Announcement came from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred yesterday.

I hated this idea until the 2020 shortened season. I actually enjoyed not seeing a pitcher at the plate 2-3 times a game. I never thought I'd say that, ever, but pitchers (and most of baseball) have proven they are not going to work on bunting, etc, and it's pretty miserable to watch a man go to the plate and leave the bat on his shoulder for 3 pitches before going to sit down. 

No surprise here.

1 hour ago, ChickenWyngz said:

I hated this idea until the 2020 shortened season. I actually enjoyed not seeing a pitcher at the plate 2-3 times a game. I never thought I'd say that, ever, but pitchers (and most of baseball) have proven they are not going to work on bunting, etc, and it's pretty miserable to watch a man go to the plate and leave the bat on his shoulder for 3 pitches before going to sit down. 

The supposed "strategy" that comes about by having pitchers bat is only a strategy for all the wrong reasons.

They didn't ask my opinion, but I'm in favor of the change.

Not a big shock.  I'm glad both leagues will finally be playing under the same rules.

29 minutes ago, The Raven said:

Not a big shock.  I'm glad both leagues will finally be playing under the same rules.

I like both leagues playing by the same set of rules, but I have always likes seeing the way teams try to work their pitchers into their lineups vs. the response from the pitching team.

3 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I like both leagues playing by the same set of rules, but I have always likes seeing the way teams try to work their pitchers into their lineups vs. the response from the pitching team.

I agree.  I would much rather have seen the AL do away with the DH.  But with pitchers making increasingly more and more money, the days of chancing an injury while at the plate were numbered.

I think that it is a good move from the standpoint of trying to make the game more exciting.  I feel like MLB has got to have the oldest fanbase of any of the pro sports leagues.  They should probably do anything that they can do to attract younger viewers. 

With most starters going 5 innings or less on average, starting pitchers are only averaging around 2 ABs per game. Relievers rarely bat, so in my opinion this is much ado about nothing. 

I don't care either way. 

Other changes that both the players and owners have agreed to:

* Banning the shift

* Widening the bases

* Implementing a pitch clock (14 seconds when bases empty, 19 seconds with guy on base)

 

The first one I am for.  It'll provide for more action.  Action is good.

The second, I don't think will make one iota amount of difference.  They're only widening them 1/2 an inch.  That's not enough to help avoid the contact and subsequent leg injuries at the bag.

The third...ehh.  I'm interested in how they calculate the time when there's a guy on base.  Does a step off/bluff count against you?

 

The weird part about this, is that they're not looking to implement these until 2023.  While I understand the equipment issue over the last two items, why hesitate on banning the shift?  Go ahead and implement it this year (whenever it starts), just like the universal DH.

Banning the shift is just the lazy way out.   If you want the shift to go away, either learn to hit the other way or learn to drop a bunt.

8 hours ago, The Raven said:

Banning the shift is just the lazy way out.   If you want the shift to go away, either learn to hit the other way or learn to drop a bunt.

In the world of analytics and MoneyBall, I never really understood why guys didn't just lay bunts against the shift to get on base.  But I guess there must be another layer of analytics that says for your best hitters, you are better off having them swing away to get an extra base hit maybe?  I don't know.

19 hours ago, CincySportsFan said:

The third...ehh.  I'm interested in how they calculate the time when there's a guy on base.  Does a step off/bluff count against you?

I've been to several spring training games with a pitch clock and I honestly don't remember how it works. I believe the clock just resets. Either way, it was not a big deal and took nothing away from the game.

1 hour ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

In the world of analytics and MoneyBall, I never really understood why guys didn't just lay bunts against the shift to get on base.  But I guess there must be another layer of analytics that says for your best hitters, you are better off having them swing away to get an extra base hit maybe?  I don't know.

The problem - players don't know how to bunt. It isn't as easy as it may appear.