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#1 | ||
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Seven miles up
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The 2023 MLB Season Thread
Pitchers and catchers report in a week. Plus is the WBC this year. Is anyone looking forward to that, or planning to go to a game?
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He's just like if Snow White was competitive, horny, and capable of beating the shit out of anyone that called her Pops. Like Steam? Join the FOFC Steam group here: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/FOFConSteam |
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#2 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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I’ll prob watch a Japan game or two. I want to see how Munetaka Murakami does vs mlb pitching.
Also Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are supposed to be disgusting on the mound. |
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#3 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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I strongly considered going to the WBC but my wife's birthday is the same week and so she picked what we were doing instead
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__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
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#4 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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Thank god they’re banning position players from pitching unless you’re up by 10 or trailing by 8.
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#5 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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Unfortunately, the Manfred Man is here to stay
![]() MLB makes extra-innings ghost runner rule permanent for regular-season games, per report - CBSSports.com SI
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Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
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#6 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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That asshole oughta be ... {wait for it} ... earth-banned.
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"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis Last edited by JonInMiddleGA : 02-13-2023 at 03:01 PM. |
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#7 |
World Champion Mis-speller
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Covington, Ga.
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It's a rule everybody hates, so they keep it to bring us all together.
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#8 |
Solecismic Software
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Canton, OH
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Seems like a lot of fundamental tweaking going on every year - mostly designed to prevent the impact of extra-inning games on ever-expanding pitching staffs.
Why not just award ties after nine innings? With pretty much any half-decent team ending up in the post-season and 162 games, I can't see the problem. Some of the damage modern commissioners have done could be undone by limiting television breaks between innings and between pitchers. With ratings one-fourth of what they used to be, you'd think they would have learned this lesson by now. Get those games under 2 1/2 hours, whatever it takes. The biggest problem with the "shift", which is now banned in the pre-season, I guess, was that changes in telecasts (constant close-ups of the same faces eating, chewing, over and over) means we can't see them or discuss them for the most part. Watching a baseball game is like watching the food channel, except the same thing is always on the menu. Maybe there's nothing left to save. I love the nostalgia of baseball. It was my favorite sport as a kid. So many changes. |
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#9 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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HAPPY PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORTING DAY!
SI
__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
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#10 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Land O Lakes FL
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I have been going down memory lane with random regular season MLB games on YouTube as background noise. I am watching Dodgers vs Braves from June 28, 1991 right now. Steve Avery starting for the Braves. 34 year old Brett Butler led off for the Dodgers. Butler tried a drag bunt for a called strike one, slapped the next pitch foul down the left field line for strike two, and hit the next pitch up the middle on the shortstop side of second base for a single and his 1500th base hit. From first pitch to Butler rounding first asking the umpire for the ball took exactly one minute. Juan Samuel up next hitting .328. He takes ball one, fouls one off for a strike and swings at a curve ball for strike two and Butler gets thrown out trying to steal for the 13th time in 29 attempts so far that season. Heads would explode if that sequence happened in 2023.
For all the talk about the batters leaving the box all the time as opposed to the good ole days, I have noticed that the pitchers don't really leave the rubber at all much less walk off the mound. The batters are still leaving the box relatively the same amount though not for as long as today. However, most of the pitchers are throwing pitches, jumping back on the rubber, getting the sign and throwing the next pitch. There are not a lot of pitchers shaking off the catchers either.
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"The blind soldier fought for me in this war. The least I can do now is fight for him. I have eyes. He hasn’t. I have a voice on the radio, he hasn’t. I was born a white man. And until a colored man is a full citizen, like me, I haven’t the leisure to enjoy the freedom that colored man risked his life to maintain for me. I don’t own what I have until he owns an equal share of it. Until somebody beats me and blinds me, I am in his debt."- Orson Welles August 11, 1946 |
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#11 |
General Manager
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: The Mountains
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Didn't realize the pitch clock was debuting this year. Apparently they really have improved the flow of minor league games. And bigger bases. Which I guess is encourage more stealing?
I like the idea of the tweaks, hopefully they all lead to a faster, shorter game. The thing that throws me off the most when I try to watch baseball is the use of relief pitchers. I know why they do it. I know the stats back it up. But the whole feel and structure of a game seems so foreign and arbitrary. Instead of a starter going as long as he can, and then using a setup guy or two to try to get to a closer, it's just a parade of guys I've never heard of, an inning or less at a time, often from the 4th inning on. It's just less digestible as a casual viewer. Last edited by molson : 02-15-2023 at 03:05 PM. |
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#12 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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I'm onboard with Passan's idea of limiting the size of the pitching staff to 10 or 11 (with some additional rules around DL time and options up and down to prevent manipulating your starting staff by putting them on a bus between AAA and MLB)
Mid-inning pitching changes are the worst and I get a ton of glee whenever one blows up in a manager's face SI
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Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" Last edited by sterlingice : 02-15-2023 at 02:54 PM. |
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#13 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Maryland
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Yeah, I think staff size is the one to really make a difference. I imagine that's a no-go with the union (though if it is compensated with bench players...though who needs bench players when you're playing softball??).
