"Hot Stove" MLB Season Is Here!

@Kep131313

 As I wrote moron I do not believe I watched any extra innings, plus my last year was filled with alot of crap so keep your comments to your self.

Have never seen you anywhere on here so keep your fukin nose out of my post.

Inside the Plan to Fix Baseball

@barneybeans

 Thanks for that article, Barney. To me, the final nail in the coffin was the shift ban. How embarrassing is it that you have guys in the Majors who are incapable of hitting to the opposite field? What a reflection on today’s talent…Instead of being forced to change the rules, how about you teach these “Major Leaguers”what they should have learned in Little League instead of teaching them launch angles. Analytics have buried this sport.

I think it was easier as a batter to spread the ball around and beat the shift - or negate the need for it - when the fastest fastball is only 90mph and the starter went 8 innings and had to preserve his arm.

Nowadays every starter has a cannon with super spin and break because they are only throwing70 pitches in 5 innings.

Basically over the years baseball has figured out a way to beat itself, making the games "not as enjoyable" as they once were without actually breaking any rules.

I am not defending any of the new bullshit changes by any means. But I understand.

What I mean is, in the article I posted there was a "test":

"The league has long had fan research that shows the ideal average length of a game in baseball is two hours and thirty minutes. That’s the length it had been, more or less, up through the 1970s. In those days, that’s just how the game was played. MLB officials were stunned when they watched a 1986 Mets–Astros playoff game and put a pitch timer on the screen just for context. The pitchers consistently beat the clock, often by several seconds.

'Absolutely,' says Epstein. 'If you dropped a pitch timer in the 1970s or 1980s, I don’t think anyone would have even noticed it.'

But for various reasons, everything started slowing down, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s. By 2015, the game was stretching out to three hours, and it was filled with dead time—pitchers just standing there, batters adjusting their equipment, absolutely nothing happening. Something, clearly, had to be done."

In my opinion the older games flowed better, ran at a decent pace and were much more enjoyable than today.

Like I said above, baseball beat itself

@JEG53

I am not a fan of the switching pitchers for every batter.

But I had no idea it was implemented while posting let year.

@barneybeans

"that pitcher needed to finish the inning or go at least 6 batters."

I believe that it is 3 batters 

@barneybeans

 Yeh during Covid which I got my bar closed so did take a break plus the schedule  was bleak anyway, I do not watch as much as I used to as I worked in a sports bar and went from watching 100 games a week to just really nothing during lockdown. My bar never did open up so after 43 years at hotel I retired. Much easier getting info watching 30 TVs and talking to a bar full of degenerates, that was how I got most of info, not a big computer guy.

Thanks for info barney, I read about the rule a few months ago and was really surprised on that stupid change.

@OneWayOut

 The real story is that Jeg got fired when he started to take guests to the wrong floors on the elevator 

Speaking of old, where's the guy who started this thread?

As every year, we hope all is well with Key when his absence is prolonged. 

@undermysac

 Yeh but I was Drunk so it was ok.

Started in my 20s so Key and you still have many years on me.

Can it be true? The beloved, esteemed, grand poo-bah of the baseball universe has not smiled on his sychophantic worshippers for six weeks? I am receiving messages from the baseball gods. DO NOT ABANDON THOSE BOYS!

Well, I don't know how much good I am going to be this year. Perhaps very little, because age and imbecility are gaining ground pretty fast. The day when I didn't have to look over my shoulder is long gone. 

HOWEVER! I will give it one more go and until I see guys coming upon my humble homestead with torches and pitchforks I will hang in there. I cut down the only tall tree in the neighborhood so they need not bother with a rope. The yard is mined and I traded my watchdog for a Bengal Tiger, so security is up-to-date. 

Now then. If you are looking for some really good baseball advice, let me know when you find it. Until then I suggest you Google "wishful thinking" or hit a game store a dart board or crystal ball; maybe even a Ouija board for the truly sophisticated handicapper. 

Picks? Opinions? Sometime soon. 

@OneWayOut

 Have to admit I hadn't thought of that. See? I'm slipping.

Pretty scathing buddy. but I suppose he asked for it. Why didn't you ask him what his last 3 or 4 Usernames were? There are not any "newbies" on Covers anymore, just recycled morons.

Key, long respected your work. I think this year will be challenging initially but extremely opportunistic and rare because books have to guess effects of the rules and sone teams will be smarter at reacting to them. But I definitely expect more offense. It is sad nobody could be 1/10 like Tony Gwynn and just aim in what he called the 5.5 hole opposite field but now those pull hitters will reach

Good thing about getting old is I do not even remember what he said, I posted something about the extra inning new ideas which seems to not be as new as i thought.

I actually did not expect to see you back this year, if this is last one hope you Rock ans Roll.

@JEG53

 Let's watch that "last year" s**t my friend. You know as well as I the last year will not be recorded until I am in the ground, or a nursing home for the senile. Just think about how I will be boring those old folks with how great I was back in the day. Oh well. if they are senile too it will just mean the stories are new to them every day. 

At last I am paying some attention to S.T. games, so I can start forming some opinions. Nothing to be gleaned yet as most games are still being decided by guys that won't make the 40 man roster, much less the major league roster.  

Hoyasaxa: It will take time to assess the effect of the changes, but I am already happy with the shortened pitch clock. For years both pitchers and batters have delayed the next pitch as much as possible due to fear. They just don't want to face bad results. We need to get back to "Let's get it on, brother." Next rule change needed? No more than 20 seconds for a home run trot!

@KeyElement

 That is good, I just got the feeling you were on your last legs, .

Hey what is up with Kari Lake, she was asked if she wanted to run with Trump and she replied, I am the Governor so would not be able to be VP. .

She is a bit out of her mind, but she is still getting a bunch of money so what do I know.

I believe that I found Trainwreck66 

Yes, thank god they outlawed idiots like Garciaparra twisting his gloves outside the box every freaking pitch.. Losing the shift will definitely help so many, less throws to first, more steals, smart teams will steal more, score more.. less idiots only trying to homer.. 

look hard early on and you’ll see who went to school