2024 ATL Thread - Hader to Astros - 5/$95M

[DrWood]

Do you guys all realize that we're about to get an entire off season Hot **** Stove over the course of, like, a weekend?

I wonder how many FA have yet to be signed. 50?

[DrWood]

What does "banning the shift" even mean? Can the SS be just to the left of 2B?
Where is the pitch clock going to be? Can't think of where it would be visible to the home plate ump and the pitcher.

It would probably be on the wall behind the plate. First base ump (or any base ump) would call it. Pitcher could see it. There would be at least one more in the outfield.

[crkone]

I can't wait for Robot Umps hopefully next season.

[MickeyDavis]

Should be fun the next couple of days watching the big markets snap up all the available talent.

[coolhandluke121]

It’s no different than drilling one right at the left fielder who is standing in a “normal” position.

Why are there “normal” defensive positions anyway? Why is it even a thing? The defense is set up to maximize coverage of the field to stop runs for scoring. Who cares how they do it.

Yes, and a big reason that baseball is unwatchable to many is the game is nothing but home runs and strikeouts. Banning the shift will have a monster impact getting more hits, particularly if you're a lefthander. More action is good.

It’s like this now because the players only care about home runs and strikeouts. The steroid era started this decline, as players were a lot more content to put a ball in play pre Sosa and McGwire. Then the crowd craved the long ball and this is how it ended up. I don’t see how banning the shift changes a batters or a pitchers mindset at this point.

Yeah, if they're still trying to pull the ball even when there is a shift, they're going to try even more when there's not. Sure, some of those will turn outs into hits if everything else stays the same but banning the shift will cause hitters to change their approach even more.

I think they should move the bases closer together. Now all of a sudden ground-ball contact hitters can be more viable, and legging out infield singles is exciting. So are stolen bases, which would go up. You wouldn't need so many guys trying to drive the ball, who are easy to shift against because of their approach but also because they're bigger and slower on average.

[M-C-G]

Yes, and a big reason that baseball is unwatchable to many is the game is nothing but home runs and strikeouts. Banning the shift will have a monster impact getting more hits, particularly if you're a lefthander. More action is good.

It’s like this now because the players only care about home runs and strikeouts. The steroid era started this decline, as players were a lot more content to put a ball in play pre Sosa and McGwire. Then the crowd craved the long ball and this is how it ended up. I don’t see how banning the shift changes a batters or a pitchers mindset at this point.

Yeah, if they're still trying to pull the ball even when there is a shift, they're going to try even more when there's not. Sure, some of those will turn outs into hits if everything else stays the same but banning the shift will cause hitters to change their approach even more.

I think they should move the bases closer together. Now all of a sudden ground-ball contact hitters can be more viable, and legging out infield singles is exciting. So are stolen bases, which would go up. You wouldn't need so many guys trying to drive the ball, who are easy to shift against because of their approach but also because they're bigger and slower on average.

I kind of like this idea other than I hate with messing with the rules of such a historic game but it would appear MLB themselves don’t really care that much.


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[coolhandluke121]

It’s like this now because the players only care about home runs and strikeouts. The steroid era started this decline, as players were a lot more content to put a ball in play pre Sosa and McGwire. Then the crowd craved the long ball and this is how it ended up. I don’t see how banning the shift changes a batters or a pitchers mindset at this point.

Yeah, if they're still trying to pull the ball even when there is a shift, they're going to try even more when there's not. Sure, some of those will turn outs into hits if everything else stays the same but banning the shift will cause hitters to change their approach even more.

I think they should move the bases closer together. Now all of a sudden ground-ball contact hitters can be more viable, and legging out infield singles is exciting. So are stolen bases, which would go up. You wouldn't need so many guys trying to drive the ball, who are easy to shift against because of their approach but also because they're bigger and slower on average.

I kind of like this idea other than I hate with messing with the rules of such a historic game but it would appear MLB themselves don’t really care that much.

It's also significantly less tedious in terms of rules overhead and officiating headaches. Imagine banning the shift and then SS's or 2B's sprint to the other side of the field as soon as they're allowed to, whether that's the delivery or release or contact or the ball crossing the plate. Who wants umps to have to deal with that all the time?

[MickeyDavis]

Just get rid of the insufferable amount of time between pitches as the hitter adjusts both gloves, his helmet and takes a couple swings.

[ReasonablySober]

Just get rid of the insufferable amount of time between pitches as the hitter adjusts both gloves, his helmet and takes a couple swings.

Yup. This is the culprit for the length of games.

[Matches Malone]

Read on Twitter

[ReasonablySober]

Imagine being a fan of the Dodgers where you can just be both smart and outspend literally everyone in the sport.

[blazza18]

Bryant going to the Rockies is some random baseball **** lol.

[leroyjw10]

The Dodgers getting Freeman is a perfect encapsulation of why I find it so hard to really get invested in baseball. It's an uneven playing field. Until MLB gets some kind of salary cap, baseball will always be a distant third for me in the sports hierarchy.

[tski1972]

The Kris Bryant contract is great for Kris Bryant and in no way good for the Colorado Rockies.

The Dodgers getting Freeman is laughable. I get anything can happen over 162 games, but come on, they basically are putting out an All-Star team every game.

[MickeyDavis]

Runner at 2B to start extra innings may be back due to shorter spring training.

[M-C-G]

Runner at 2B to start extra innings may be back due to shorter spring training.

I was oddly ok with it, because I felt like it gave us an advantage, given I think Counsell is generally a 'win on the margins' kind of coach. No idea if the results proved that out though.

[M-C-G]

I can't wait for Robot Umps hopefully next season.

I haven't read how much the robo umps would be doing, but I think we have more than reached the point where at minimum the umps should get a 'ding' when the ball is a strike and a 'buzz' when it is a ball.

That is way over due

[crkone]

I can't wait for Robot Umps hopefully next season.

I haven't read how much the robo umps would be doing, but I think we have more than reached the point where at minimum the umps should get a 'ding' when the ball is a strike and a 'buzz' when it is a ball.

That is way over due

Yeah the more subjectivity taken away the better it will be. No need for old umps with bad eyesight.

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

[MikeIsGood]

...

One of y'all making a predictions thread this season? I'm always curious to see what people think.