# MLB: August 2024 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [August 1, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126 "2024-08-01T23:19:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/41 "2024-08-17T01:06:32Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > I can’t see this working at all. If the starting pitcher is getting bombed, then his pitch count is going to be high easily up above120 in 6 innings. Same here. The growth in use of relievers (and the devaluation of starters) is an issue (for one thing, it’s one of the reasons why batting averages remain stubbornly low), but a mandated 6-inning minimum for a starter is never going to fly, for a bunch of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/42 "2024-08-17T01:55:42Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > If the starting pitcher is getting bombed, then his pitch count is going to be high easily up above120 in 6 innings. The proposal batting around is suggesting that a pitcher can be pulled after 100 pitches, or 4 ER. It’s a phenomenally terrible idea. First, why make it earned runs, and not just runs? Let’s not give the scorekeeper any reason to fudge the numbers, alright? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2024, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/43 "2024-08-17T06:51:48Z")
The biggest divisional lead in the majors currently belongs to the Brewers, who are, as of Friday night, 10 games ahead of the Reds and the Cardinals. St. Louis had been making a run on Milwaukee in recent weeks, but has hit a bit of a slump, losing five straight to fall back. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2024, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/44 "2024-08-17T18:11:06Z")
Aaron Judge currently has the 12th highest season OPS+ _in the history of the major leagues_, excluding the 19th century and short season Negro League ball. The guy can hit. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/45 "2024-08-18T03:27:44Z")
I took my sons to see the Royals play in Cincinnati tonight. We were thrilled to watch 3 of the most exciting players in the game: Bobby Witt Jr., Elly de la Cruz and…Dairon Blanco?! Dude hit a 2-run homer, and grand slam, and knocked in another run - then was 10 feet from another slam later in the game. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/46 "2024-08-18T07:58:12Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Dairon Blanco? Coming into Saturday’s game, Blanco had 5 RBIs for the season. Saturday, he had 7. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/47 "2024-08-18T19:11:18Z")
_[Los Angeles Dodgers](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/LAD/los-angeles-dodgers/) star Shohei Ohtani checked off another impressive career accomplishment on Saturday, homering against the [St. Louis Cardinals](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/STL/st-louis-cardinals/) to give him at least one home run against all 30 Major League Baseball franchises. Ohtani is the 19th active player to complete the home-run circuit, [according to MLB.com](https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-homers-steals-2-bases-vs-cardinals#:~:text=His%20fifth%2Dinning%20solo%20shot,a%20force%20on%20the%20basepaths.)._ ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/48 "2024-08-19T00:00:31Z")
Looks like Ohtani will end up a 40/40 player this year too. 50/50 is a longshot but not entirely impossible. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/49 "2024-08-19T11:35:33Z")
Yanks took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 9th against Detroit. Boone-o-matic brings in Holmes, who blows yet another save and then the team blows a 1 run 10th inning lead. Holmes should not be the closer, it should be Weaver. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/50 "2024-08-19T12:20:52Z")
10 blown saves but Boone says Holmes is staying put in the closer role. Holmes is fine unless a batter gets on base. Then he falls apart. For a pitcher with a 1.300 WHIP, it’s easy to see why that could be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/51 "2024-08-19T13:11:46Z")
The rule is obviously not fully worked out yet, but I don’t think anyone claimed otherwise. I’m glad baseball is looking at ways to incentivize starters staying longer in games, but it isn’t an easy problem. I think baseball gets way too much flak for talking about trying to make things better. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/52 "2024-08-19T13:24:24Z")
It really seems like a bad solution in search of a non-existent problem. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/53 "2024-08-19T13:35:22Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > then the team blows a 1 run 10th inning lead. Tigers tied it and then had the winning run on second. Batter singles to left, and the left fielder inexplicably hesitates before throwing home. Runner is safe on a close play and the game is over. Strange play by the outfielder. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/54 "2024-08-19T14:28:25Z")
Agree. Why don’t we just let managers y’know, manage their own players. If they want to make it 6 innings to earn a win, that’s still stupid but it doesn’t force anyone’s hand (not that anyone is proposing that). ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/55 "2024-08-19T14:48:39Z")
In case you missed it, here’s the latest iteration of the ever-popular 8-9-4-2 double play. (Actually, it hasn’t ever happened before, at least going back to 1900) > ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/56 "2024-08-19T15:07:27Z")
I disagree with the non-existent problem part. These are all real issues that this rule is at least trying to address. The current “meta” in baseball is have all pitchers go all out for a very limited numbers of batters. There is no reason to think this will change without rule changes and could very well worsen. It is really difficult for hitters to make contact leading to huge strikeout totals and few balls in play making for a fairly boring game. Injuries for pitchers are way up even though pitchers are throwing less, since they are throwing max effort all the time. Starters are throwing few innings so you lose classic starter matchups and classic starter vs batter matchups and instead get a lot of innings from relatively unknown relievers. You might be fine with all of that, but I think it makes for a worst product and is clearly not working well for individual pitchers arms. This rule attempts to address those issues, though admittedly probably isn’t workable, but I do think fairly drastic rule change would be beneficial here. People treat the rules of baseball as they were delivered down at Sinai sometimes, but baseball has adapted their rules many times in history to improve the product and other sports do it all the time. You can’t just assume that you will get equilibrium back without making changes. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/57 "2024-08-19T17:22:47Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > I disagree with the non-existent problem part. These are all real issues that this rule is at least trying to address. The current “meta” in baseball is have all pitchers go all out for a very limited numbers of batters. There is no reason to think this will change without rule changes and could very well worsen. > > It is really difficult for hitters to make contact leading to huge strikeout totals and few balls in play making for a fairly boring game. Injuries for pitchers are way up even though pitchers are throwing less, since they are throwing max effort all the time. I agree that this is an issue with the current game. Sabermetrics have pretty well established that batting averages go up with each successive time a pitcher faces a batter, and so, managers are pulling starters earlier, and using more relievers over the course of the game. As a result, batting averages have been steadily declining for years, and are low, relatively speaking, by modern standards. Even with rules changes over the past few years (e.g., pitch clock, 3-batter minimum for relievers), batting averages haven’t gotten appreciably higher – and, in fact, leaguewide batting average is even lower now than it was before the 3-batter rule was instituted in 2020. That said, I’m not sure that a mandatory minimum innings/pitches for starters is a good way to fix the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/58 "2024-08-19T21:34:36Z")
Why stop there? Why not mandate that position players have to say in for six innings? Even if a guy goes 0 for 3, striking out badly and makes three errors in the field as well. Hell, let’s put it in for football too. Your QB goes 0 for 12 with four INTs. Replace him, nah… Your hockey goalie lets in 5 goals in the first period. Too bad, he’s gotta stay in. The only thing it could lead to is more lopsided games. Hard to argue how that benefits the fan. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/59 "2024-08-19T21:46:32Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > Hard to argue how that benefits the fan. I agree. If it’s my team, I want the guy out of there. And if it’s the other team, I glad we got the starter pulled. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2024, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126/60 "2024-08-20T00:42:30Z")
Wouldn’t it be much to simpler to just bring back the 2019 balls? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2024/1005126.md?page=4)