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Two things:

- He's 100% right.
- It would be malpractice for executives to do otherwise.

Baseball's problem isn't that teams have favoured a certain set of skills; it's that baseball hasn't made the tweaks to change that balance. So long as swinging for the fences is optimal, it would be crazy to try to build a team around Otis Nixon clones. So long as max-effort pitching is optimal, it would be crazy to run your starters out for 7 innings consistently.

The latter issue is harder to solve, but there are two obvious steps baseball could take in tandem: make the ball less springy, and either lower the pitcher's mound or move it back slightly. Doing both should eliminate the fears of a new deadball era, as the lowered/moved mound would improve the odds of hitters making contact in addition to the decreased dingers from removing the rubber ball.

polo007 · Post #715 » by **polo007** » Fri Dec 4, 2020 11:46 pm

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SharoneWright · Post #716 » by **SharoneWright** » Sat Dec 5, 2020 7:00 am

Schad wrote:

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Two things:

- He's 100% right.
- It would be malpractice for executives to do otherwise.

Baseball's problem isn't that teams have favoured a certain set of skills; it's that baseball hasn't made the tweaks to change that balance. So long as swinging for the fences is optimal, it would be crazy to try to build a team around Otis Nixon clones. So long as max-effort pitching is optimal, it would be crazy to run your starters out for 7 innings consistently.

The latter issue is harder to solve, but there are two obvious steps baseball could take in tandem: make the ball less springy, and either lower the pitcher's mound or move it back slightly. Doing both should eliminate the fears of a new deadball era, as the lowered/moved mound would improve the odds of hitters making contact in addition to the decreased dingers from removing the rubber ball.

Agreed. It's like the 1990's NHL neutral zone trap. Destroyed the beauty of the game, but New Jersey got a couple of Cups. And Lou Lam became a legend.

Agreed on taking measures to create a more dynamic and variable game. The NHL did that by allowing the 2-line pass, moving the bluelines further away from the net, and calling more clutching and grabbing. (They should also really find a way to enlarge the ice surface).

Deadening the ball and lowering the mound would work in baseball. Tennis has almost the exact same problem and, at times, has deadened the ball to reduce the speed. Watching ace after ace, or maybe just a 3-shot rally reduces the game to the biggest hitters and minimizes true athleticism as well as smarts/cunning. It's boring.

To be honest, I was legit excited when the Tigers constructed Comerica with it's original dimensions. Not only to be able to witness more triples, but to witness how they could use their park to construct their team and create a real home-field advantage... Too bad they happened to have Juan Gonzalez at the time who didn't particularly fit with or particularly like that idea. So, the fences got moved back in and here we are.

EH15 · Post #717 » by **EH15** » Sat Dec 5, 2020 7:37 pm

SharoneWright wrote:Deadening the ball and lowering the mound would work in baseball. Tennis has almost the exact same problem and, at times, has deadened the ball to reduce the speed. Watching ace after ace, or maybe just a 3-shot rally reduces the game to the biggest hitters and minimizes true athleticism as well as smarts/cunning. It's boring.

I think you have it backwards on the tennis front. It has swung in the other direction for a while now. Courts are slower, guys play way behind the baseline, fewer servebots, nearly zero serve and volleying. The game is now filled with baseliners that produce routine 10+ shot rallies. It, too, has become monotonous. Basketball is also experiencing the same transition. I agree it's incumbent on the the league to find the balance. Here's how some players are returning nowadays:

Some people in the sport even want to abolish best of 5 sets in favor or 3 sets everywhere.

SharoneWright · Post #718 » by **SharoneWright** » Sat Dec 5, 2020 10:21 pm

EH15 wrote:
SharoneWright wrote:Deadening the ball and lowering the mound would work in baseball. Tennis has almost the exact same problem and, at times, has deadened the ball to reduce the speed. Watching ace after ace, or maybe just a 3-shot rally reduces the game to the biggest hitters and minimizes true athleticism as well as smarts/cunning. It's boring.

I think you have it backwards on the tennis front. It has swung in the other direction for a while now. Courts are slower, guys play way behind the baseline, fewer servebots, nearly zero serve and volleying. The game is now filled with baseliners that produce routine 10+ shot rallies. It, too, has become monotonous. Basketball is also experiencing the same transition. I agree it's incumbent on the the league to find the balance. Here's how some players are returning nowadays:

Some people in the sport even want to abolish best of 5 sets in favor or 3 sets everywhere.

That's what I meant. Tennis has taken steps to deaden to ball (also slow the courts) to reduce the big serve/servebots. Because that brand of tennis sucks and is boring. But, ya, you can go too far. You need to find the balance. Point is, hockey and tennis have both taken steps to adjust the intricacies of their game. Baseball could be next.

EH15 · Post #719 » by **EH15** » Sat Dec 5, 2020 10:52 pm

SharoneWright wrote:
EH15 wrote:
SharoneWright wrote:Deadening the ball and lowering the mound would work in baseball. Tennis has almost the exact same problem and, at times, has deadened the ball to reduce the speed. Watching ace after ace, or maybe just a 3-shot rally reduces the game to the biggest hitters and minimizes true athleticism as well as smarts/cunning. It's boring.

I think you have it backwards on the tennis front. It has swung in the other direction for a while now. Courts are slower, guys play way behind the baseline, fewer servebots, nearly zero serve and volleying. The game is now filled with baseliners that produce routine 10+ shot rallies. It, too, has become monotonous. Basketball is also experiencing the same transition. I agree it's incumbent on the the league to find the balance. Here's how some players are returning nowadays:

Some people in the sport even want to abolish best of 5 sets in favor or 3 sets everywhere.

That's what I meant. Tennis has taken steps to deaden to ball (also slow the courts) to reduce the big serve/servebots. Because that brand of tennis sucks and is boring. But, ya, you can go too far. You need to find the balance. Point is, hockey and tennis have both taken steps to adjust the intricacies of their game. Baseball could be next.

Ah yes my bad.

I think they're still seeking that balance. It's completely swung on that end nowadays and the top players are just Nadal/Djokovic clones battling for 2, 3, 4 hours grinding out each point :lol:

. But yeah, it's not just baseball. Every sport goes through it, for better or worse. You adapt and evolve.

polo007 · Post #720 » by **polo007** » Sun Dec 6, 2020 11:46 pm

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