Manfred to succeed Selig

[Banedon]

I like the freeform of "you have 8 fielders, do what you will with them" a lot more than codifying positions.

 

I'm in agreement here. Let the managers put the players wherever. Let them figure out what works.

 

How hardcore would it be codified? Could the SS not line up in the outfield grass? In late inning games with runners on, when you need a DP, could you not bring one of the outfielders in? Who gets to decide what's a standard array of fielders and what's a "radical shift?"

 

You're overreacting to this. They'd just enforce that a team would have to put 2 players on each side of 2nd base...there's not some arbitrary "too radical" evaluation to be made. Players will be free to make other defensive adjustments, further out...further in...no doubles...etc.

 

I don't think it'd be a big deal. I don't know that it's necessary immediately...give it a few years here to see if batter start to adjust to it.

[jersey cubs fan]

I like the freeform of "you have 8 fielders, do what you will with them" a lot more than codifying positions.

 

I'm in agreement here. Let the managers put the players wherever. Let them figure out what works.

 

How hardcore would it be codified? Could the SS not line up in the outfield grass? In late inning games with runners on, when you need a DP, could you not bring one of the outfielders in? Who gets to decide what's a standard array of fielders and what's a "radical shift?"

 

You're overreacting to this. They'd just enforce that a team would have to put 2 players on each side of 2nd base...there's not some arbitrary "too radical" evaluation to be made. Players will be free to make other defensive adjustments, further out...further in...no doubles...etc.

 

I don't think it'd be a big deal. I don't know that it's necessary immediately...give it a few years here to see if batter start to adjust to it.

 

What about moving the LF to a very deep 3B and the 3B to a normal SS?

[Banedon]

What about moving the LF to a very deep 3B and the 3B to a normal SS?

 

I'm just saying what Manfred said.

 

Pressed by Ravech, Manfred indicated that he wasn’t talking about forcing infielders to maintain set positions; he was thinking more about dividing “the number of players who have to be on each side of second base” -- in other words, prohibiting the use of three infielders on the right side.

[SouthSideRyan]

What about moving the LF to a very deep 3B and the 3B to a normal SS?

 

I'm just saying what Manfred said.

 

Pressed by Ravech, Manfred indicated that he wasn’t talking about forcing infielders to maintain set positions; he was thinking more about dividing “the number of players who have to be on each side of second base” -- in other words, prohibiting the use of three infielders on the right side.

 

So banning 5 infielders too?

[jersey cubs fan]

What about moving the LF to a very deep 3B and the 3B to a normal SS?

 

I'm just saying what Manfred said.

 

Pressed by Ravech, Manfred indicated that he wasn’t talking about forcing infielders to maintain set positions; he was thinking more about dividing “the number of players who have to be on each side of second base” -- in other words, prohibiting the use of three infielders on the right side.

 

So move all three OF to the right side and let the 3B play deeper than usual?

 

Unless you make very strict positional determinations you cannot enforce it and therefore it's a bad idea because very strict positional determinations are dumb.

[champaignchris]

So the shortstop could be at second base, but couldn't be two feet to his left?

 

I don't see what problem a rule like that would solve.

[Guest]

3 people on the grass wherever they like, 4 on the dirt with 2 on each side of 2nd at the pitch. Simple.

[Splendid Splinter]

Eh... Just have the SS behind 2B and slighty left when the pitcher is getting ready. As soon as the pitcher starts his windup, the SS is free to move right? I feel like you can get around this pretty easily where by the time the hitter hits the ball, you got 3 infielders on the right side. Heck even putting the SS right behind and slighty left of 2B still allows the 2B to move closer to 1B and play deep. Edited January 26, 2015 by Splendid Splinter

[SouthSideRyan]

3 people on the grass wherever they like, 4 on the dirt with 2 on each side of 2nd at the pitch. Simple.

 

What about the Rogers Centre?

[champaignchris]

3 people on the grass wherever they like, 4 on the dirt with 2 on each side of 2nd at the pitch. Simple.

 

So, middle infielders can't be in the grass and you can't bring in a fifth infielder.

[Guest]

Correct, although with infielders on the grass I'd imagine that's something that would be stretched over time, like the catcher's box.

[Guest]

3 people on the grass wherever they like, 4 on the dirt with 2 on each side of 2nd at the pitch. Simple.

 

What about the Rogers Centre?

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Rogers_Centre_Blue_Jays.jpg

[SouthSideRyan]

Huh.

 

So their 2nd baseman is deployed illegally there?

