too many pitchers

[VitaMan]

Is it time to put in new rules, to stop the endless parade of relief pitchers ?
How about every time a new pitcher comes in, anyone that is on base automatically can move up a base.

[boardman]

Why? Because that got the Astros beat the last two games. I think it's been pretty good managing by Cash. He knows his staffs limitations.

Here's the deal. New pitching always trumps hitting. The Astros have seen every pitcher the Rays have now. They should be able to wake the bats up tomorrow. The Rays have nothing new to throw at them.


If the Astros make it to the lcs Hinch may have to get creative with his pitching staff. He should have done it last night.

[VitaMan]

Talking about pitchers in general, not a specific game. Now they bring in 4,5,6 pitchers a game.
Too much ! There needs to be a penalty for bringing in a new pitcher, so they will think it over.
The batters sweat the whole game, then a new fresh pitcher comes in toward the end.....not right !
Besides, how many times do you see a new pitcher come in, only to get a home run blasted off him immediately ! Managers are given too much opportunity to over manage.

[boardman]

But both teams get to play by the same rules. I don't see a problem with it. It's part of the game within the game.
I love it when teams use up all their relief in an extra innings game and some position player has to come out of the field and throw up some strikes. It doesn't happen that often but it does happen.

Most of the major league players have pitched at some point in their career be it little league, pony or high school. They are typically the best athletes on the team at those levels so they end up being the starting pitchers on their local team. Only the cream of the crop end up becoming MLB pitchers. They lose the ability to be good hitters because they just don't see many pitches relatively speaking. AL pitchers never see the plate. Mike Hampton was one of the better hitting pitchers that the Astros ever had. He was always a tough out because he could make contact and he had good speed when he did make contact He could beat out a infield single most pitchers would give up on. He was one of those athletes who could have played a position if needed but was better as a pitcher every 4 days.

[VitaMan]

They need to get rid of the defensive shifts too....I think the NFL outlawed the odd onside kick formations....baseball needs to wise up.



All baseball does is continue fiddling with the baseball when they want more fan interest....ruining any relevant comparison statistics.


And Cody Bellinger.....what an excuse for a possible mvp ! He hits around .165 during every playoff. It would be lower than that if all pitchers gave him was low inside pitches....he would strike out every time.

[tbone2u]

People who appreciate the game of baseball probably like it just the way it is

[boardman]

We are so different in what entertains us. Again, defensive shifts are a game within the game.

They are nothing new either. Teams have been doing it for a long time. It became popular when Billy Beane used sabremetrics to quantify tendencies.
It's easy enough to beat the shift. Become a better hitter.


The one change I'd like to see is with batters wearing armor. I say if they have on any armor there is no HBP. It's a ball...batter up, next pitch. As much as I liked Biggio I didn't like that he got so many free passes with all that armor between him and the pitcher. If you're going to lean into an inside fastball then be man enough to take the pain that goes with it.


Also, the plate belongs to the pitcher. Brushing a batter back off your plate is not cause for charging the mound, retaliation or the ridiculous warnings that umps now give. It's guarding what is yours.