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#14 |
Favored Bitch #1
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: homeless in NJ
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Degrom hurt already.
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#15 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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Pitch clock is great for live baseball. People might bitch about it for a month or two but it’ll be the Tepera and Bleier type guys bitching.
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#16 | |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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Quote:
Just another meh for a game I've already sadly grown meh about. One of the specific beauties of baseball has always been the absence of it being clock-driven. Like other sports who change their fabric in order to chase non-fans who won't actually care anyway, I hope it bites them in the ass with considerable pain & suffering involved.
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"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
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#17 |
This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: In Absentia
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Pace of play in things the LL baseball world series and college softball are refreshing and help to move the game along and keep interest on a pitch-by-pitch basis. If a pitch clock is needed to move MLB in the same direction, then fine. I'm pretty sure in the "good ol' days" you didn't have the constant 30-45 seconds (or more) delays between pitches. Even accounting for the between inning commercial breaks, games decades ago moved at a brisk pace. That needs to come back.
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M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete." |
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#18 | |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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Quote:
Higher scoring accounts for some of the changes (vs '73 and '83 that I looked at) but the biggest statistical change that jumps out in the 27 min and 37 min increases is the average number of pitchers per game 4.3 vs 2.6 vs 2.3 If you want to do something to adjust the time, stop the absurd coddling of pitchers. (also, TV commercial time going from 33:13 in '84 to 42:36 by 2014 accounts for the single biggest chunk of the increase)
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"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
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#19 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Oct 2020
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Based on back of the napkin math using 2022 numbers, the pitch clock would theoretically shave ~5 seconds off between pitches. Over an average game, that works out to about 18:45 in game reduction (only between pitches in the same at bat).
So basically, if all the time clock changes work, games should average between 2:45 and 2:50. Last edited by Ghost Econ : 02-16-2023 at 09:32 AM. |
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#20 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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I love baseball - I don't think I have to explain that one. And I'm a bit of a purist in that I feel the Manfred Man is an abomination, like having a shootout in soccer or hockey. Similarly, I hate extraneous pitching changes (as noted above, I love when they blow up). And I love the timelessness of baseball. But I also like watching baseball. I hate watching every. single. batter. futz with their batting gloves for 30 seconds before each pitch and I hate every pitching screwing around for 30 seconds between each pitch on the mound. I'm here to watch baseball, not preening. This seems to get us closer to that without significantly impacting the sport so I'm willing to try it out.
Also, robot umps when? That's one piece of technology that I'm long past ready to implement. SI
__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" Last edited by sterlingice : 02-16-2023 at 09:40 AM. |
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#21 | |
General Manager
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: The Mountains
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Quote:
I'm not sure the technology is there yet. (Or, there's a disconnect between what we perceive and believe a strike should be v. what it is in reality). There's some great Youtube compilations of minor league batters arguing with the umpire over bad balls and strikes calls when the umpire did nothing more than relay what the robot said. Last edited by molson : 02-16-2023 at 11:50 AM. |
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#22 |
This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: In Absentia
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Another pace of play thing to watch for is an emphasis on balks. Umps have been told to cut down on the excessive rocking back and forth and toe tap-tap-tap crap that pitchers due before coming to a stop. I guess that's going to be a balk now if it's considered an attempt to evade the pitch clock? I guess we'll see how it plays out
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M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete." Last edited by Ksyrup : 02-16-2023 at 09:58 PM. |
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#23 |
Favored Bitch #1
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: homeless in NJ
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Good luck Kenly Jansen
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#24 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: The scorched Desert
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Quote:
Can we apply this to Craig Kimbrel's vulture wing too? (I don't know why, it always just annoyed me) ![]() |
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#25 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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#26 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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Royals have some good young bats and a few decent arms. Seems like a likely win on their team win total bet(68.5). Witt/Melendez/Perez should all challenge 30-35 homers, Pasquitino looks like a solid 20-25 homer guy at first base as well.
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#27 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: The scorched Desert
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Quote:
I live 10 minutes from their spring training facility, so I will catch at least a couple of games this spring, anxious to see the new look Rangers too, who share the facility with them. |
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#28 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Concord, MA/UMass
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Quote:
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#29 | |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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Quote:
Maybe they could just put the ball on a tee.
__________________
"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
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#30 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: The scorched Desert
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#31 |
Favored Bitch #1
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: homeless in NJ
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Fucking love Machado at 11-1 to win NL MVP. He wants that payday and there is so much talent around him.
