MLB’s Joint Competition Committee Votes To Make “Ghost Runner” Rule Permanent;

[westofyou]

Just shoot me in the head and, for good measure, chop my peter off. No, on second thought, chop my peter off first, wait a few minutes, then finish me off.

[Ron Madden]

Mike Teevan
@MRTeevs

Here is the bigger base (1B, 2B and 3B) debuting in #MLB in 2023, increasing from 15” square to 18” square.

The change is better for player safety and encourages more aggressive baserunning (4.5” shorter between 1B-2B and 2B-3B, and 3” shorter from the plate).

Photo
https://twitter.com/MRTeevs/status/1...DS_b3voI8tAAAA

[Ron Madden]

MLB intends to enforce balk rules more strictly in 2023:

“We have slipped a little bit centrally with calling the rulebook illegal pitches and balks,” Morgan Sword, MLB’s executive vice president of operations, said Tuesday during a media briefing, according to ESPN.

story here:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb...rt/ar-AA17uJNH

[cumberlandreds]

MLB intends to enforce balk rules more strictly in 2023:
story here:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb...rt/ar-AA17uJNH

Somewhere Balkin' Bob Davidson is smiling.

[mth123]

Calling the balk would seem to go hand in hand with limiting the throws to 1b. Seems like they are really wanting the running game to be more prevalent than it is now.

[Ron Madden]

What is a pitch clock?
This is the rule change that should be the most noticeable. The average minor league game was shortened by more than 20 minutes last year after the pitch clock was implemented. Pitchers will have 15 seconds to make each pitch when the bases are empty and 20 seconds when there is a runner on base. There is a 30-second timer between batters.

If a pitcher takes too long between pitches, he will be charged with an automatic ball. Hitters must be ready to hit with eight seconds remaining on the clock, otherwise they will be charged with an automatic strike.

Pitchers can step off the rubber twice per plate appearance, which includes pickoff attempts when there are runners on base. If a pitcher steps off a third time and doesn’t pickoff a runner, it is considered a balk.

The limited number of pickoff attempts are designed to increase stolen bases and it doesn’t give pitchers a simple way to reset the clock. Hitters are granted one timeout during each plate appearance.

“That's really going to change the importance of stolen bases and the ability to steal a lot more bases,” Cincinnati Reds Manager David Bell said last month. “Speed is going to come into play.”


As much as the pitch clock will force pitchers to work faster, it’ll be an adjustment for hitters because they’ll be forced to remain in the batter’s box.

“From a defensive standpoint, it helps you honestly focus more in the game,” said Reds minor leaguer Austin Hendrick. “You kind of get more in a rhythm. The biggest thing is it speeds up the game. Some people like it, some people don't.”

How about shift restrictions?
“Contact at the plate has always been important, but I really believe it's going to be even more important now,” Bell said. “There are going to be more hits. That gets back to the base running – more singles going first to third, scoring from second – all the things that we've always thought were exciting about baseball that maybe we got away from a little bit are going to be back and a big part of the game.”

continue reading:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb...on/ar-AA17tezw

[plantmanky]

I love ghost runner in Extra innings. Saves on pitcher overuse (or at least tries too). Id be in favor of managers being able to do it once during the first 9 innings. Adds some strategy to the game.

[Bob Sheed]

Why not have each team roll a 4 sided die each inning. 1, 2 or 3 puts a man on 1st 2nd or 3rd. Rolling a 4 means no ghost runner.

Sponsored by the casinos, which would also allow realtime betting on which number it lands on.

[westofyou]

I love ghost runner in Extra innings. Saves on pitcher overuse (or at least tries too). Id be in favor of managers being able to do it once during the first 9 innings. Adds some strategy to the game.

Kinda early to be drinking isn't it?

[foster15]

Why not have each team roll a 4 sided die each inning. 1, 2 or 3 puts a man on 1st 2nd or 3rd. Rolling a 4 means no ghost runner.

Sponsored by the casinos, which would also allow realtime betting on which number it lands on.

No, that would be stupid. What they should do is using the same 4 sided dice, 1=man on first, 2=men on 1st and 2nd and 3=bases loaded. 4=bases loaded with a run scored. And we can use 6 sided dice if preferred where 5=bases loaded 2 runs scored, 6=bases loaded 3 runs scored.

btw, with the ghost runner rule, I'd love to be a designated pitcher that only pitches on the road in the bottom of an extra inning tied game. As long as I don't give up a home run, my ERA stays at zero.

[RED VAN HOT]

I use to lean heavily on the traditionalist side. I tended to oppose rule changes. I've come around. Pitchers spin pitches that were scarcely imagined 60 years ago. HR's have have become more important as scoring through rallies have become less likely; K's matter less if HR's are the goal; defenses have adjusted accordingly. It's time for change, for a return to the game that I knew as a kid. Bring back the importance of contact and team speed.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

I love ghost runner in Extra innings. Saves on pitcher overuse (or at least tries too). Id be in favor of managers being able to do it once during the first 9 innings. Adds some strategy to the game.

Stick to plants.

[Ron Madden]

Former All-Star reliever Rob Dibble says Rob Manfred's 'idiotic' rule changes won't help MLB

Major League Baseball is going to look just a bit different this season.

The bases are larger, there will be a pitch clock and limits on pickoffs, and the shift is banned. Oh, and the "Manfred Man" is here to stay (teams start extra innings with an automatic runner on second base).

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is trying his best to cut some time off the game, which on average takes more than three hours to finish. However, a former All-Star pitcher doesn't think any of the changes will help.

Rob Dibble was asked on the "Don't @ Me" podcast if the changes in the game will do anything, and he kept it blunt.

"No, it won’t, because it’s idiotic," Dibble said. "You’re taught, and I teach this at the Little League level, and I’m saying 'Little League' very loud, that you pitch in a certain manner, a timely manner, so that your infield stays ready to play defense, your outfield plays defense. They’re ready.

continue reading here:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb...lb/ar-AA17CZsW

[Wonderful Monds]

Stick to plants.

[TNRED]

Just use a time clock. Game over in three hours. in event of tie, coin toss determines the winner.