitch clock is largely a non issue. And by eliminating those 'human rain delay' batters (Hargroves & Garciaparra!) it will be worthwhile. So far the duration of games has been dramatically whittled down. The Blue Jays have much more team speed this season so it will be fun to watch them run. In the 3 games they have def run more but the success rate is still around the 50% mark but they are running to get a feel for the new rules.
Kikuchi pitched their spring training opener and he looked like Cy Young material. He has the arm and the stuff but at times last year he looked so lost on the mound. Honest to god it looked like he had never done this before in his life. The pitch clock he said helped him as he did not have unlimited time to think about shit. He got the ball, got the sign and he threw. AND he threw it awfully well. If this is a harbinger of things to come the Jays have the best rotation in baseball.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'm fine with the pitch clock -- something needs to be done to stop all this ridiculous preening for the TV cameras that they all do now. I wish it wasn't necessary to have a clock to force the issue, but they'll adapt to it soon enough. Baseball survived over a century without all that Mike Hargrove crap, and it'll survive this.

Batters who refuse to hit against the shift are stupid unless they're Ted Williams, and nobody now is Ted Williams. Slap hitters who think they're power hitters are stupid. Anything that can put a stop to all that and get the ball back in play is a good thing. I'd take a skinny second baseman who hits the ball in the gap over a room full of homer-or-strikeout knuckledraggers.

The ghost runner, however, is stupid, period. What's next, "four fouls and you're out?"

 

[PrivateEye]

The pitch clock has become an unfortunate necessity. I'll watch baseball all evening, but when I find myself flipping channels between pitches because the pitcher and batter want to stroll around for a while and look tough for the cameras, something is very wrong.

"Ghost" runner, however, is a simply stupid idea.

 

[belfastboy]

I'm fine with the pitch clock -- something needs to be done to stop all this ridiculous preening for the TV cameras that they all do now. I wish it wasn't necessary to have a clock to force the issue, but they'll adapt to it soon enough. Baseball survived over a century without all that Mike Hargrove crap, and it'll survive this.

Batters who refuse to hit against the shift are stupid unless they're Ted Williams, and nobody now is Ted Williams. Slap hitters who think they're power hitters are stupid. Anything that can put a stop to all that and get the ball back in play is a good thing. I'd take a skinny second baseman who hits the ball in the gap over a room full of homer-or-strikeout knuckledraggers.

The ghost runner, however, is stupid, period. What's next, "four fouls and you're out?"

I umpired women's fast pitch softball at a high level for many years. I thought it was dumb then. But as an umpire I did enjoy the effect. In fastpitch with the female pitchers throwing gas from 40 feet the games were invariably pitcher dominated and low scoring. At least with the ghost runner I had a shot at getting home before midnight.

 

[DeaconKC]

This was posted on another forum, but it seems appropriate and well said.:

20 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:




What's wrong with the batter, after every pitch, stepping out of the box, adjusting his shin guards, resetting his gloves, making sure his helmet is jusssssst right, adjusting his gloves again, rubbing more dirt onto his bat, resettling his helmet, saying the Rosary, and adjusting his gloves between pitches? Are you saying that holds up the game?

And that's all before tucking his necklace back into his shirt, tapping the plate with his bat 3 times, tapping of to the far and near side of the plate once each, re-adjusting his helmet...just before holding up his hand to signal time out.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Harry "The Hat" Walker had a fiddle-dee-dee routine he used to do in the batters box in the 1940s, but he was singled out for notice for it because he was about the only one of that era who really got out of hand with the fidgeting. Now I can't think of a batter who *doesn't* do it, and that's the problem.

 

[belfastboy]

Harry "The Hat" Walker had a fiddle-dee-dee routine he used to do in the batters box in the 1940s, but he was singled out for notice for it because he was about the only one of that era who really got out of hand with the fidgeting. Now I can't think of a batter who *doesn't* do it, and that's the problem.

I don't think many (any) of the old timers would dare to have the pre pitch routine of today. The pitchers of yesterday would be sure to signal their displeasure with a little chin music.

 

[LizzieMaine]

When Walker went into his act in one game -- "cap on, cap off, tap left foot with bat, cap off, tap right foot with bat, cap on, adjust cap, cap off, rub sleeve across face, cap on, adjust cap, tap foot" -- the umpire, Beans Reardon to be exact, called time, and went thru as much of the routine himself as he could remember. Walker then went thru the routine again. Reardon again called time, went thru the routine, and declared "I just want you to know what an ass you're making of yourself." Harry just tipped his hat and lined a single up the middle.

Incidentally, Harry the Hat is the brother of Dixie Walker, whom our readers over at the Day by Day thread know as Brooklyn's number one square dance instructor of 1943.

 

[Fading Fast]

Watching the Yankees game, the pitch clock is awesome. The game moves along at a good clip without all the BS on/off the mound and in/out of the batter box.

 

[DeaconKC]

Yup, the Pitch Clock has made more affect on the Prima Donas who wanted to draw attention to their tightening of gloves, checking shoes, answering texts etc when batting!
I do hope that next year will see the end of the ghost runner on 2nd when in extra innings.

 

[LizzieMaine]

People who stamp their feet and whine about the pitch clock should be glad they never had to deal with the balata ball.

 

[DeaconKC]

 

[HudsonHawk]

People who stamp their feet and whine about the pitch clock should be glad they never had to deal with the balata ball.

I am the last person to suggest that there is too much baseball, but I love how the pitch clock has moved games along. And with my team in AL West, and having to suffer through far too many games starting at the ungodly hour of 9:00 in the middle of the night, I appreciate games ending on the day they started. Get in the box, step on the rubber and let's play ball.