[champaignchris]

3 people on the grass wherever they like, 4 on the dirt with 2 on each side of 2nd at the pitch. Simple.

 

What about the Rogers Centre?

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Rogers_Centre_Blue_Jays.jpg

 

i'd point out that's a completely conventional defensive alignment, and yet would be illegal under the two infielders on either side of 2B rule, since the secondbaseman looks to have both feet in the outfield.

[Guest]

In theory yes, although I imagine that as time wears on you would see that type of positioning allowed, like the neighborhood play or the catcher's box. Spirit of the rule if not letter of the rule and all that.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

3 people on the grass wherever they like, 4 on the dirt with 2 on each side of 2nd at the pitch. Simple.

What about the grass in front of the dirt?

[Sammys Boombox]

1 - "Hey, man. I hear the new pitch clock finally has your games finishing in a little over 2 hours. I'd like to catch a game with you."

 

2 - "Sweet, I got an extra tomorrow."

 

Next day.

 

1 - "Wait, what are they talking about? The throw beat him by ten steps!"

 

2 - "Well, the SS may have been offsides. Looks like they're going to challenge it."

 

1 - "But he didn't even touch the ball!"

 

2 - "Yeah, but that gave the 2B an unfair advantage to get to the ball, so he could be ruled safe."

 

1 - "So, is he offsides?"

 

2 - "Hard to tell. It has to be clear and convincing that he had at least one foot on the 3B side of the bags when the pitcher started his motion to be onside. Since his right foot is off the ground when the pitcher actually starts it's really close. But that's almost impossible for the new CF umpire who is in charge of making sure everyone is in position before the pitch to see."

 

1 - "This game is too complicated! This sucks!"

[NonProfitCow]

1 - "Hey, man. I hear the new pitch clock finally has your games finishing in a little over 2 hours. I'd like to catch a game with you."

 

2 - "Sweet, I got an extra tomorrow."

 

Next day.

 

1 - "Wait, what are they talking about? The throw beat him by ten steps!"

 

2 - "Well, the SS may have been offsides. Looks like they're going to challenge it."

 

1 - "But he didn't even touch the ball!"

 

2 - "Yeah, but that gave the 2B an unfair advantage to get to the ball, so he could be ruled safe."

 

1 - "So, is he offsides?"

 

2 - "Hard to tell. It has to be clear and convincing that he had at least one foot on the 3B side of the bags when the pitcher started his motion to be onside. Since his right foot is off the ground when the pitcher actually starts it's really close. But that's almost impossible for the new CF umpire who is in charge of making sure everyone is in position before the pitch to see."

 

1 - "This game is too complicated! This sucks!"

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tom-delonge-wtf1.gif

[jersey cubs fan]

In theory yes, although I imagine that as time wears on you would see that type of positioning allowed, like the neighborhood play or the catcher's box. Spirit of the rule if not letter of the rule and all that.

that's exactly what baseball needs, more subjectively enforced rules trying to solve a non-existent problem.

[treebird]

i don't really see shifts as some big problem baseball needs to confront, but i also think this is a lot of needless handwringing. even if they do implement one of these rules (which i suspect is very unlikely), it wouldn't be a big deal at all and we'd all have forgotten about it after a couple months.

 

all that said, i do feel like rizzo would benefit a decent amount from the rule change, so let's do it.

[George Hayduke]

In theory yes, although I imagine that as time wears on you would see that type of positioning allowed, like the neighborhood play or the catcher's box. Spirit of the rule if not letter of the rule and all that.

that's exactly what baseball needs, more subjectively enforced rules trying to solve a non-existent problem.

This is my thing. Why is this even being discussed? Is the argument that defensive shifts are suppressing offense too much and making the game slower or more boring or something like that?

[Guest]

Speeding the game up and boosting offense are not mutually exclusive, but they're close to it.

 

They need to take as much human error out of umpiring as possible. They should start by having a robo-ump call the strike zone.

[Splendid Splinter]

Speeding the game up and boosting offense are not mutually exclusive, but they're close to it.

 

They need to take as much human error out of umpiring as possible. They should start by having a robo-ump call the strike zone.

 

or at least give them google glass that can show them the strike zone and other info.

[Banedon]

Manfred clarifies that it's something they've just talked about. He's much more tolerable to listen to than Selig.

 

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/video?vid=389453379619

[Cubswin11]

Manfred clarifies that it's something they've just talked about. He's much more tolerable to listen to than Selig

 

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/video?vid=389453379619

That bar wasn't exactly set high