Bags4HoF

@AstrosAnxiety And the counter argument is, essentially, Tweeters know more than Dusty Baker, Justin Verlander, etc.; small samples sizes & anecdotal evidence matters (& last year, apparently, doesn’t), and something that doesn’t really seem to be a problem must be fixed.

@AstrosAnxiety And why do I think that’s nonsense? Because people who know far more about baseball than you, me, and every other person on this forum, says he does.

Why doesn't anyone have an answer to this question? They immediately change the subject. I will say that this was also a tendency under the Click regime too, so it isn't just an anti-analytics bias. That said, there is no evidence to keep Maldo in the lineup. And I like Maldo....

@AstrosAnxiety But... our pitching kind of did set the world on fire. Our team ERA last year was a full run better than league average; we won a Cy Young; our bullpen, more or less, won us a ring. What problem are we fixing?

@Bags4HoF We can get substantially better hitting, then yeah, we should maximize the output. For the record, just because I don't agree with EVERY SINGLE THING the Astros do doesn't mean I don't appreciate the run or love their manager.

@AstrosAnxiety What even is the argument? With a different C, the Astros would've won..... more? And if so, is there any substantive data to support that contention? Or are we splitting hairs in absence of more tangible problems to discuss because the team is so goddamn good?

@AstrosAnxiety 3) Does MM's cERA being "higher" mean it's bad? Since '21, the league avg ERA is ~4.10. The Astros: ~3.48 w MM catching 65% of the time. The Astros have won 263 games & 2 pennants. & that leads to, I think, the most important point...

@Aarcraft9 @adams_at @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH And it's returning the game to the way it was played when many of the those opposed to the change first fell in love with baseball. Until the late 90s/early 00s, baseball *moved.* To argue all this downtime is good is really rather silly.

MLB 2023: Speedrun. The Kids™ are just gonna love it!

@JordanVsDream @adams_at @Aarcraft9 @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH My argument is that I'd like to see more *baseball.* Players standing around - not playing baseball - is not baseball.

@Bags4HoF @adams_at @Aarcraft9 @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH These sound like personal pet peeves not necessarily things that will make the game better. Baseball is unique in that not every game is played the same. With this short pitch clock you're increasing pace of play but your removing any control a batter has over an at bat

@Aarcraft9 @JordanVsDream @adams_at @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH It's a silly notion, giving pitchers who have been throwing for long stretches in the pen even more time to warm up. Again, we don't let kickers try a few to measure the wind. Navigating the mound should be part of the game.

@JordanVsDream @adams_at @Aarcraft9 @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH And I know the mound argument: I don't buy it. But, ok - if true, why does a home team need to warm-up on a mound their pitchers use 81 times a year? It's a waste of everyone's time, IMO.

@JordanVsDream @adams_at @Aarcraft9 @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH In literally no other sport do they allow a "back-up" to warm-up on the field. Kickers don't get to kick several practice field goals; 6th men don't get to shoot several 3 pointers. And pitching changes *create* commercial breaks.

@Astros4me @Aarcraft9 @adams_at @MikeMitchNH @AstrosFansUK I think people, in general, do not like change. I mean, are there Astros fans still upset they're in the AL? Do old Astros fans still want to see pitchers bat? Remember all the outrage over the extended netting?...

@Bags4HoF @Aarcraft9 @adams_at @MikeMitchNH @AstrosFansUK My favorite part of that Posnanski article was when he mentioned all the outrage from fans when MLB no longer required 4 meaningless pitches for an IBB. Some fans are just so resistant to any change that they won't keep an open mind to see how this plays out. Let's scream now!

@JordanVsDream @adams_at @Aarcraft9 @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH And for the record: I want them to bring back bullpen carts and eliminate warm-up pitches for new relievers. That’s a gigantic waste of time.

@JordanVsDream @adams_at @Aarcraft9 @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH They do that already. But, again: that’s not addressing the issue. It’s pace of play. All the downtime between pitches. That’s what they’re targeting.

@Aarcraft9 @AnneRN79 @adams_at @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH Exactly. By the end of October, the players will have some 200 games with the pitch clock. If there’s a delay, it’s on them.

@adams_at @Aarcraft9 @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH Length of games isn’t an issue; it’s pace of play. Three-hour games that move briskly are fine. Having said that, if the vast majority of your regular season games end after 10, & the vast majority of your postseason games end after 11 - that is most definitely an issue.

@Aarcraft9 @Bags4HoF @AstrosFansUK @MikeMitchNH The issue with tv viewership is the length of games, it’s the distribution

@JordanVsDream @MikeMitchNH @Aarcraft9 @adams_at @AstrosFansUK I’m in that world, too, & it’s a small %. The vast majority of kids play rec ball; the next tier is select ball.

@MikeMitchNH @Bags4HoF @Aarcraft9 @adams_at @AstrosFansUK In the world yes, in the US no. There's so much travel baseball you'd be surprised

@AstrosFansUK @JordanVsDream @Aarcraft9 @adams_at @MikeMitchNH Because that’s not the issue. It’s the pace of play: all the mound visits and throws to first and equipment adjustments - all the interminable downtime between pitches and, as a consequence, plays. Shortening the # of innings changes none of that.

@Bags4HoF @JordanVsDream @Aarcraft9 @adams_at @MikeMitchNH So why don’t we cut 3 innings off the length of a ballgame & try to get it done inside an hour or so, then? That way even more people can watch it & no one will be left out.