Baseball Miscellany

[MikeS (Mike Schieffer)]

Chandler Rome left the Chronicle and is now covering the Astros for The Athletic.

[MusicMan (Michael Shopoff)]

About damn time the Athletic got a beat reporter.

[SoonerJim]

Probably able to hire from a fiscal standpoint. It wasn’t the aggregate record from 2017 which led to the company coverage

[MikeS (Mike Schieffer)]

I was seriously considering cancelling or at least not renewing my subscription if the Athletic didn’t hire someone. And for what it’s worth, I like Rome.

[JimR (Coach)]

Yo tambien.

[Lefty]

Jayson Stark

[chuck (Triple Super Secret Pope)]

Just stop, man. Just stop.

[MusicMan (Michael Shopoff)]

The double hook has intrigued me since I first heard the idea.

But the designated pinch runner is the dumbest fucking idea I’ve ever heard.

[austro (Mark)]

@MusicMan

But the designated pinch runner is the dumbest fucking idea I’ve ever heard.

“We must find offense by whatever means possible!”

Just wait until they add the idea of bonus runs, foamer-style. “If a runner scores while the light is on, you get TWO runs!”

[SoonerJim]

Women’s softball has the designated player, and smaller stadiums to get the run rule result and send everyone home early

[juliogotay (joe roddy)]

With Manfred anything’s possible.

[Waldo]

How many of these recent rule change ideas have made it out of the MiLB incubator? Just wondering what the hit rate is so far. Automated strike zone has not, but others certainly have.

[DVauthrin (David Vauthrin)]

@chuck

Just stop, man. Just stop.

Manfred is determined to ruin MLB, one rule change at a time. The designated pinch runner is one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard for a professional sports league. As for the double hook, the best player in the game is a two-way player. Why would Manfred want a rule where Ohtani would have to come out of a game for good once he’s done pitching?

[Lefty]

I don’t see the rationale for the double-hook, at all

[austro (Mark)]

Simple: he (or the people pulling his strings) doesn’t like the “designated starter” technique. To them, it’s an abomination like the shift.

[MusicMan (Michael Shopoff)]

@Lefty

I don’t see the rationale for the double-hook, at all

To incentivize keeping starting pitchers in longer. Fans generally prefer to see starting pitchers, who they know, rather than an endless parade of relievers. It also reincorporates the idea of strategy in making your pitching changes. Now pinch hitters become a thing again. Between needing more pinch hitters and going longer with starters, ow maybe you construct your roster with fewer three-out guys. That also means more offense.

[MusicMan (Michael Shopoff)]

@DVauthrin

As for the double hook, the best player in the game is a two-way player. Why would Manfred want a rule where Ohtani would have to come out of a game for good once he’s done pitching?

The two-way player is already excepted IIRC. (In other words, Ohtani doesn’t have to come out as the DH when he’s lifted as the starter.)

[Lefty]

Ahhh…didn’t even think about the opener…which tells you how prevalent it is and how much it bothers me

[AstrosFanInBigD]

The opener angle makes the most sense of why those fuckwits would try such a stupid idea.

[DVauthrin (David Vauthrin)]

@MusicMan

@Lefty

I don’t see the rationale for the double-hook, at all

To incentivize keeping starting pitchers in longer. Fans generally prefer to see starting pitchers, who they know, rather than an endless parade of relievers. It also reincorporates the idea of strategy in making your pitching changes. Now pinch hitters become a thing again. Between needing more pinch hitters and going longer with starters, ow maybe you construct your roster with fewer three-out guys. That also means more offense.

It would force some interesting lineup decisions. Teams wouldn’t want to lose a valuable bat the moment the starting pitcher is removed from the game.