Did you know? (A thread about MLB labor stoppage)

tobefirst

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Were you guys even aware that there is a labor stoppage in baseball? As someone living in St. Louis, where baseball is religion, I'm being a bit facetious, but it does seem there aren't many people paying attention. Do you care about this? What is causing the perceived apathy? (Or am I wrong about the apathy and my premise is off?)
 

SuperMatt

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Were you guys even aware that there is a labor stoppage in baseball? As someone living in St. Louis, where baseball is religion, I'm being a bit facetious, but it does seem there aren't many people paying attention. Do you care about this? What is causing the perceived apathy? (Or am I wrong about the apathy and my premise is off?)
Baseball season doesn’t start until March 31, so people might assume they will work things out before then? I bet you will see a lot more attention if there’s no contract by mid-March.
 

Herdfan

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Were you guys even aware that there is a labor stoppage in baseball? As someone living in St. Louis, where baseball is religion, I'm being a bit facetious, but it does seem there aren't many people paying attention. Do you care about this? What is causing the perceived apathy? (Or am I wrong about the apathy and my premise is off?)
Baseball season doesn’t start until March 31, so people might assume they will work things out before then? I bet you will see a lot more attention if there’s no contract by mid-March.

@SuperMatt is right. Only the diehard fans pay attention to Spring Training so as you noted, there is an apathy because most people aren't paying attention yet.

But baseball has gotten boring. And I say this as someone who played some form of it from ages 6 to 46. The analytics people have ruined the game. And not in a Moneyball sort of way. Build your team based on whatever you want, but the whole concept of letting the front office decide what pitch to throw in what situation because the numbers say you have the best chance...... Stop it. Just Stop it.
 

tobefirst

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One could argue that analytics has optimized the game. It has "solved" baseball (as if it were a board game) in its current form – the rules as they are, the surface being played on, the fences at their current distances. It has been brought to the logical conclusion. And you're right, @Herdfan, it's 100% boring.
 

SuperMatt

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Add in the nonsense where teams can add like 50 extra players to the roster for the postseason, and you see a new pitcher every inning.. Just a snooze-fest.
 

DT

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I might have to get into baseball, we're looking at some places where you can see PNC Park :LOL:
 

Herdfan

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One could argue that analytics has optimized the game.

I like that it has made it so small-market teams can compete. That is the Moneyball/Bill James aspect of it.

But the idea that you can only win games by hitting home runs is just wrong. I was a dead pull hitter, so I would probably have faced a shift with the 2B behind the actual second base. And you know what, I would have learned to slap it in the hole where the 2B was supposed to be. Yeah, that hard liner over the SS is fun to watch, but the end result is the same, you are standing on 1B.

Add in the nonsense where teams can add like 50 extra players to the roster for the postseason, and you see a new pitcher every inning.. Just a snooze-fest.

(y)(y)(y)

I think they need to lower the mound again. They did it in 1969 because Bob Gibson totally dominated hitters and it worked. People want to see hits and base runners. Not dominant pitchers.
 

mac_in_tosh

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So much wrong with baseball today, including:

o A home run used to be something special, now it's a commonplace event.

o Seemingly endless playoffs, and with the possibility that a ~.500 team could win a short series against a team that dominated them in the regular season. Makes the long regular season somewhat irrelevant.

o Does the batter have to walk out of the batter's box and adjust his gloves after every pitch? Does the pitcher have to take 30 seconds to throw each pitch? Games are too long.

o It's unfathomable to me that a batter would face an empty side of the infield, due to a shift, and not just bunt it there. (I realize that some younger fans out there might not know what bunt means).

o Electronic strike zone is needed. Although I'm a traditionalist, there are too many times where the superimposed rectangle clearly shows that the ump was wrong. The calling of balls and strikes shouldn't depend on which ump is behind the plate.

o Where are the unique characters in the game? Does anyone have nicknames now like they used to: The Splendid Splinter, The Say Hey Kid, The Sultan of Swat The Big Hurt etc. ?
 

