[Slugman]

Johnny Last is a moron. Proof: he says the pitch clock results in less baseball being played, akin to a concert where fewer songs are performed. Stupid analogy, there are not fewer inning or fewer at bats. An analogy not created by an idiot might be: imagine if a concert took a lot longer because of the artist constantly taking breaks, even in the middle of a song.

[Pyrites]

Not sure I’d go with concert as metaphor. The pitch clock doesn’t reduce number of pitches per game. Yes, I heard Mike Curto say a pitch clock violation ended a game in minors last year. There were more at transition to the rule. There were exceptions too. MLB players on a rehab game were exempt at the minors the last c purple years. I assume in May the number of violations will drop. An anti-hockey stick curve. Is it likely that minor league players who moved up this year are having less faults? I’d guess those coming out of the Mexican leagues* etc will have their transition at the minors. I’d guess it goes out in playoffs. Is that right? *Since organized baseball shutdown forty (40) minor league teams, reducing the available players by exactly one thousand, it seems at AAA we’re seeing more players who two days prior were playing in a Mexican or similar league.

[Chief Joseph]

Not sure that Johnny Last is a "moron" ...imo he makes some good points and whether the changes are good or bad are not likely to be immediately known. To me, baseball is making "bandaid fixes" that do not really address the root of the problem/s.

[Brian Curtis]

I strongly disagree with everything in that insanely poorly written article. As of today games in 2023 are averaging 2:39 total length and 2:37 per 9 innings. In 2022 they were 3:06 and 3:03/9I. In 2021, the season with the longest average game time in MLB history, games were 3:11 and 3:10/9I. Current game times have brought MLB back to where game times were in the early to mid-eighties. I absolutely love the shorter game times. I don't need to watch batters adjust their velcro or pitchers kill time resting between pitches. Coupled with the earlier start times games now end before my bedtime which is no small thing for me. I couldn't be happier. Robot umpires can't come soon enough. Human umpire strikezone mistakes are not a pleasurable or necessary part of the game. Those mistakes are a problem they can fix so they should fix them. I'd like to see all pitches called automatically rather than have an appeal process. When I first encountered the ghost runner on second in extra innings I hated it with a passion. That was many, many years ago when my daughter was playing softball. Over time I completely changed my mind and came to like it. So I feel like I'm one of the minority who actually like it I'm MLB. But it took some getting used to. The larger bases are meant for safety and if they are indeed safer then I'm all for them. I haven't seen any downside, yet. It is a compromise between utilizing a safety bag at first and I think it is worth the try. Having witnessed a softball pitcher get her eye socket broken by a batted ball I'd like to see pitchers wearing safety masks. So I do think safety is important. Stolen bases are up this year, but not by a crazy amount. So far MLB has rolled the stolen base numbers back to where they were in about 1992. I'm sure that teams are still learning on both defense and offense so I would imagine that stolen base numbers haven't stabilized, yet. The only rule change I really disliked was the shift ban. But I can't say my enjoyment of games this year has been diminished by it this year and we are still seeing some creative outfield shifts. So meh.

[Chief Joseph]

Not that big of a deal to me since imo, the MLB and and even the NBA seasons are much too long, so I don't watch them much until the post season. That's why the NFL and College basketball are my favorite sports, because every game matters. I will watch the NBA if I am bored because I have Dish Network and the games are on ESPN and TBS and sometimes the main networks, but MLB is rarely on, maybe one game a week and one on weekends. Can't watch the M's unless I pay a separate fee and my DISH bill is too high as it is. Imo, MLB and the NBA have both gone down the tubes compared to previous times. But I realize that many want change and feel it's needed, I'm just not one of those people, O' well.

[Pyrites]

Local baseball news, or at least rumors. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-canadians-new-owner-1.6814124 A little off topic, but still ⚾️⚾️⚾️. Blue Jays, only Canadian minor league team.

[Pyrites]

Tacoma R’s online announcer, Mike Curto, discussing increased walks in AAAthis year mentioned sensors/computer called balls and strikes. MC said they narrowed strike zone to 17” wide from 19” last year.

[Chief Joseph]

So the pitch clock greatly increased the length of MLB games, that's a good thing imo. Also a lot more stolen bases, but not sure I agree on all the restrictions on pitchers or the larger bases. Although I have previously stated that I am a bit of a "Purist"...the more I watch missed ball-strike calls by umpires the more I think there needs to be a change there. I mean some balls are 4" off the plate and called strikes. So now 4 teams remain, and we could very well have a Astro's-Phillies repeat in the WS. To me the ass-tros are the MLB equivalent of the NFL's Patriots, I love to hate them. I also think something needs to change as far as the current playoff scheme which I think unfairly favors the wild card teams. The top teams get a week or two off which I think is counter-productive while the WC teams are playing and staying sharp, the division winners are sitting around getting rusty. We have teams winning over 100 games and being swept game series by a team winning maybe 80 or less games. If you are going to play a ridiculously long 162 game schedule there should be more of a reward for winning the division. I don't like the wild card thing at all, but at least make them win a best of 7 series in the 2nd round. I would rather see just one WC team in each league, so 4 teams in each league and all series best of 7.

[Chief Joseph]

Entertaining and interesting WS going on, big win tonight for Texas. The more I watch lately the more I think the umpires do need assistance on ball and strike calls. I get that it's an extremely difficult thing to do and no one is perfect, but even the best miss at least a half dozen calls per game. I suppose that the argument that it will even out is relevant but still..