Various baseball questions

[Guest Redhawk]

1. Do you like MLB's interleague play? Should they change it at all or get rid of it altogether?

--I thought it was cool at first as a novelty but they've gone too far. If they could limit it to just regional rivalries (Chicago vs. Chicago, NY vs. NY, L.A. vs. Anaheim, etc.) it'd be fine.

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

--You can temporarily bench a guy and bring him back in every other sport. Why not baseball?

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

--Eight teams per league would only be too much because the games are so long. So whyile the playoffs wouldn't take any more days than other sports, it would seem like it's taking forever.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with 3 good pitchers and one or two average pitchers?

-- Five-man rotation for the regular season, 4 in the playoffs.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

--No. I don't see why baseball does this. It doesn't do anything for teams like Florida and Detroit who wouldn't have had an All-Star in a normal setting, and it keeps better players out of the All-Star game.

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big lead, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

--Another thing I don't get about baseball. Especially in this era, a 5-run lead isn't safe. Besides, if you don't wanna have the score run up on you, don't get your ass kicked in the first place.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

--They do for me, and I blame it on pitchers and batters taking so long between pitches.

[Guest meanmaisch]

1. Its pretty useless anymore, aside from the marquee matchups, like Yankees playing at Wrigley Field.

2. Sports that use substitutions, like hockey and basketball, NEED subs. The pace of baseball is much slower and there is less need for subbing.

3. I would keep the playoffs as they are. I think they work fine.

4. I'd rather have a quality four man rotation, with a long innings guy in the pen to give them an occasional breather.

5. No. Detroit's rep was Robert Fick in 2002. That fact should settle any arguments.

6. Rules like that are completely stupid and just add to the hostilities in the game. They also take away from the competitive nature of the game.

7. No, they are just fine by me.

[Guest razazteca]

I have a question:

 

When a pitcher hits a batter intentionally which results in a run up to the mound why isnt the bat used as a weapon? also after being hit by the ball why not just attack the catcher with the bat with a nice swing at the knee or quad instead of the run to the mound?

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

1. Do you like MLB's interleague play? Should they change it at all or get rid of it altogether?

 

No

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

 

Takes strategy out of the game

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

 

I hate Wild Cards. But I doubt they'll go back to just having the winner's of each league face off in the series...so leave it I guess.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with one or two average pitchers?

 

The Devil Rays don't have 2 good starters...so it's all pretty moot.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

 

Yes. It can only hurt your teams drawing ability if the league stages an event that proves you don't have ONE quality player. The game doesn't count anyway...so who cares.

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big league, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

 

Nowadays a team can put up 10 runs in an inning...I would play to score as many runs as possible regardless of score.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

 

No. It's the only game that isn't determined by a stupid clock.

[Guest phoenixrising]

I have a question:

 

When a pitcher hits a batter intentionally which results in a run up to the mound why isnt the bat used as a weapon? also after being hit by the ball why not just attack the catcher with the bat with a nice swing at the knee or quad instead of the run to the mound?

Actually in a minor league game a guy named Izzy Alcantara got beaned, then attacked the catcher first before going after the pitcher. Pretty unique cause no one had though of it before.

 

Also in the 1960's Juan Marichal did swing a bat at Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro's head, caused a nasty injury and got suspended for ten days...it was in the pennant stretch too and the Giants eventually lost the NL pennant in part to Marichal's missing starts because of the suspension.

 

About the All-Star representation...I'll grant that every team doesn't have an All-Star and doesn't need one. But that doesn't mean that more worthy players won't get shut out. Remember, only the eight starters are chosen by the fans. The rest are picked by the managers, who would probably not hesitate to put unqualified players on their squad in order to give them the honor of playing in an All-Star game. Even if they went to a system like the NFL (1/3 coaches, 1/3 players, 1/3 fans) there would still be guys left out.

[Guest treble charged]

1. Do you like MLB's interleague play? Should they change it at all or get rid of it altogether?

-I kind of like it, but I think it's run its course.

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

-Part of baseball's charm is the strategy involved, you implement this rule and all that's gone. Maybe for a game like the All Star game this would be usefull, but not the rest of the time.

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

-I think it should probably be expanded. Definitely not cut down, though.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with one or two average pitchers?

