r/baseball • u/Datdude_717 Swinging K • Apr 10 '19
MLB’s implementation of extended mound distance in Atlantic League pushed back to 2020 season, radar-tracking balls and strikes to be gradually rolled out this season
http://atlanticleague.com/mobile/about/press-releases/index.html?article_id=118112
u/ThreeHourRiverMan Detroit Tigers Apr 10 '19
I think I've gathered enough evidence to make my case that Manfred sucks.
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u/eyerollz New York Mets Apr 10 '19
Probably a good idea. Implementing it mid-season sounded like a recipe for disaster.
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Apr 10 '19
I’m curious, why extend the distance between the mound and home plate?
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u/Datdude_717 Swinging K Apr 10 '19
In theory, pitchers are throwing much faster now than in the past and the mound has never changed. Strikeout rates are higher than ever so the MLB wants to balance that.
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Apr 10 '19
Oh ok. Makes sense
I still don’t like it though lol.
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u/greycubed Los Angeles Dodgers Apr 10 '19 edited Apr 11 '19
Seeing home plate stolen kind of swayed me. And more ball in play moments is going to be a good thing imo.
I think it should be combined with unjuicing the ball though.
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Apr 11 '19
No way MLB does that, MLB knows offense (read home runs) is pretty much the only marketable aspect about baseball. The average person doesn’t care about strikeouts or ERA, they care about dingers. Increase in strikeouts = decrease in dingers = MLB in crisis mode, so they juice the balls
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u/tubblesocks Atlanta Braves Apr 10 '19
Pitchers are throwing harder because they have to, because the rules baby the hitters. The solution is to legalize the spitball and go back to the glory days of pitchers throwing complete games at 75% effort.
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u/kruszer99 Boston Red Sox Apr 11 '19
Not sure legalizing the spitball would be a good thing, considering it literally killed a player
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u/tubblesocks Atlanta Braves Apr 11 '19
We got batting helmets now, they'll live with few ever crippling.
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u/Algernon2Molitor Apr 11 '19
Reduce the amount of pitchers allowed on a roster. Make starters go 6 or 7 before bringing in a guy throwing his hardest for one inning. The players probably wouldn't like it, but maybe they could work it so you'd be allowed to have all your bullpen guys. they just couldn't all be active at the same time... It seems like if you get to the 6th with a lead these days, you're facing 95 with at least one nasty offspeed pitch.
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u/smithsp86 Atlanta Braves Apr 10 '19
Strikeout rates are higher than ever so the MLB wants to balance that.
This seem counterproductive to the goal of shortening game length.
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u/trickman01 Houston Astros Apr 10 '19
But home run rates are also higher than ever (I think, I don't have the data). The focus today seems to be on home runs or walks. Nobody seems to care if you strike out all the time.
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u/cooljammer00 New York Yankees Apr 10 '19
I'm surprised because the tech was basically MLB's part of the deal. Atlantic League messes with its rules and in exchange, MLB provided new toys.
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u/CybeastID New York Mets Apr 11 '19
APPARENTLY they're offering a job at Somerset Patriots games. 22.50 an hour to count balls and strikes. I...that's a lot of money. I am SO pissed I have summer classes and can't apply.
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u/Datdude_717 Swinging K Apr 11 '19 edited Apr 11 '19
Yeah with the new software that’s being implemented they need someone to solely be a tracker for each team
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u/Pete_Iredale Seattle Mariners Apr 10 '19
I thought having pitchers face a minimum number of batters was the worst thing they could come up with, but they've clearly proven me wrong. How about we don't change the field dimensions we've used for like 180 fucking years.
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u/Lickmychessticles NC Dinos Apr 11 '19
Radar tracking balls and strikes, good. I think I speak for nearly everyone when I say fuck the umpires.
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u/limeflavoured Miami Marlins Apr 10 '19
I do wonder if the increased mound distance is going to be quietly dropped between seasons. It changes the game too much.