Poll: MLB rule putting runner on second to begin each team’s at bat beginning in 10th inning

[Derek]

factoid of the day

matt stone is worth 700 million
trey parker is only worth 600 million

It certainly does seem to be raining shit on Joe Cooper right now

 

[Ohio]

I disagree. I think the outlier lengthy games that do more harm to a team over the 162-game schedule than they're worth are a driving force as well, and any stance that doesn't consider that is a poor one in my opinion.

Fair point but this happens so rarely that I just don’t view it as an issue. If losing one game is so inconsequential, managers can start throwing position players in extras.

 

[Criznit]

No one rule change is going to shorten game times. It's going to take a variety of things being tinkered with. I've had no issue with this change because it gives both teams the same chance. And while the marathon games are rare, they are a problem and needed to be addressed. Now get me my robot umpires, enforced pitch clocks/batter step out rules, and bullpen ziplines and we will see some dramatic reduction to game times.

LOL. Bullpen zip lines...

 

[Derek]

Fair point but this happens so rarely that I just don’t view it as an issue. If losing one game is so inconsequential, managers can start throwing position players in extras.

But then the games will go forever since hitters aren't allowed to swing at those pitches

 

[Ohio]

If the point of the game is to make it more exciting, is there really any doubt that, in extras, the drama is cranked by this?

Honestly, the rule is a gimmick to me and I don’t find gimmicks exciting. Each time an extra inning starts now with a runner on 2nd I just roll my eyes.

 

[Nathan S]

As a cricket fan, it's kind of hilarious that position players in baseball are sooooooo bad at pitching. It's such a horrible thought that they invent new rules to ensure that no team ever ends up in a situation where a position player may have to pitch

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Fair point but this happens so rarely that I just don’t view it as an issue. If losing one game is so inconsequential, managers can start throwing position players in extras.

It sounds like, according to @Derek 's article that he posted earlier, games going past 11 innings happened to each team about 7.5 times per year.

I think a game where it's more beneficial to just forfeit than to play it and try to win, is stupid.

 

[Derek]

As a cricket fan, it's kind of hilarious that position players in baseball are sooooooo bad at pitching. It's such a horrible thought that they invent new rules to ensure that no team ever ends up in a situation where a position player may have to pitch

Shut up, nerd

 

[Ohio]

It sounds like, according to @Derek 's article that he posted earlier, games going past 11 innings happened to each team about 7.5 times per year.

I think a game where it's more beneficial to just forfeit than to play it and try to win, is stupid.

If the rule change started in the 12th inning and not the 10th, I’d be singing a very different tune.

 

[Anglefan]

The new way is perfect for the regular season, IMO. There are 162 games and no reason to potentially have a game go 14-16 innings. Does it happen often? No, but it's silly that it ever would. Flat out not worth the strain when each game is only .62% of your season. In sports, it's okay for overtime to be kind of a coinflip when the teams have played to a draw during regular time. Get it over with and make it exciting. They've done both with this rule.

For the postseason however, absolutely not.

 

[CATS44]

I was against this at first, but I've done a 180.

It does very little to shorten the game.

What it does do is eliminate the possibility that a teams entire season could go down the drain, because of one 20 inning marathon.

It has also added a unique new strategy to the game. It also makes contact hitting more valuable.

And, it might spawn an entirely new specialist...the tenth inning reliever. And that adds a new strategy. Does a manager use his specialist in a critical situation in the seventh or eighth...or ninth...inning of a tie game, or maneuver his pen for a possible tenth inning?

We saw just that in yesterday's game.

There was a lot of handwringing when the DH was instituted for the AL. Now you can't find many folks that think it hasnt improved AL baseball.