2019 MLB Thread

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

I'm very against cheating in sports because it creates a scenario where everyone has to look for ways to cheat to keep up.

It them becomes a matter of who cheats best instead of a competition if skill.

I totally get why major punishment wasnt handed down, but at least a little more would have been nice.

I've read that in Spring Training Astros batters have been getting beaned quite a bit. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It would be terrible if a pitch meant for the back slipped and caught a helmet/head.

I'm very, very against the players taking things into their own hands. On that note, I would like to see guys thrown out and suspended a lot more for intentionally beaning guys and for fighting.

If a pitcher clearly throws at a batter, I'd ban him for a month. Do it a second time, and he's banned for a season.

If a batter chargers the mound, same thing, out for a month, then a season for a second offense.

If a guy leaves the bench and joins in a fight, out for a month. If he leaves the bench for a fight but doesn't join in, out for a week.

Make them bring up the whole AAA team for a week if necessary, and screw up everyone's 40-man time. That'll stick it to the whole org and make it so that teams take it seriously, and mandate that it stops.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

I'm very, very against the players taking things into their own hands. On that note, I would like to see guys thrown out and suspended a lot more for intentionally beaning guys and for fighting.

If a pitcher clearly throws at a batter, I'd ban him for a month. Do it a second time, and he's banned for a season.

If a batter chargers the mound, same thing, out for a month, then a season for a second offense.

If a guy leaves the bench and joins in a fight, out for a month. If he leaves the bench for a fight but doesn't join in, out for a week.

Make them bring up the whole AAA team for a week if necessary, and screw up everyone's 40-man time. That'll stick it to the whole org and make it so that teams take it seriously, and mandate that it stops.

I agree with that.

At the same time though I do think in this situation, if the hit batters have been intentional, the players wouldnt feel the need to do so if the league was more stern with the initial punishment.

Not that it makes it okay, but it's almost like vigilante justice at that point where people begin to feel like "Well if you wont do anything, I'll get the point across myself"

I do doubt it continues into the regular season where putting a man in base matters.

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

So kind of late but how did you all feel about the response to the Astros scandal?

I personally would have handed down enough punishment to cripple their team which maybe is wrong of me.

I would have given a permanent ban to all coaches, staff members and forced the sale of the team.

I would have handed down a 3 season suspension for ALL Astros players who participated by receiving signals at the plate or gave signals in any form.

A 1 year suspension for everyone who knew but did not report.

I wouldnt care if they had to field a minor league team.

I would also ban them from the playoffs for two seasons.

Completely agree. You can thank the players union for negotiating immunity for testimony (essentially) for their players. And Manfred is a pushover.

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

I'm very against cheating in sports because it creates a scenario where everyone has to look for ways to cheat to keep up.

It them becomes a matter of who cheats best instead of a competition if skill.

I totally get why major punishment wasnt handed down, but at least a little more would have been nice.

I've read that in Spring Training Astros batters have been getting beaned quite a bit. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It would be terrible if a pitch meant for the back slipped and caught a helmet/head.

I don’t want head shots but I do want them to get a few in the ribs and arm. You cheat the game and you deserve that. Take first and take this bruise with ya.

"Boik14 wrote:

Completely agree. You can thank the players union for negotiating immunity for testimony (essentially) for their players. And Manfred is a pushover.

I would say that Manfred is more than a pushover. He's working in the interests of making the owners as rich as possible, and not what's in the best interests of baseball at a whole. I would even go so far as to say he and they are being more short sighted about the consequences than at any point that I can remember.

I'm always on the side of the sport and the league instead of the players when it comes to the CBA and things of that nature. But at this point I don't think that either side is really working for that right now, and we have to hope that things happen that force their hand.

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

I'm very against cheating in sports because it creates a scenario where everyone has to look for ways to cheat to keep up.

It them becomes a matter of who cheats best instead of a competition if skill.

I totally get why major punishment wasnt handed down, but at least a little more would have been nice.

I've read that in Spring Training Astros batters have been getting beaned quite a bit. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It would be terrible if a pitch meant for the back slipped and caught a helmet/head.

Like the skill of pitch framing. :001_rolleyes:

Pitch framing is absolutely some BS.

"Stitches wrote:

Like the skill of pitch framing. :001_rolleyes:

Honestly? Yeah it's a skill.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

Pitch framing is absolutely some BS.

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

Honestly? Yeah it's a skill.

I'm with Unlucky. I think pitch framing is akin to cheating. I can't wait for the robot overlord strike zones.

"Stitches wrote:

I'm with Unlucky. I think pitch framing is akin to cheating. I can't wait for the robot overlord strike zones.

Same! The strike zone should be as close to identical for every pitcher as possible. Whether it's a rookie making his first appearance or a guy who'll walk into the HOF when he retires.

"Stitches wrote:

I'm with Unlucky. I think pitch framing is akin to cheating. I can't wait for the robot overlord strike zones.

I didnt say it was an honorable skill. Just that it is a skill because some are better at it than others.

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

I didnt say it was an honorable skill. Just that it is a skill because some are better at it than others.

I equate it to guys who are good at flopping to draw a penalty in other sports.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

I equate it to guys who are good at flopping to draw a penalty in other sports.

I mean, if you think about it at the end of the day it is the umpires fault not the catcher. I dont think it's as bad as flopping because it should still be easy to avoid.

He is supposed to be calling based on where the ball crossed the plate, not where the catcher pulled his glove.

I honestly love human error in Baseball though. I feel like it adds story, intrigue and suspense to the sport rather than feeling mechanical.

