Starting extra innings with a runner on 2nd is an idea that gets trotted out every once in a while. I suspect because it’s the International Tie Breaker Rule in Fast Pitch Softball. I can’t see it ever becoming a reality in baseball.
I’m honestly indifferent to the idea of a Base on Balls being signaled from the dugout.
Much like I’m indifferent to the idea of getting ride of the DH. (IMHO I think they should just unify the leagues. Either use the DH or don’t; but make it the same)
I’ll stand by my original assertion that if you really want to speed the game and “changing” the game as little as possible; MLB needs to require batters and pitchers to work within a time frame. Here are some other great ideas: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/pace-of-game/
To summarize:
Require the pitcher to deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball with the bases unoccupied.
The batter shall keep at least one foot in the batter’s box throughout his at-bat, unless one of a series of established exceptions occurs.
There shall be a maximum 2:30 break between innings.
Maximum 2:30 break for pitching changes
Each team shall be permitted only three “Time Out” conferences per game
It’s also a tiebreaking method in slo-pitch. Of course, in slo-pitch you aren’t allowed to bunt. In MLB if you start the bottom of an extra inning tied with a man on second, you’re gonna bunt 95% of the time. Unless you’re taking the bat out of Miguel Cabrera or Mike Trout’s hands, the bunt signal is coming, and even then Cabrera and Trout will be looking to hit to the right side.
2:30 is, frankly, way too long. Heck, the regular season time was SUPPOSED to be 2 minutes.
Top of the 11th inning in the Baseball Classic and the Netherlands starts the inning with a runner on 1st and 2nd base. All ended well, but damn!
Bottom of the 11th and Puerto Rico starts with runners on 1st and 2nd. Molina bunts and advances the runners. One out. Next batter is walked to load the bases for the double play. Next batter hits a short fly to center for the second out but the runner on 3rd scores after tagging up.
This is bullshit.
So I see Van Mil was credited for the loss. Is he responsible for the magical bonus runner because he pitched in the prior inning, or because he was the guy that started the 11th?
That makes more sense as to how the rule is worded as opposed to what I wrote, to prevent a player from being taken out as a defensive replacement, but re-entering the game as a pinch runner.
I guess I could try looking this up, but this is an instance where I’m much happier living a step removed from facts.
I don’t know for sure myself, I just looked at the box scores and the plays for the 11th inning. The guys on first and second were in the two slots ahead of the first guy to come to bat. Since there was no score in the 10th, they must also have made the last two outs.
It seems like the simplest way to decide would just to go by batting order.
The Atlanta Braves have changed the policy regarding food and beverages that fans are permitted to bring into the new SunTrust Park. Beginning this season, ticketholders will not be allowed to bring in outside food. The changes are the result of tighter security put in place by the Braves.
What? How the **F*CK **is my homemade egg salad sandwich a threat to security at SunTrust Park? :dubious:
I’ve been to a lot of ball games and never seen a botched IW. I’ve seen walk-off grand slams (DaveCash), a walk off hit batter (I forget who), a walk off unassisted triple play (Brundtland) and a perfect game (Bunning), but never a botched IW. My opinion of this change is meh. It might shorten the average game by 30 seconds. So what. What really makes games interminable are the TV commercials and you can be damned sure they are not going to do anything about that.
Extra inning games can go on and on and on and on…, but this idea of starting every extra half inning with a runner on second is really awful. Just not baseball.
I saw Manfred in an interview say that he recognized that the new rule will have absolutely no effect whatsoever in speeding up games, but it was imposed as “symbolic”, in order to show that they are working in that direction. (Opening day, in St. Louis, on ESPN game coverage.)
No, wrong. The “symbolic” thing is MLB’s clear shout that they willl fuck with whatever then want to fuck with, uncaring how it affects the traditional principles of baseball (the game, not the corporate empire), even if there is nothing to be gained by changing it.
Baseball has, forever, been the one game in which everything that happens in the progress of the game is a direct function of execution by the players on the field. Now, as a symbolic gesture, MLB has abrogated forever that founding principle. And Manfred admits it.