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Welcome to the weekend!

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The box score for the Cubs/Giants shows Heyward was replaced early by La Stella.

Anyone know if Heyward got injured or maybe just aggravated his wrist problem?


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Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

The other rule change regards the strike zone. No, we're not getting electronic zones or a punishment system for umps with terrible zones, don't be silly. We're getting a new strike zone for umps to ignore without threat of sanction. Now, the low strike will be from the top of the knee. Hard to really know the ramifications from this beyond that pitchers will not like it. Will it dramatically increase offense or just bases on balls?

Hurt diving to make a catch and then hit the wall with his face. No word on seriousness of injury but after being down for a while, he walked off the field and seemed OK but shaken. Helluva catch, too.

Mike

Glad I waited six weeks to get Shin-soo Choo back. Three innings and gets pulled. Jeez.

Mike

Yah Mule wrote:Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

The other rule change regards the strike zone. No, we're not getting electronic zones or a punishment system for umps with terrible zones, don't be silly. We're getting a new strike zone for umps to ignore without threat of sanction. Now, the low strike will be from the top of the knee. Hard to really know the ramifications from this beyond that pitchers will not like it. Will it dramatically increase offense or just bases on balls?

Saw that. Don't really understand strike zone change. Thought MLB was concerned about length of games, but isn't shrinking the strike zone, even slightly, mean more offense and longer games? The time of games is not a concern of mine so I don't really care, but am puzzled by the motivation. Must be missing something but I did not hear any interviews yet about this particular change.

Mike

Bronx Yankees wrote:

Yah Mule wrote:Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

The other rule change regards the strike zone. No, we're not getting electronic zones or a punishment system for umps with terrible zones, don't be silly. We're getting a new strike zone for umps to ignore without threat of sanction. Now, the low strike will be from the top of the knee. Hard to really know the ramifications from this beyond that pitchers will not like it. Will it dramatically increase offense or just bases on balls?

Saw that. Don't really understand strike zone change. Thought MLB was concerned about length of games, but isn't shrinking the strike zone, even slightly, mean more offense and longer games?

Mike

MLB has taken some steps to shorten games, and it's worked a little, 7 minutes or so from what I last read.
But "real" baseball fans don't care that much about the game length and I think MLB gets that.

However, they are much more concerned about scoring, which is down.
"Casual" fans do gravitate to scoring/runs/action.
You and I might really want to see a 1-0 Arrieta over Sale Cubs win in GM1 of the World Series, but MLB would prefer a 7-6 Arrieta over Sale Cubs win

Yah Mule wrote:Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

One more great moment in Intentional Walk history.

The video is 3:00... Key moment starts around 2:00, but you should watch the whole thing.
Several interesting things happen.

https://youtu.be/2TPCNP4_qXo

Navel Lint wrote:

Yah Mule wrote:Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

One more great moment in Intentional Walk history.

The video is 3:00... Key moment starts around 2:00, but you should watch the whole thing.
Several interesting things happen.

https://youtu.be/2TPCNP4_qXo

Great one! I don't think I ever saw that one before (or if I did, I had long forgotten about it).

Mike

Yah Mule wrote:Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

The other rule change regards the strike zone. No, we're not getting electronic zones or a punishment system for umps with terrible zones, don't be silly. We're getting a new strike zone for umps to ignore without threat of sanction. Now, the low strike will be from the top of the knee. Hard to really know the ramifications from this beyond that pitchers will not like it. Will it dramatically increase offense or just bases on balls?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6YzVvtxoaY

Navel Lint wrote:

Yah Mule wrote:Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

One more great moment in Intentional Walk history.

The video is 3:00... Key moment starts around 2:00, but you should watch the whole thing.
Several interesting things happen.

https://youtu.be/2TPCNP4_qXo

Great memory. I know I've seen that clip before but I forgot all about it. The first World Series I actually watched was the following season.

Gb2715 wrote:

Yah Mule wrote:Two rule changes that could go into effect as soon as 2017. First, the intentional walk is going to become automatic. No more watching a pitcher throw four wide ones. No more seeing the Giants freak out when Joe Ferguson clearly leaves the batter's box to poke a game winning hit to right field. Since that was the only drama I can ever recall over an intentional walk, I can live without this particular tradition.

The other rule change regards the strike zone. No, we're not getting electronic zones or a punishment system for umps with terrible zones, don't be silly. We're getting a new strike zone for umps to ignore without threat of sanction. Now, the low strike will be from the top of the knee. Hard to really know the ramifications from this beyond that pitchers will not like it. Will it dramatically increase offense or just bases on balls?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6YzVvtxoaY

That's great. I'll bet the next free pass that pitcher issued was a lot wider of the plate.