-Well, 4 good starters is better than 1 or 2 average ones, so I'm going with the 4 man rotation.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

-No, probably not. The only team that should have a representitive is the team hosting the game.

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big league, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

-They're stupid. People are just babies, for the most part.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

-Depends. If the game is exciting, I don't care how long it is.

[Guest Crazy Dan]

1. Do you like MLB's interleague play? Should they change it at all or get rid of it altogether?

Only in the case where you have a natural rival. When the Giants play the A's, The New Yawk teams going at it, or even the Florida teams. Otherwise I think that the novelty of the whole thing has warn off.

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

It has something to do with the rules, which I am not to familiar with.

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

I think that it's fine the way it is. Maybe expnad the Wild Card series to seven games. Four teams making it is plenty. It really makes the playoffs have more meaning.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with one or two average pitchers?

-- If my favorite team has five solid pitchers, then I am for a five man rotation. That might also save many pitcher's arm in the case of the team making the playoffs. But if the team's fifth starter is not very good, then the team should stay with a four man rotation.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

--Yes. Being that you have enough spots, ever team should have a rep. I think that regardless of record, most of the teams will have at least one solid player. Especially the ones that are bad, becuase they will put up solid numbers with little or no help.

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big league, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

--In the first part of the question, you don't want to rub it in the losing team's face. They say not to swing at a 3-0 pitch becuase, unless it's a juicy pitch, you'd rather get on base. As for the other unwritten rules, baseball is just wierd that way.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

--Yes. They should develope ways to speed the game up. I would start with penalizing batters who keep stepping out of the box and with pitchers stepping off the mound after each pitch.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

1. I like interleague play, and Im looking forward to see Sammy Sosa play in Camden Yards. Sucks that the only other National League teams coming to play in Baltimore this year are the Phillies and Brewers, but the Os are getting to play the Cards, Astros and Braves on the road, although Im mad they didn't schedule a series vs the Reds or Pirates.

 

2. Most of the time, when a pitcher is pulled, their stuff sucks or they've thrown too many pitches and there's no chance that they would come back in. Also, it would be hard for the pitcher to warm up, throw 50-60 pitches, get benched, go warm up and throw more pitches. High risk of an arm injury. As with other positions, it adds to the strategy of the game.

 

3. The playoffs are pretty much fine the way they are.

 

4. Id rather have a 5 Man rotation with two average pitchers because a 4 man rotation means that by the end of the season your 4 pitchers will be worn out from pitching more games, than in the 5 man rotation.

 

5. If every team didnt have to have 1 representative th3n the All Star game would pretty much be between 4 or 5 teams per league, which is no good in my opinion. Fan voting already stinks in all sports that do it, and its good to see the lesser known players from the teams that don't make it to national tv every night.

 

6. Its viewed in the same light as a team in college football running up the score on another team. I think unless the other teams pitchers absolutely couldn't get outs, theres no reason to go up to the plate swinging on 3-0 counts and stealing bases with a large lead (more than 6 runs). The only reason for one to be doing that is for personal gain (improve stats, show off, etc).

 

7. Games are only too long because they have to stick so many commercials on during the games. Games would be around 2 hours long for the most part if they didn't have to take 2-3 minute commercial breaks in between each half inning. I know that there are pitcher warmups between innings and so forth, but they don't take 3 minutes to do. There are always going to be slow games though, between pitching changes and slow pitchers and batters that can stand up at the plate and foul off 5 or 6 straight pitches and work the count full.

[Bored 0]

1. I have no problem with interleague play. I'm a traditionalist at heart but I personally enjoy it. Besides my A's always whoop up on the N.L. when they play them.

 

2. Strategy and because a pitcher could get cold on the bench and you could risk injury by putting them back in. This ain't Little League.

 

3. Its not realistic but I'd prefer they went back to the 4-divisions, division champions advance to postseason. They better never expand anymore as they would have to start the season in March and we've already seen cold weather play havoc on teams in April.

 

4. Few teams even have four good starters period but I think the 5-man rotation thing is out of hand I think pitchers are babied way too much. Hell a lot of teams go with a 3-man rotation come postseason.

