MLB 2022

[the harp unstrung]

As An Owner, At What Point is Hosting a Game Not Worth It? — Forbes

 

[buldog5151bass]

Jerry Layne was awful in the Brewer-Cub game yesterday. Completely fooled by the catcher's mitt. The catchers were getting less and less subtle about it throughout the game and it kept fooling Layne.

I'm ready for tech to help out. Maybe not robo-ump calling balls and strikes, but how about some augmented reality? Have something in the ump's mask that shows him where the strike zone is.

How about just getting rid of the lousy umps?

 

[Bassball Fever]

They already have that, it's called their eyes.

They need some help. They are fooled by a catcher's movement, and not just the framing. If a catcher is set up outside, a pitch over the inner half is usually called a ball because of how far the catcher moves.

It seems to me like strike zones are much more inconsistent than they used to be. It changes inning to inning and sometimes batter to batter. I'm not looking for perfection, just consistency.

How about just getting rid of the lousy umps?

I would love that. But the fact that Angel Hernandez is still an ump, I don't think we will see that any time in the near future.

 

[buldog5151bass]

As someone who has been an umpire for years, I know you there are good ones and bad ones. Add in the fact that a number of these umps are older (eyesite goes down as you get older) - and some out of shape.

I would propose the following:

1. Come up with a system for grading umps. At the end of the year, the bottom 10% get demoted to AAA ball, and the top AAA umps get promoted.

2. Instead of game review being in a central location, go to 5 person ump crews. Take the older umps and make them "seniors" or whatever for a 10 year period (then they retire). They are there to watch the game on camera and handle when a call gets overturned. They can also act as a sub if an ump is injured/sick.

3. Get rid of the challenge system. The senior ump is there to overturn obvious mistakes (not if a finger rises 1/10 of an inch off the base in a slide).

I know, my plan makes too much sense to be adopted.

 

[Bassball Fever]

As someone who has been an umpire for years, I know you there are good ones and bad ones. Add in the fact that a number of these umps are older (eyesite goes down as you get older) - and some out of shape.

I would propose the following:

1. Come up with a system for grading umps. At the end of the year, the bottom 10% get demoted to AAA ball, and the top AAA umps get promoted.

2. Instead of game review being in a central location, go to 5 person ump crews. Take the older umps and make them "seniors" or whatever for a 10 year period (then they retire). They are there to watch the game on camera and handle when a call gets overturned. They can also act as a sub if an ump is injured/sick.

3. Get rid of the challenge system. The senior ump is there to overturn obvious mistakes (not if a finger rises 1/10 of an inch off the base in a slide).

I know, my plan makes too much sense to be adopted.

Way too much sense. These would all be good for the game.

 

[Camaro69]

Maybe use technology to get the balls and strikes, but we only know if the computer adjusts the call by the shock collar when the ump is wrong (maybe in the third mistake, you know three strike rule)

 

[Lowandfat]

And who sets the strike zone to every batters height/stance? Robo umps would irrevocably damage the spirit of the game. If an ump is repeatedly fooled by the catchers mitt and excessive "framing", something they should be ignoring, they are lousy at the job, and should be reassigned until they understand a strike zone is not a mitt. Remember when accountability was a thing? They really need to bring that back.

 

[Lowandfat]

The only reason we know Angel's name is because he is the worst ump in baseball. Fact. The ump union really needs to get their shizz together, and clean their own house, before they do get replaced by robot eyes behind the plate. Do they realize that the quality of their performance is about to have massive impact on their own opportunities? Can they really be so completely myopic?

 

[Timmah]

As someone who has been an umpire for years, I know you there are good ones and bad ones. Add in the fact that a number of these umps are older (eyesite goes down as you get older) - and some out of shape.

I would propose the following:

1. Come up with a system for grading umps. At the end of the year, the bottom 10% get demoted to AAA ball, and the top AAA umps get promoted.

2. Instead of game review being in a central location, go to 5 person ump crews. Take the older umps and make them "seniors" or whatever for a 10 year period (then they retire). They are there to watch the game on camera and handle when a call gets overturned. They can also act as a sub if an ump is injured/sick.

3. Get rid of the challenge system. The senior ump is there to overturn obvious mistakes (not if a finger rises 1/10 of an inch off the base in a slide).

I know, my plan makes too much sense to be adopted.

Wait, I love all of this. Brilliant.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Interesting little 'achievement' for the Red Sox in April:

 

[Camaro69]

Well, they are off to a booming start

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Speaking of a booming start:



Us Jays fans keep wondering, "When is the lineup really going to get hot?" They keep winning these one-run games, sometimes coming from behind. They're not blowing other teams out much. And yet the overall stats are pretty darn solid. Watch out for Toronto once more of these guys really get into their rhythm at the plate

 

[GregC]

 

[Gaolee]

The Mariners are acting streaky. Now in a bad way. Kelenic and Rodriguez and some others haven't started hitting yet. I hope they get on with it before Crawford and France completely cool off.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Gausman has been so good so far. I wasn't totally sold on him at first. I remembered him as an Oriole, which wasn't a great time for him, and you never know if success out West will translate to the AL East. Guess I can forget about those worries!

 

[Lowandfat]

ESPN is the worst baseball coverage of all time. They ignore the game, can't wait to spit the next piece of crap non-sequitur factoid someone fed them in their head phones, and now micing/talking to players ON THE FIELD DURING THE GAME!?!?!?! Garbage. And what's up with the navy blue screen strike zone 3D nonsense? Did the graphics guy only get paid if it was a spinning Rorschach blotch?

It's unwatchable for it's lack of taste, and complete lack of baseball decorum. Now I see why Gary and Ron were making jokes about watching the game tonight. I think they knew how bad ESPN was going to be on this one.

 

[Gaolee]

Gilbert is playing stopper for the Mariners. Skid ends at four. Plus Julio made the Marlins pay for intentionally walking Toro. I hope that keeps up. If Kelenic starts hitting, all will be well.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Yet another one-run win for the Jays yesterday

I assume this means the season series with Houston is over now. They played them 6 times in the last two weeks. Weird scheduling. Jays got 4 of 6 wins

 

[buldog5151bass]

I don't want to hear anyone complain about the ball. It's no longer home run derby, the players are hitting the ball (to all fields) and hustling, and most games are close

Now just figure how to get a ball the pitchers can consistently grip so batters stop getting beaned, and we have a great game.

 

[Lowandfat]

Now just figure how to get a ball the pitchers can consistently grip so batters stop getting beaned, and we have a great game.

Tell me about it! 21 games, 20 Mets hit, 6 more than the next closest team, and the average is 7. Alonso got hit in the head. AGAIN. And I've been really looking for it, they are NOT crowding the plate, Lindor got hit in the hip. The velocity over control thing is going to get somebody killed. Fastball numbers are actually down. Maybe home run production is low in part because the chuckers are spraying it?