MLB 2020: We'll Play Ball, I Guess.

[dxmnkd316]

If you're talking about Mad Max...it was BS for Girardi to continually ask him to be checked. I don't blame Max one bit for getting ****ed off

Every pitcher should be checked once a game. Glove and cap can be deposited in a bucket at the dugout entrance and collected on the way back to the mound.

I have zero tolerance for these cheating crybabies.

[First Time, Long Time]

Every pitcher should be checked once a game. Glove and cap can be deposited in a bucket at the dugout entrance and collected on the way back to the mound.

I have zero tolerance for these cheating crybabies.

Fine ..but he'd already been checked twice...and Girardi...after saying at some point earlier that he wouldn't use it as a tactic just if it was obvious...has him checked again? That's gamesmanship and he got what he deserved out of it. This Is going to bite MLB if managers start using it to play mind games.

[dxmnkd316]

Fine ..but he'd already been checked twice...and Girardi...after saying at some point earlier that he wouldn't use it as a tactic just if it was obvious...has him checked again? That's gamesmanship and he got what he deserved out of it. This Is going to bite MLB if managers start using it to play mind games.

The pitchers did it to themselves. **** them

[Kepler]

The managers shouldn't be the ones asking, they should be random checks.

[state of hockey]

The pitchers did it to themselves. **** them

Disagree. Everyone knew they were doing it and didn't care, until suddenly they did.

Finally cracking down on it was needed, but it should have been implemented in the offseason. Or at the very least, managers shouldn't be the ones asking because if this very scenario.

[Spartanforlife4]

Good Guy Diamondbacks let injured Brewer score.

Drop to 2-18 in June.

[dxmnkd316]

Disagree. Everyone knew they were doing it and didn't care, until suddenly they did.

Finally cracking down on it was needed, but it should have been implemented in the offseason. Or at the very least, managers shouldn't be the ones asking because if this very scenario.

I get that. I guess I'm of the mind that if I drive 70 in a 60 and no one cares then all of a sudden I get a ticket for doing ten over, I don't really have a good reason to throw a tantrum. I'm breaking the rules. Obviously they should have had a more thoughtful approach, but the pitchers aren't victims here.

The managers shouldn't be the ones asking, they should be random checks.

I don't disagree with that.

[Kepler]

Disagree. Everyone knew they were doing it and didn't care, until suddenly they did.

Both things can be true: everybody knew the pitchers were cheating and we should nail the pitchers for cheating.

Just make sure the pitchers don't lose any salary. The owners all knew; the media all knew. So stop the cheating but charge the owners full price for their now worthless non-cheating pitchers.

I've always thought all the roid guys should have been fully paid while they were suspended. Again: everybody knew. So charge the owners full price.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Both things can be true: everybody knew the pitchers were cheating and we should nail the pitchers for cheating.

Just make sure the pitchers don't lose any salary. The owners all knew; the media all knew. So stop the cheating but charge the owners full price for their now worthless non-cheating pitchers.

I've always thought all the roid guys should have been fully paid while they were suspended. Again: everybody knew. So charge the owners full price.

While I see what you're saying, once MLB announced they were going to start cracking down, it is 100% on the pitchers themselves. If the police announce a speed trap, and you're still dumb enough to drive through 30 over...you deserve what you get.

[Kepler]

While I see what you're saying, once MLB announced they were going to start cracking down, it is 100% on the pitchers themselves. If the police announce a speed trap, and you're still dumb enough to drive through 30 over...you deserve what you get.

Sure, I agree with you. "You didn't tell me you were going to check me for cheating!" "Actually, we did." "But it's still not fair!"

I have no sympathy for anybody in this farce except the poor umps. All of MLB can sit in their cow patty and breath deep.

[Slap Shot]

Some food for thought on this topic - posted elsewhere:

It was/is but it's always been kind of "look the other way" type of deal unless it was painfully obvious, like guys with huge wads of pine tar on their hat etc.

Most hitters seem to be mostly OK with pitchers using a little something (pine tar, sunscreen/rosin mix, etc.) to help increase their grip so they feel safer in the batter's box. Pete Alonso, the 2019 Rookie of the Year, came out and said a week or two ago "Because I go in the box every single day and I see guys throwing harder and harder. I don't want 99 slipping out of someone's hand because they didn't have enough feel for it."

It seems to be the guys using spider tack or similar stuff to get insane spin rates that guys have a bigger issue with. I mean for god sake the MLB keeps a rosin bag behind the mound every game. Rosin alone doesn't do a lot unless you really really grind your fingers together to get some friction and heat it up, but that takes a minute or two and with the pace of play stuff MLB is so worried about, isn't really a viable option to take a minute between every hitter to get more rosin grip. The faster way to get rosin to work is to mix it with some form of liquid (sweat, spit, sunscreen, etc.) Mixing those creates a similar grip to what rosin alone does once you get it "heated up" for lack of a better term.

The MLB constantly tinkers with the baseball during the offseason. Seemingly every year. Maybe if the MLB would stop tinkering with the ball, pitchers wouldn't feel the need to find concoctions to help grip the ball better.

If you've ever tried to play catch with a real MLB game ball with the lower seams and polished leather, it is definitely more slick than the game ball your kids use or even your high school/college kids use. And the seams on those balls are significantly higher, too.

[RaceBoarder]

Simple way to stop the offensive team using the checks to delay/freeze the pitcher:

The offense can request a check at any time. The umpires will follow through with the check. If nothing is found, the current batter is called out with all previous runner advancement during the at-bat nullified (including taking runs off the board).

That gives you a "two-way" deterrent... The pitcher is obviously done if something is found. But the hitting team can't pull the crap Girardi pulled last night either.

[aparch]

Because fun "new" baseball stats are rare these days, today offered up this gem: today was the first time in all of MLB where at an interleague game hosted by an American League team (so the DH is in play), the AL team opts to forego the DH and let their pitcher hit, while the NL team opts *FOR* the DH instead.

The Halos lost anyway though despite Ohtani's strong pitching performance.

[Spartanforlife4]

You know how a cool part of the All Star Game is that the players are wearing their normal jerseys? Well, MLB decided that needed to stop for some reason.

These will be worn for the actual game.

https://twitter.com/allstargame/stat...313550336?s=21

[JF_Gophers]

You know how a cool part of the All Star Game is that the players are wearing their normal jerseys? Well, MLB decided that needed to stop for some reason.

These will be worn for the actual game.

https://twitter.com/allstargame/stat...313550336?s=21

I never thought of them wearing team jerseys as being part of the experience. I don't really care either way. Although, half the time AS jerseys are ugly.