2018 Offseason And Targets

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50PoundHead said:
Just say you can only have two infielders on either side of second base. Put a short white line where the outfield grass meets the infield for optics. I don't see the problem. Award the hitter a base if the rule is violated. The shifts have gotten ridiculous and have led a bunch of hitters who have no business worrying about launch angle changing their approach.
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Maybe they should change their approach to go the other way?
 
50PoundHead said:
Just say you can only have two infielders on either side of second base. Put a short white line where the outfield grass meets the infield for optics. I don't see the problem. Award the hitter a base if the rule is violated. The shifts have gotten ridiculous and have led a bunch of hitters who have no business worrying about launch angle changing their approach.
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So your solution is to make a rule governing where fielders can play, the result of which would produce a few more ground ball singles.

Rather than...

Letting batters adjust by hitting the ball the other way...for a few more ground ball singles.

The shift is not the problem with baseball. It's actually about as interesting as discussing defensive strategies in football like the 4-3 vs 3-4, nickel vs dime, and prevent. The problem with baseball is 25 seconds between pitches and 4 hour 9 inning games that nobody under the age of 25 can sit through. The fact making a rule about the shift is even on the radar of MLB shows they are completely out of touch with the issues around selling the game to younger demographics.
 
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Enscheff said:
So your solution is to make a rule governing where fielders can play, the result of which would produce a few more ground ball singles.

Rather than...

Letting batters adjust by hitting the ball the other way...for a few more ground ball singles.

The shift is not the problem with baseball. It's actually about as interesting as discussing defensive strategies in football like the 4-3 vs 3-4, nickel vs dime, and prevent. The problem with baseball is 25 seconds between pitches and 4 hour 9 inning games that nobody under the age of 25 can sit through. The fact making a rule about the shift is even on the radar of MLB shows they are completely out of touch with the issues around selling the game to younger demographics.
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The nba comparison (no zone defense) was much better
 
msstate7 said:
The nba comparison (no zone defense) was much better
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It's hard for hitters to adjust and go the other way when the pitcher pitches to the defense. What I fear is making baseball less interesting is that it's becoming glorified slow-pitch softball. I respect everyone's take, but we've got too many marginal guys going for the pump and becoming one-dimensional hitters as a result, which leads to a dull game.
 
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50PoundHead said:
It's hard for hitters to adjust and go the other way when the pitcher pitches to the defense. What I fear is making baseball less interesting is that it's becoming glorified slow-pitch softball. I respect everyone's take, but we've got too many marginal guys going for the pump and becoming one-dimensional hitters as a result, which leads to a dull game.
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So your logic is that the baseball player population as a whole can make changes to hit HRs, but can't make changes to go the other way (or simply bunt) to beat the shift? Pitchers can make hitters pull the ball into a shift, but they can't make them hit grounders to avoid HRs? The real data suggests otherwise.

The actual facts are that power is more valuable than singles, and Ks don't matter any more than any other out. Players and team decision makers are finally understanding this, and are adjusting accordingly.

Making a rule against the shift isn't going to make more players slap more singles around the field. It's an asinine suggestion made by dinosaurs who are grumpy about the modern game, and nothing more. The middle infielders will just play right on the edge of whatever boundary is put in place, and then move across it as soon as they are allowed. It will change nothing.
 
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50PoundHead said:
It's hard for hitters to adjust and go the other way when the pitcher pitches to the defense. What I fear is making baseball less interesting is that it's becoming glorified slow-pitch softball. I respect everyone's take, but we've got too many marginal guys going for the pump and becoming one-dimensional hitters as a result, which leads to a dull game.
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The shifts are happening because players are being more pull happy and trying to hit homers not the other way around. Players will still take this approach.
 
Enscheff said:
So your logic is that the baseball player population as a whole can make changes to hit HRs, but can't make changes to go the other way (or simply bunt) to beat the shift? Pitchers can make hitters pull the ball into a shift, but they can't make them hit grounders to avoid HRs? The real data suggests otherwise.

The actual facts are that power is more valuable than singles, and Ks don't matter any more than any other out. Players and team decision makers are finally understanding this, and are adjusting accordingly.

Making a rule against the shift isn't going to make more players slap more singles around the field. It's an asinine suggestion made by dinosaurs who are grumpy about the modern game, and nothing more. The middle infielders will just play right on the edge of whatever boundary is put in place, and then move across it as soon as they are allowed. It will change nothing.
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The problem is they can't successfully make adjustments to hit HRs, but they are trying it anyway. Too many guys with warning track power are going for the downs. Guys who shouldn't be able to spell "launch angle" are buying into it wholesale. Granted, one HR equals three singles, so the cost/benefit to hitting HRs is clearly there for guys who are consistent power threats. But I fear baseball is going to devolve into countless Rob Deer's and Gorman Thomas' and that translates to unwatchable baseball.
 
Where is all this Real Muto coming from all the sudden. I thought it was completely dead??

I guess that means we’re about to make a trade somewhere that we have heard nothing about.

I hope we can get the home run sculpture in the deal if it’s true though....
 
50PoundHead said:
The problem is they can't successfully make adjustments to hit HRs, but they are trying it anyway. Too many guys with warning track power are going for the downs. Guys who shouldn't be able to spell "launch angle" are buying into it wholesale. Granted, one HR equals three singles, so the cost/benefit to hitting HRs is clearly there for guys who are consistent power threats. But I fear baseball is going to devolve into countless Rob Deer's and Gorman Thomas' and that translates to unwatchable baseball.
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I see no data that suggests the overall MLB population is "going for the downs" despite warning track power. Anecdotes about Albies and Inciarte are not data.

FOs know better than ever what wins baseball games, and they are adjusting accordingly. There's a reason we've heard numerous stories about guys increasing their launch angle for more success, and zero stories of guys decreasing their launch angle for more success. I have literally never seen a story that says a guy decided to hit more grounders and his career took off.

Again, HRs and Ks are exciting. Seeing a guy hit a ball 400', throw a pitch 98 mph, or snap off a nasty slider is exciting. Watching a pitcher bunt, or a 150 lb IFer slap a single the other way is not. Waiting 25 seconds between pitches, or a watching guy adjust his batting gloves after every single pitch during a 4 hour game is excruciating. MLB needs to address the real issues that prevent new young fans from watching, not chase the rantings of dinosaurs stuck in the past.
 
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bravesfanforlife88 said:
meh, Weaver is a career 4.79 ERA pitcher through 52 games, Kelly is a career .154 avg hitter through 117 at bats, while Young isn't even in their top 30 prospects

definitely feel this is quantity over quality...however, this is only for 1 year of control of Goldy...
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that’s how’d id quantify it as a haul. One year for that is legit. Good for the Cards, though. What an improvement
 
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