MLB Offseason 2018-19: SIGN KIMBREL AND KEUCHEL YOU FUCKS

[cardinal biggles]

That dinger juice will rot your brain.

My favorite comment from that article: "I really can't imagine what it's like to go through a multi-dimensional mescaline trip in the age of social media."

 

[Herbert]

I think any 10-year contract is nuts...

You seem to think that 500+k as a minimum salary is not enough?

Who care what the owners are making as long as everyone under them is paid equitably?

I couldn't agree more.

 

[Timby]

Apparently the league has proposed a whole bunch of rules changes.

• A three-batter minimum for pitchers.
  
  
• A universal designated hitter.
  
  
• A single trade deadline before the All-Star break.
  
  
• A 20-second pitch clock.
  
  
• The expansion of rosters to 26 men with a 12-pitcher maximum.
  
  
• Draft advantages for winning teams and penalties for losing teams.
  
  
• A study to lower the mound and a rule that would allow two-sport amateurs to sign major league contracts.

What fresh hell is this?

 

[Kronos]

Don't really have a problem with any of those, game evolves.

 

[Timby]

Don't really have a problem with any of those, game evolves.

I offer a counter-proposal.

- Fuck a pitch clock, especially a 20-second one.

- Fuck the DH (which I say reluctantly, because I am a lifelong NL fan and hatred of the DH is engraved into my soul; on the other hand, I'm fully aware the universal DH would be the best thing possible for the Cubs because it means Schwarber could get into the lineup every day without me having to watch Joe Maddon shuffle lineups like he's going to get his head cut off if he plays the same OF in the same position in back-to-back games).

- Fuck lowering the mound.

- Fuck moving the trade deadline to before the All-Star break, because July 31 is my birthday and trade madness is my favorite part of that day. Edit: Also, fuck killing the waiver trade deadline, that's always fun times around the end of August.

- A three-batter minimum for pitchers is madness, so fuck that too.

This is just Manfred continuing with his asinine obsession with "pace of play" and shortening games for whatever reason, despite the league making more money than it ever has in its history last year.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

They haven't messed with the mound in what, 80 or 90 years?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I offer a counter-proposal.

- Fuck a pitch clock, especially a 20-second one.

- Fuck the DH (which I say reluctantly, because I am a lifelong NL fan and hatred of the DH is engraved into my soul; on the other hand, I'm fully aware the universal DH would be the best thing possible for the Cubs because it means Schwarber could get into the lineup every day without me having to watch Joe Maddon shuffle lineups like he's going to get his head cut off if he plays the same OF in the same position in back-to-back games).

- Fuck lowering the mound.

- Fuck moving the trade deadline to before the All-Star break, because July 31 is my birthday and trade madness is my favorite part of that day. Edit: Also, fuck killing the waiver trade deadline, that's always fun times around the end of August.

- A three-batter minimum for pitchers is madness, so fuck that too.

This is just Manfred continuing with his asinine obsession with "pace of play" and shortening games for whatever reason, despite the league making more money than it ever has in its history last year.

And seriously fuck the draft advantages for winning teams and penalizing losing teams. If they did that, we'll keep getting the same winners over and over.

 

[Jayson1]

And seriously fuck the draft advantages for winning teams and penalizing losing teams. If they did that, we'll keep getting the same winners over and over.

I wonder if they are doing that to try and keep teams from tanking. Anyways I am fine with some of that stuff except that part and the DH. I like the DH system the way it is. AL has one and the NL doesn't. It's the best of both worlds because people can enjoy whichever person of baseball they like and sometimes it can even add a little drama to the World Series if you got to see the AL team figure out what to do with their DH that can't play in the field all that good.

Jason

 

[BillJ]

- A three-batter minimum for pitchers is madness, so fuck that too.

This is one that I'm not sure of. I think any pitcher entering a game should have to get someone out before being pulled. The rest I agree with you.

 

[Yanks]

Seems we're screwing everyone here...

I think the game is just fine. Don't make the same mistakes the NFL has. It doesn't need "tinkered with".

The American league that is. The DH is stupid. NOONE wants to see a pitcher hit. Because you know how to do a double switch doesn't make you smart.

It doesn't have a clock and that's what makes it the best game on the planet. Quit worrying about how long the damn game is.

I don't see the need to expand to a 40 man roster in September??

 

[Herbert]

They haven't messed with the mound in what, 80 or 90 years?

1968
But what's the reason for wanting to lower the mound this time? Where did this come from?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

1968
But what's the reason for wanting to lower the mound this time? Where did this come from?

I did not remember it being that recent. I do know they fiddled with the height of the mound and it's distance from the plate in the early 20th century.

 

[Herbert]

It doesn't have a clock and that's what makes it the best game on the planet. Quit worrying about how long the damn game is.

The people who complain that baseball is too slow, or is boring, won't be wooed by shaving a few minutes off the run time of every game. Those people simply don't like baseball. Also, I don't think we're ever going back to game lengths of even 2:50s range, never mind lower than that.

 

[Herbert]

I did not remember it being that recent. I do know they fiddled with the height of the mound and it's distance from the plate in the early 20th century.

https://www.mlb.com/cut4/why-was-the-mound-lowered-in-1968/c-158689966

 

[Timby]

I did not remember it being that recent. I do know they fiddled with the height of the mound and it's distance from the plate in the early 20th century.

They altered the mound in the '60s because of the Dodgers breaking baseball at the time.

Manfred wants to lower the mound because he wants the game to have more offense. He's just too flat-out stupid to realize the reason strikeouts are up is because more players than ever are swinging from their heels to try and knock one out of the park, and also that if there's more offense, then by definition innings will be longer, which means game times will be longer.

Long story short: Manfred is a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad commissioner.

NOONE wants to see a pitcher hit.

Pitcher dingers are the best dingers.

 

[Scout101]

And how about feeble pitcher flailing at a ball that was about 75 mph and right down the middle? Seeing as that's a lot more common than the dinger.

If you can only watch one, you wanna watch Ortiz take an AB, or Chris Sale?

Pitcher dingers are the best because they are funny and rare. Otherwise, more fun to watch professional hitters take an AB.

 

[Skywalker]

I'd rather watch someone who's actually good at hitting on a regular basis than hope for that 1-in-1000 chance a pitcher might hit a home run.

Draft advantages for winning might actually entice some of the cheapskate owners out there to actually invest in their teams. Isn't that particular idea from the players?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I hate the special rules for Pitchers. Why not designated hitters for catchers? Plenty of catchers bat below the Mendoza line while Shohei Ohtani is clearly a much better hitter. Baseball is just a more interesting sport when they don't have the spot for old hitters who can't field anymore (or players who never could field) taking the place of a player getting special accommodations.

I also question whether more Home Runs is actually the key to more interesting Baseball. We see a ton of Home Runs already. In fact, part of the problem with the game is that people are going for broke for homers and striking out.

 

[Scout101]

If Ortiz is up 3rd, you’re excited about the inning. If a pitcher is up 3rd, you’re going to the bathroom or to grab a beer. Inning is already done before it starts. That simple.

That 18 inning World Series game ends 8 innings earlier if both teams didn’t jack up their lineups due to the oh so clever double switch. Created holes in both lineups so could never get much going before a dead spot came up again. Having watched the entire game, it wasn’t exciting or clever. Especially by the 14th or so when the bullpen was empty and pitcher was stuck batting 3rd or whatever. Zero dingers were dinged.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

18 Innings is an intense game where a single play could end it. It's like overtime in Hockey.