 

5. With 30 teams no, there is no reason to have every team represented EXCEPT the host team. I think the season ticket holders deserve to root for at least one member of their team. If they ever did eliminate the rule I would also propose putting a cap on how many players from one team could go. Oh and even though it isn't asked the new All-Star game winner rule to determine the World Series host is insane. Nothing like watching Bobby Higginson possibly deciding who hosts the World Series.

 

6. Its just I guess rubbing in a team's face, like in basketball if a team keeps launching 3's with a big lead, or in football when a team keeps throwing deep with a big lead, so it really applies to all sports. There are extremes of course but if a team is up 15-0 in the 8th inning they don't need to be stealing.

 

7. Nope true baseball fans don't care how long the game lasts, especially when your at the ballpark.

[Guest alkeiper]

1. Do you like MLB's interleague play? Should they change it at all or get rid of it altogether?

--They should get rid of it, and the unbalanced schedule should go as well. I'm tired of seeing Phillies-Marlins 18 times a year.

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

--Warming up a pitcher's arm, cooling it down, and then warming it up again the same day is a good way to cause a major injury.

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

--It really should be cut down to 4 teams, total. The idea of the regular season is to find the cream of the crop. The playoffs are a way for mediocre teams to win championships. A 162 game season is a much better indicator of a team's true quality.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with 3 good pitchers and one or two average pitchers?

--I've seen a lot of people suggest that a 4 man rotation is a better setup. I'd go 4 man rotation, with a spot starter. I would like to see teams use less pitchers in their bullpens. 5 is enough. Most teams carry 7.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

--The problem is that the every team must be represented rule automatically fills 16 NL roster slots right off the bat. Otherwise, it's a good rule.

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big lead, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

--Generally, when a game is uncompetitive, everyone just wants to get it over with and go home.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

--Not at all. The problem I have is when games start late.

[Guest Mik at Cornell]

Hey to the original poster, you shouldn't have used the Marlins as an example of a team that wouldn't have an allstar anyway. They had TWO last year, and will most likely have more than one this year. (Pudge and a pitcher)

 

God I hate when people dis the Marlins without the right facts.

[Guest Kingpk]

1. Well, the Red Sox always suck at it, but I like it nonetheless. They made a huge mistake not having a Sox-Cubs series this year, though. No one cares about the Pirates.

 

2. There's a whole mentality to pitching and I agree it would take too much to warm him back up.

 

3. The Wild Card is a great idea, IMO. It gives teams who may have been out of it in the 4 division format a shot at the postseason, which makes those games in September all the more important for more teams.

 

4. I guess a 4 man would work if the pitchers are durable enough, since that would decrease the risk of burning the pitcher out.

 

5. Nope, too many worthy players get shafted because of this. Of course, this risks one team having a glut of representatives

 

6. Seems kind of unnecessary to swing at a 3-0 pitch regardless of the situation unless it's right down the middle and literally screaming for you to hit it.

 

7. Sometimes, but the playoffs are worse since they start the games so damn late. No way a game should start at 9 PM.

 

I got a question: Is anyone else just waiting for Ramiro Mendoza to hit a Stunner on Grady Little during a mound meeting and rip off his uniform to reveal pinstripes? Would explain why he sucks so much.

[Guest alkeiper]

God I hate when people dis the Marlins without the right facts.

 

Fact: Jeff Loria sucks.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

1. Do you like MLB's interleague play? Should they change it at all or get rid of it altogether?

Get rid of it, but move Detroit back to the east where they belong and dump Tampa in the Central.

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

It makes it less strategic. I hate the DH too.

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

Fine as is.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with 3 good pitchers and one or two average pitchers?

A four man rotation doesn't work in the regular season anymore. Your pitchers will burn themselves out.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

Yes. The All-Star Game is just a fun exhibition game anyways (which is why the tie last year didn't bother me). As a Blue Jays fan, I want to see at least one guy on the team.

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big lead, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

Screw them. You score when you can.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

Yes, but that's mostly because of the lousy pitching.

[Guest CanadianChris]

1. I don't like interleague play...I always liked the idea of having two completely separate leagues, plus it allows for more intra-division games without taking away games against the other divisions.

 

2. If you did that, you'd have to do it for batters as well, and I'm completely against the idea of a batter coming back into the game after he's been removed (say for a defensive replacement). It makes the manager have to think more.

