Hardball Times: Expansion

[weams]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/major-league-baseball-needs-to-expand/

Without expansion and if things remain static, scoring will likely go even lower as pitching talent becomes more and more concentrated.

The current run environment is not horrible, but what if it gets even lower? Strikeouts are boring. They help to win games, but they make for a horrible viewing experience. Everyone digs the long ball. Maybe MLB will do something like lower the mound again or allow aluminum bats or shrink the out of control strike zone, but the concentration of talent will still exist. It is time to spread baseball out some more.

[33rdst]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/major-league-baseball-needs-to-expand/

How about just ban the shift?

[Can_of_corn]

How about just ban the shift?

How about they just ban sliders?

[33rdst]

How about they just ban sliders?

Well they did ban the spit ball.

[weams]

How about they just ban sliders?

I think flat ground at the mound would help.

[Larry18]

Well the did ban the spit ball.

That was in reaction to Ray Chapman's death.

[33rdst]

I think flat ground at the mound would help.

How about remove the mound altogether and throw underhand?

[Can_of_corn]

That was in reaction to Ray Chapman's death.

If it was because of Ray Chapman's death then they should have banned not moving out of the path of the ball.

[33rdst]

That was in reaction to Ray Chapman's death.

I was replying to COC's endearing sarcastic comment. With one of my own. But the truth is MLB did ban pitches in the past.

[Can_of_corn]

The problem is easily solved.

Electronic strike zone that they can tweak at the start of every season.

Of course the underlying issues won't be fixed that way but those are part of the natural evolution of the game and I don't think they can turn the clock back.

[Can_of_corn]

I was replying to COC's endearing sarcastic comment. With one of my own. But the truth is MLB gas banned pitches in the past.

Why attack shifts? How is banning shifts any more acceptable then banning a pitch?

It isn't.

And supposedly the spit ball was banned for safety reasons.

[33rdst]

Why attack shifts? How is banning shifts any more acceptable then banning a pitch?

It isn't.

Well that's a matter of opinion isn't it? I attack shifts because they effectively cut the field in half. For some batters it's like hitting in a bowling alley with six players standing in it.

[Can_of_corn]

Well that's a matter of opinion isn't it? I attack shifts because they effectively cut the field in half. For some batters it's like hitting in a bowling alley with six players standing in it.

I attack sliders because they look like fastballs then move late. For some batters it makes them swing and miss.

[33rdst]

I attack sliders because they look like fastballs then move late. For some batters it makes them swing and miss.

Here's a fairly balanced article from Bill James on the impact shifts have on offense. I don't agree with some of his concluding remarks because he didn't look at the data for the specific class of hitters it hurts the most but it does make the overall point about hurting the offense.

One more point, like at the increase of the use of shifts since 2010. Amazing.

http://www.billjamesonline.com/how_do_shifts_affect_league-wide_babip_/

[Can_of_corn]

Here's a fairly balanced article from Bill James on the impact shifts have on offense. I don't agree with some of his concluding remarks because he didn't look at the data for the specific class of hitters it hurts the most but it does make the overall point about hurting the offense.

http://www.billjamesonline.com/how_do_shifts_affect_league-wide_babip_/

Of course it is hurting offense. So are sliders.

Seriously if a batter's strategy is to pull the ball every time he comes up why shouldn't the defense be able to counter that strategy?