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

I mean, if you think about it at the end of the day it is the umpires fault not the catcher. I dont think it's as bad as flopping because it should still be easy to avoid.

He is supposed to be calling based on where the ball crossed the plate, not where the catcher pulled his glove.

I honestly love human error in Baseball though. I feel like it adds story, intrigue and suspense to the sport rather than feeling mechanical.

The problem is that human error bleeds into favoritism really quickly. We all know that a lot of umps are going to give one pitcher, batter or catcher a call, and then turn around in the next half inning and not give the exact same call to the guy on the other side. Its maddening, especially when a rival team is always getting those calls. The point of officiating in any sport is supposed to be objectivity and consistency. If the other team is just awesome and is kicking your rear end, then most people can deal with it and move on. But when the official is corrupt and is giving favorable calls to one side, then people remember it for decades.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

The problem is that human error bleeds into favoritism really quickly. We all know that a lot of umps are going to give one pitcher, batter or catcher a call, and then turn around in the next half inning and not give the exact same call to the guy on the other side. Its maddening, especially when a rival team is always getting those calls. The point of officiating in any sport is supposed to be objectivity and consistency. If the other team is just awesome and is kicking your rear end, then most people can deal with it and move on. But when the official is corrupt and is giving favorable calls to one side, then people remember it for decades.

I guess it just doesnt bother me in the same way.

Growing up as a Marlin fan in the 90s I saw a lot of the Atlanta "Big 3" starters. They would always get those calls but it didnt bother me really. I would be more upset with hitters for not understanding they had to protect the plate more.

I do get what you are saying though because bad calls tick me off in all other sports. I dont understand why they dont in Baseball honestly.

"AGuyNamedAlex wrote:

I guess it just doesnt bother me in the same way.

Growing up as a Marlin fan in the 90s I saw a lot of the Atlanta "Big 3" starters. They would always get those calls but it didnt bother me really. I would be more upset with hitters for not understanding they had to protect the plate more.

I do get what you are saying though because bad calls tick me off in all other sports. I dont understand why they dont in Baseball honestly.

As a Cubs fan, games against those guys were maddening. A pitch would be two inches off the plate. There was no way possible for the hitter to do anything about it other than foul it off. But because they'd just keep putting it in the same place and never give you anything that was actually hitable, the batter basically went up there and all he could do was hope for a mistake. It was like starting in an 0-2 hole every time.

And then of course opposing pitchers could put it in the same spot and it was a ball. Thats the real kick in the pants. One set of rules for some players, another for the rest. That's a big reason that I stopped watching basketball twenty years ago, and I don't miss it.

Yeah robot umpires are sorely needed I think. That "pitch framing" is considered a valuable skill is ludicrous and frankly not fun to watch. I'd rather debate the merits of a catcher's hitting and defense than his ability to frame a pitch.

While we are discussing weird baseball quirks, what about the variance in park/outfield sizes? I'd like to see that more standardized personally.

"texanphinatic wrote:

Yeah robot umpires are sorely needed I think. That "pitch framing" is considered a valuable skill is ludicrous and frankly not fun to watch. I'd rather debate the merits of a catcher's hitting and defense than his ability to frame a pitch.

While we are discussing weird baseball quirks, what about the variance in park/outfield sizes? I'd like to see that more standardized personally.

I think that as long as the parks fall within a reasonable size zone, its really fun that they're all a bit different. However, I do think that building a park, or adjusting one, to cater to the current roster is bogus.

I guess I am very different with these subjects.

I love crazy ballparks with strange alleys and angles in the outfield. Every park should have a unique feel that you can build a unique team around.

If we had bigger outfields we would probably see more speedy guys creating offense aside from just going from station to station waiting for a HR.

I do agree there are limits of course. Dont put the fence 700 feet back obviously.

Also I believe in not building it around a current team but a sustainable style of play. Pitcher friendly vs hitter and so forth based on franchise ideals.

Speaking of ballparks, does anyone else find themselves in the humorous spot of referring to a field by its old corporate name instead of the new one. I mean, I'm hardly attached to the companies, but when a place has one name on it when I get used to it, then it just sticks. This is especially true when I really don't have much of an idea about what the original company was to begin with, so the name is the ballpark.

Seattle's stadium will just always be Safeco to me, for example.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

Speaking of ballparks, does anyone else find themselves in the humorous spot of referring to a field by its old corporate name instead of the new one. I mean, I'm hardly attached to the companies, but when a place has one name on it when I get used to it, then it just sticks. This is especially true when I really don't have much of an idea about what the original company was to begin with, so the name is the ballpark.

Seattle's stadium will just always be Safeco to me, for example.

I still almost call our stadium "Pro Player Stadium" I am 100% with you on doing that at times.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

Speaking of ballparks, does anyone else find themselves in the humorous spot of referring to a field by its old corporate name instead of the new one. I mean, I'm hardly attached to the companies, but when a place has one name on it when I get used to it, then it just sticks. This is especially true when I really don't have much of an idea about what the original company was to begin with, so the name is the ballpark.

Seattle's stadium will just always be Safeco to me, for example.

Ugh no. CitiField will always be Shea Stadium. Or ShittyField.

"Boik14 wrote:

Ugh no. CitiField will always be Shea Stadium. Or ****tyField.

But they're two different stadiums! :chuckle:

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

But they're two different stadiums! :chuckle:

Ya one we had good owners for and the one not so much.

Speaking of weird ballpark measurements!

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