 

3. I say cut two teams, and go back to the old format of two-seven team divisions, a LCS between the two division winners, then the World Series. I detest the wild card, because it normally favours teams in weaker divisions, who then have more games against bad teams than teams in stronger divisions.

 

4. I definitely like the four-man rotation better, but pitchers coming up nowadays are so used to throwing every five or six days that it's be really hard to implement for quite awhile.

 

5. I agree that it's unfair to the National League, which has more teams...I say just expand the rosters to 30 or so, and keep the each-team-is-represented rule.

 

6. NOTHING. "Rules" like that are idiotic in this day and age.

 

7. Yes, they do. If they enforced the rule they put in about stalling between pitches, things would probably get better.

[Guest DrTom]

1. Do you like MLB's interleague play? Should they change it at all or get rid of it altogether?

 

I've never liked it. Even in the case of natural rivals, it shouldn't be preserved. It boosted ticket sales initially, but I think just about everyone's indifferent to it now. Time to put this horse out to pasture.

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

 

The risk of injuries, mostly. Also, it's counter to the strategy of the game, which forces careful substitutions, since once someone is out of the game, they're out of the game.

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

 

I don't like the wild card, but I can live with the current format. If it were expanded, I think the first thing I would do is go on a killing spree.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with 3 good pitchers and one or two average pitchers?

 

The problem is, modern arms really can't handle a four-man rotation. Guys just don't throw enough from a young age to build up the arm strength and resiliency anymore. Except for brief stretches, a five-man rotation is necessary. Ideally, I'd prefer a four-man, but in the modern game, you need five. Three plus a spot starter is usually good for the playoffs, though.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

 

Absolutely not. The only team that should be required to have one is the host team, just to generate interest from that city. Otherwise, merit should be the sole requirement.

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big lead, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

 

Nothing. I dislike crying about running up the score and things like that. If you don't want people to treat you like a punching bag, stop making it so easy for them to pound you.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

 

Yes. There's no reason they can't play a nine-inning game in 2:30, tops.

[Guest DrTom]

I have a question:

 

When a pitcher hits a batter intentionally which results in a run up to the mound why isnt the bat used as a weapon? also after being hit by the ball why not just attack the catcher with the bat with a nice swing at the knee or quad instead of the run to the mound?

Because it would be considered: (take your pick)

assault and battery, aggravated assault, or assault with a deadly weapon. Crack someone's skull and you could ramp up to attempted murder. Crack someone's skull *really* good and you're looking at murder two. Considering people can be sued for excessive violence in a hockey game, it's easy to see that such an incident would lead to criminal charges and civil litigation.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I have a question:

 

When a pitcher hits a batter intentionally which results in a run up to the mound why isnt the bat used as a weapon?  also after being hit by the ball why not just attack the catcher with the bat with a nice swing at the knee or quad instead of the run to the mound?

Actually in a minor league game a guy named Izzy Alcantara got beaned, then attacked the catcher first before going after the pitcher. Pretty unique cause no one had though of it before.

 

If that is the one from a few years ago, I saw it. The batter gets hit. He jumps in the air and karate kicks the catcher in the face and then charges the mound. It was an awesome sight to see.

[Guest Redhawk]

Should both leagues have the DH? Should no one have the DH? Or should it stay like it is?

[Guest DrTom]

Should both leagues have the DH? Should no one have the DH? Or should it stay like it is?

I'm actually indifferent to the existence of the DH... I just wish both leagues had the same rules governing it. On a pure baseball level, I think pitchers should have to take their turns at the plate like anyone else, but I also see guys like Edgar Martinez still making a positive influence on his team and community because the DH rule has enabled him to keep playing.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Should both leagues have the DH? Should no one have the DH? Or should it stay like it is?

I already mentioned this, but I hate the DH rule.

[Guest alkeiper]

I'm ok with the DH, but I think it puts the NL at a disadvantage during the World Series. An American League team can afford to carry a DH. A National League team can't.

 

A note on the All-Star game. I think they can improve the game by managing it like a real game. Carry 5-6 subs total, and use ten pitchers. You'd never take Bonds, Vlad, A-Rod, etc. out of a competitive game, so why the All-Star game, if the object is winning?