Herdfan

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o Electronic strike zone is needed. Although I'm a traditionalist, there are too many times where the superimposed rectangle clearly shows that the ump was wrong. The calling of balls and strikes shouldn't depend on which ump is behind the plate.

I agree on everything else you wrote except this. As long as the plate umpire is consistent, it is fine. Pitchers and catchers have to learn the tendencies of each umpire (and to a lesser degree, so do the hitters). This just adds an element of difficulty (beauty) to the game.

Baseball is built on being slightly different. In football & basketball, the field/court is exactly the same no matter where it's played. Baseball has some unique fields: Fenway with the green monster, Wrigley with the Ivy covered brick walls, the field I can't remember with the rising ground in center. This makes the game special and I think electronic balls and strikes would lessen it.
 

mac_in_tosh

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I agree on everything else you wrote except this. As long as the plate umpire is consistent, it is fine. Pitchers and catchers have to learn the tendencies of each umpire (and to a lesser degree, so do the hitters). This just adds an element of difficulty (beauty) to the game.
I understand your position on this and do have some agreement with it. It's just that with the superimposed rectangle it's easy to see ump errors, which sometime significantly affect the outcome of the game, and which can show a lack of consistency.

While I'm at it, I forgot to mention one thing - bat flips. To me it's just poor sportsmanship. I remember a Mantle interview from years ago where he was asked about his home run trot - he would keep his head down as he rounded the bases. He said he didn't want to show up the pitcher. Now of course there might have been some element of concern about the next time he was up and how the pitcher might throw one inside on him, but I think for the most part the humility was genuine.
 

SuperMatt

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Well, the league made an offer, and the players unanimously rejected it. The season is going to be delayed.


Since this is a lockout, it looks like the league thinks the players are getting too good of a deal under the prior contract?
 

yaxomoxay

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I am bummed by this. I was looking forward to a few nights at the ballpark.

I will survive anyways. I am also watching UFC, MLS (soccer) and… cricket (on TV). Went to the FC Dallas game last week, had a blast!
 

Herdfan

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I am bummed by this. I was looking forward to a few nights at the ballpark.

Yeah baseball is always something you can watch on TV for 15 minutes or so waiting for a show to start or just killing time. Plus I try to go to a game or two a year.

If you look at the numbers, the sides really aren't that far apart except with the CBT. ESPN's Jeff Passan thinks if they don't get a deal done in the next 10 days to so, it will be a long stoppage.
 

yaxomoxay

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Yeah baseball is always something you can watch on TV for 15 minutes or so waiting for a show to start or just killing time. Plus I try to go to a game or two a year.

If you look at the numbers, the sides really aren't that far apart except with the CBT. ESPN's Jeff Passan thinks if they don't get a deal done in the next 10 days to so, it will be a long stoppage.
Yeah, this is almost entirely on the owners. I think we’ll have half a season at most.
 

DT

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I am bummed by this. I was looking forward to a few nights at the ballpark.

Of all the sporting events I've been to (outside of Mo-Spo), I've had the most fun at baseball games, talking hockey, football, just because the game is almost secondary :D You can go to the clubhouse, have a beer, go to the batting cages, talk some business, eat a hot dog, eventually make it back to your seats in time to see plenty of game :D
 

SuperMatt

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Good news for baseball fans!


Growing up in WNY, we didn’t have a major league team. After I moved to the DC area, they created the Nationals and I’ve been a fan. I usually hit a few games a year, and was lucky to attend the Wildcard game the year they won the World Series (and one WS game too, but they lost all their home games in that series).

One possible bit of bad news, depending on your feelings on the issue. Part of the agreement is:

• The National League adopting the designated hitter
 
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lizkat

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I am so ready for baseball. Yeah the dh thing, but i'm over it. If you read the rest of the summary points in the contract, there are plenty of other things one might bemoan but I'm over most of that stuff too even though the game, the players, the owners, the cost of a stadium and the tickets and the parking are all so over the top. Let's just... play ball.

Actually I'm not over Cleveland naming themselves the Guardians. Guess I should be grateful they didn't pick Comedians.
 
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