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#32 | |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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Quote:
I hope you're right. I don't think Witt has that kind of power. Also, this is going to be a bit of a soft reset with a new manager and pseudo-new front office. They've jettisoned most of the older "talent" to give youngsters more playing time. It could work, it might not. I see a really low floor on this team as lots could fall apart. But it has a decent-ish ceiling if somehow all the young hitters and pitchers somehow came around (they won't - that's baseball, but at least it's possible) SI
__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
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#33 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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Witt hit 33 in the minors in 2021. He seems like a safe bet for multiple 30/30 seasons. I think Melendez hit 41 in the minors in 2022. Perez is still young-ish. They need more pieces but they have 3-4 potentially good hitters and that’s a lot these days.
Last edited by stevew : 02-20-2023 at 07:40 PM. |
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#34 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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Pasquitino looks like a batting champ type guy with decent power. Huge to put up an equal K/BB rate these days.
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#35 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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Believe me, if you let me pencil in 30 HR each for Melendez, Witt, and Perez along with 20 and .320 for Vinnie, I would take it and not look back.
SI
__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
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#36 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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How is Salvador Perez only in his age 33 season? Feels like that guy has been playing since 2005.
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#37 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
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And he's caught every game, including both games of every doubleheader
SI
__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
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#38 |
This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: In Absentia
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I've been to some spring training games that barely got to 1:45 and played out like 2 teams on a travel day trying to finish a 6 hour rain delay game, but hopefully this keeps up into the regular season.
__________________
M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete." |
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#39 |
This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: In Absentia
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Watching a bit of the Red Sox/Braves game on MLBTV right now, and the pace difference is noticeable. They showed the clock for a few pitches but not all the time. It looks like you're watching sped up video of a game.
__________________
M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete." |
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#40 |
Favored Bitch #1
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: homeless in NJ
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I’m noticing in the Mets game also. I don’t believe they have shown the clock once but the games been on an hour and 8 minutes and it’s going to the bottom of the fifth.
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#41 | |
World Champion Mis-speller
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Covington, Ga.
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Quote:
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#42 |
World Champion Mis-speller
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Covington, Ga.
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The batter there was going off the catcher. The catcher was still standing, and the batter didn't want to get into his stance until the catcher was in position. The problem is the pitcher was set, and that is when the 8 second clock starts. Snit said they had went over the pitcher getting set, but hadn't really discussed the fact the catcher does not have to be set. Basically, the batter got faked.
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#43 |
This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: In Absentia
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That seems like an issue or potential loophole they need to deal with.
__________________
M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete." |
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#44 |
Favored Bitch #1
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: homeless in NJ
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I'm watching Major League. Great movie, arguably the best sports movie of all time. The scene where wild thing throws his first pitch at spring training and they ask the guy with the radar gun and he says 96 and they are all like, oohhhhh. Kind of funny where we are today with relievers and some starters.
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#45 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Land O Lakes FL
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Note to MLB. Pay off their contracts, give them whatever pension they have coming, do whatever it takes financially. But please get C.B. Bucknor, Angel Hernandez and Joe West away from MLB ballparks.
__________________
"The blind soldier fought for me in this war. The least I can do now is fight for him. I have eyes. He hasn’t. I have a voice on the radio, he hasn’t. I was born a white man. And until a colored man is a full citizen, like me, I haven’t the leisure to enjoy the freedom that colored man risked his life to maintain for me. I don’t own what I have until he owns an equal share of it. Until somebody beats me and blinds me, I am in his debt."- Orson Welles August 11, 1946 |
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#46 |
This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off.
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: In Absentia
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Didn't Joe West retire?
__________________
M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete." |
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#47 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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__________________
"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
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#48 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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To add to the "fun", Bucknor & Hernandez were both on the crew of yesterday's game that prompted this latest controversy.
__________________
"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
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#49 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Land O Lakes FL
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I am not sure but just in case I added him with the other incompetents.
__________________
"The blind soldier fought for me in this war. The least I can do now is fight for him. I have eyes. He hasn’t. I have a voice on the radio, he hasn’t. I was born a white man. And until a colored man is a full citizen, like me, I haven’t the leisure to enjoy the freedom that colored man risked his life to maintain for me. I don’t own what I have until he owns an equal share of it. Until somebody beats me and blinds me, I am in his debt."- Orson Welles August 11, 1946 |
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#50 | ||
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Quote:
Quote:
Without seeing the batter and C in the video I can only speculate on whether this was an intentional move to fake the batter or just old normal C movement like one would see any year. In any case I don't see it making a difference. This is something ST experience and coaching will fix before the season starts. The C can try this if he wants, but it's up to the batter to ignore it, and just look at the P. It won't matter how long the C stands, the P still has to make the pitch by the clock. Could end up being more of a distraction to the P? |
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