[Guest CanadianChris]

Should both leagues have the DH? Should no one have the DH? Or should it stay like it is?

The DH should be abolished, and its inventor should be tortured on a daily basis on general principle.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I hate the DH as well. I love when pitchers have to bat. It adds to the strategy a manager has to use too.

 

If your pitcher is having a great day...but you need runs and he comes up in the 7th with men on and two down...whatcha gonna do? SUCKAAAAAA

[Bored 0]

The only time the DH should be used is in the All-Star Game, otherwise it has no place in the sport. That being said it is never going away because of the Player's Association.

[Guest Smues]

1. Yes. Why? Because after all these years FINALLY Atlanta comes to Seattle. Interleague is great when you're a national league fan with only an AL team nearby.

 

2. What would be the problem with taking a pitcher out and then putting him back in later?

I just don't like that idea at all. Pitching changes tend to be time consuming, and if the manager could switch his pitcher out for righties and lefties and not use them up it'd take all night.

 

3. Should the playoff format be expanded? Cut down? Or left as is?

Keep it as it is. Nothing wrong the way it is, but don't add anymore teams or games.

 

4. Would you prefer your team had a 4-starter rotation of 4 good pitchers, or a 5-starter rotation with 3 good pitchers and one or two average pitchers?

-- 5-starter rotation works for me.

 

5. Should every team have an All-Star representative?

Yes, it forces Joe Torree to at least put a couple non-Yankees on the team every year(and thank god Torree isn't the manager this year).

 

6. What's wrong with stealing a base when your team has a big lead, swinging at a 3-0 pitch with a big lead, and all the other unwritten rules of baseball?

Nothing wrong IMO stealing with a lead or swinging at a 3-0. it's your own risk. Baseballs rules are just wierd.

 

7. Do baseball games take too long for you?

Hell no. It's enjoyable, play it as long as it takes.

[Guest RepoMan]

I'm pro DH all the way. I don't want to pay $30 to see Mike DeJean bunt.

[Guest MaxPower27]

I don't mind the DH, as long as it's not Jose Canseco.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I'm pro DH all the way. I don't want to pay $30 to see Mike DeJean bunt.

couldn't have said it better.

 

1. Interleague is fine, in fact I think it should be 50/50 like every other sport. I think the only reason people don't like it because of the DH rule putting one team at a disadvantage. (Regardless of if they keep the DH or not, both leagues should have the same rule.

 

2. Like everyone else said injuries plus double switch strategy.

 

3. The playoffs are fine. Baseball's the only sport that doesn't let anyone over .500 into the playoffs. But you have to have a wild card in case the Yankees and BoSox both win 110 games, and the Twins win like 84.

 

4. The season's just too damn long to only have 4 starters. Once you hit the playoffs you should cut down to 3 or 3.5, mainly because your 5th starter almost always sucks.

 

5. The thing about baseball is I think 50% of the teams have 100% of the good players. It's not a real game or an "honor" anyway, so who cares.

 

6. Stealing bases and stuff with a big lead is so not to make a crappy team, look, well, crappy. But they score so many runs now, I would say score all you can.

 

As for swinging on 3 and 0, it doesn't make the other team look bad, but it makes your manager looks bad, because he has to take responsibility for your dumbass turning a walk into a double play or something.

 

7. YES. Even the most exciting game sucks when it comes down to watching Sosa scratch his balls. Get back in the box you fuck!

 

 

OK, now here's my question for everyone:

 

Why in the Holy Fuck won't they put in a salary cap? Has every other sport in the entire universe not enough precedent for you Selig? You'd think a tightwad like him especially would be in favor of a cap.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

No way Selig could get a salary cap passed.

 

1.I like it. Keep the rotating interleague schedule, and 2 series against your rival. I'm anxious to see Barry Bonds against the Twins for the first time.

 

2.As mentioned earlier. That hurts the pitchers throwing arm.

 

3.Keep the format has is.

 

4.Realistically I don't think most pitchers have the mentality to pitch on shorter rest.

 

5.Yes. It's an exhibition game. Everyone playing that's up in the air.

 

6.Nothing. If the other team has a problem with it, they shouldn't of gotten behind by 7 runs.

 

7. Yes.MLB should crack down on pitchers or batters that wait 20 seconds between pitches.