An experimental rules change that doesn't get talked about much

[SteveA]

Will be tried in the minors this year and possibly in the majors in the future.

Moving second base!

Like the author of the linked article, I had no idea that 2nd base was lined up the way it was.   The exact CENTER of the bag is where the line from 1st base and the line to 3rd base intersect at a right angle.   The base is not nestled within the lines such that it's "north" point is where the two lines meet.    1B and 3B ARE nestled that way.

Apparently in the very beginning all the bases were set up so that the center point of each bag was the intersection of the four lines that make the diamond (square on end).   But 1B & 3B, in the 1870s, were quickly moved so that they were fully inside the lines, making it easy on the umps (a ball that touches anywhere on the bag is now fair).   But 2nd base was never moved.

So this experiment will move 2nd base to where it is also nestled inside the lines so it's north point is where the two lines meet, rather than the center of the bag being at that junction point.   The effect of this is that the distance between 1B and 2B (as well as 2B & 3B) is slightly shortened.   Maybe making base stealing a bit easier.   (And another proposed rule to increase the size of the bag will also shorten the distance between the bags at the closest points, making stealing easier as well).

https://defector.com/wait-second-base-has-been-where-this-whole-time/

 

[LookinUp]

It's a small difference, but add to that slightly bigger bases and you could get to a larger difference. 

Anything that introduces greater importance to speed and athleticism is good for the game, IMO.

[DrungoHazewood]

They should move first base back a foot to avoid all of those close plays. -John Lowenstein

I suppose now there won't be any close plays at second in the minor leagues where they're trying this.

[Tony-OH]

What problem are they trying to fix with this? 

I have zero issues with changing rules IF it fixes a problem that can be proven with facts,

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Tony-OH said:

What problem are they trying to fix with this? 

I have zero issues with changing rules IF it fixes a problem that can be proven with facts,

They are trying to make the game more exciting.

[DrungoHazewood]

19 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

What problem are they trying to fix with this? 

I have zero issues with changing rules IF it fixes a problem that can be proven with facts,

There's a guy in the MLB offices with OCD who hasn't been able to sleep since he found out that the far edge of first base lines up with the center of second base, so the infield is not exactly a square rotated 45 degrees.  It's more of a kite.  This will allow him to get his life back.

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, DrungoHazewood said:

There's a guy in the MLB offices with OCD who hasn't been able to sleep since he found out that the far edge of first base lines up with the center of second base, so the infield is not exactly a square rotated 45 degrees.  It's more of a kite.  This will allow him to get his life back.

That actually may not be far for the truth. Baseball has been played the way it's been played with this current configuration for a long time. Not sure why this is something they are experimenting with and what they hope to see.

[SteveA]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

That actually may not be far for the truth. Baseball has been played the way it's been played with this current configuration for a long time. Not sure why this is something they are experimenting with and what they hope to see.

This, and the other experiment enlarging the bases, make it a slightly shorter distance between 1st base and 2nd base.   They are hope that will encourage more stealing, an effort to nudge the game away from the 3-true-outcome game it has become.

[NCRaven]

2 minutes ago, SteveA said:

This, and the other experiment enlarging the bases, make it a slightly shorter distance between 1st base and 2nd base.   They are hope that will encourage more stealing, an effort to nudge the game away from the 3-true-outcome game it has become.

That may be the intent, but I find it hard to believe that a few inches will significantly change how managers play the game.

[AlbNYfan]

I never thought about this much. Fields that I have laid out have been inaccurate to a point...I always incorrectly measured bases on center. With the true measurement being on the back edge of the bag, home plate to first base is really 88.5 feet with the new 18 inch bases. I don't know how much difference it will make. The first basement may benefit, the diagonal of the base is about 4 inches wider and the sides 3 inches longer. His enhanced "stretch" and shorter throw distance may offset or balance the 3 inch advantage for the baserunner. I guess runners between first and second and second and third have a "new" 6 inch advantage.

[DrungoHazewood]

11 minutes ago, NCRaven said:

That may be the intent, but I find it hard to believe that a few inches will significantly change how managers play the game.

It will not in any measurable way.  In '21 there were 0.46 steals per game.  I'm going to say that with this rules change there would be 0.45 +/- 0.03 steals per game.

If they want to increase steals there are many other far more effective ways to do that.  I kind of like the idea that every pickoff throw to a base that doesn't result in an out counts as a ball on the batter.

[SteveA]

17 minutes ago, NCRaven said:

That may be the intent, but I find it hard to believe that a few inches will significantly change how managers play the game.

Jayson Stark in The Athletic thinks it could help a bit.   He says the modern analytic era has defined what % success rate is necessary for stealing to be beneficial, and that now all the variables are quantified (pitcher time to the plate, catcher release time, catcher throwing arm and accuracy, jump distance, baserunner speed) so teams can have a very good analytical idea of when to steal.  And any change to the variables will increase that decision point a little bit.   Between enlarging the bases and moving second base, the feeling is that there will be a measurable increase in steal attempts.

[DrungoHazewood]

18 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Between enlarging the bases and moving second base, the feeling is that there will be a measurable increase in steal attempts.

You just might need an electron microscope to measure it.  This is going to change 76% base stealers into 78% base stealers.  Maybe we'll see single digit percent increases in steals.  An average team goes from 77 steals a year to 83.

If it all works out we'll be back to those heady, go-go days of 2014 when there were 0.57 steals/game.

[Three Run Homer]

4 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

It will not in any measurable way.  In '21 there were 0.46 steals per game.  I'm going to say that with this rules change there would be 0.45 +/- 0.03 steals per game.

If they want to increase steals there are many other far more effective ways to do that.  I kind of like the idea that every pickoff throw to a base that doesn't result in an out counts as a ball on the batter.

I think you're onto something here.   I would modify it by introducing the concept of a runner's box around first base.  There would be a line marker a certain number of feet between first and second, and as long as the baserunner kept one foot on or inside that line, no pickoff throws would be permitted.  In other words, no pickoff throws allowed unless the player is taking a big lead.    Violations could trigger a ball, or even a balk.