2023 MLB (non-Tigers) catch all thread

[casimir]

20 minutes ago, oblong said:

good question.  I could see it being something like an intern or something.  But it's also kind of important since it affects actual play.  

I thought official scorer first, but then possibly an intern as the scorer might be too occupied.

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, Tigeraholic1 said:

I got to tour our local minor league booth recently and they showed us alot of the behind the scenes stuff. There is a person who now controls the pitch clock. I asked "who runs that?", assuming it was someone on the umpire crew. I was told it was ran by the home team. That was suprising, talk about a little home field advantage! I assume the big league clubs umpires run those clocks? 

The umpires may not 'run' the clock, but they are in charge of it. I don't think a home team clock operator would get much leeway from the HP ump before he noticed if the operator were trying to shade it for the home team. Then again, we are talking about these major league umpires......🤮

[CMRivdogs]

From the Google machine..

At the Loons’ home park in Midland, Mich., the timer is operated by a rotating crew of four retirees and five high school and college kids on internships. At Classic Park, the Daktronics All Sport 5000 Series Control Console is run by Brian Solar, a semi-retired former Federal Reserve Bank vault teller who was brought on as a seasonal employee.

“The ump doesn’t tell you when to start the clock all the time,” Solar said. “You have to have your own sense of when it should start. So if there’s a base hit out to left field and they throw the ball into the shortstop, it’s kind of up to you to decide, ‘OK, now start the 30-second clock between batters.’ You have to develop a feel of not doing it too soon. Because if you do, the ump is going to signal for you to cut the clock.”

So it’s an important job. Solar takes it seriously, meeting with the umps before each game to go over hand signals.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/how-pitch-clock-is-working-in-minor-leagues-in-2022

[chasfh]

2 hours ago, oblong said:

good question.  I could see it being something like an intern or something.  But it's also kind of important since it affects actual play.  

I think it depends on how clear the rule on starting and stopping the pitch timer are. Between pitches the timer starts when the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher or umpire. That's easy enough. Timer stops when the pitcher starts his delivery. I'm not sure exactly triggers a stop. Is it when the pitcher disengages with his non-pitcher plate foot? That would make the most sense. I also don't know exactly when the 30-second between-batters clock starts, and when the between-innings clock starts. Seems to make the most sense to have it start when the umpire signal out number three.

I'm with you, it's a pretty important component of play now, so I can't imagine they would entrust an intern with it. It must be a paid employee. Or perhaps someone along the lines of official scorer, e.g., someone from the local press or broadcast outlet?

[Sports_Freak]

5 hours ago, chasfh said:

I think it depends on how clear the rule on starting and stopping the pitch timer are. Between pitches the timer starts when the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher or umpire. That's easy enough. Timer stops when the pitcher starts his delivery. I'm not sure exactly triggers a stop. Is it when the pitcher disengages with his non-pitcher plate foot? That would make the most sense. I also don't know exactly when the 30-second between-batters clock starts, and when the between-innings clock starts. Seems to make the most sense to have it start when the umpire signal out number three.

I'm with you, it's a pretty important component of play now, so I can't imagine they would entrust an intern with it. It must be a paid employee. Or perhaps someone along the lines of official scorer, e.g., someone from the local press or broadcast outlet?

I've seen relief pitchers come to a set position, hold it and be called for a time violation. Not sure what the determination is for re-setting the time clock. But jeez...games are too fast! 🤣🤣

[Motor City Sonics]

Is Fernando Tatis Jr a clubhouse cancer?   That team was so much better without him.   How much do they still owe him?  

[Motor City Sonics]

Trayce Thompson is hitting .023 since April 14th.   25 Ks in 44 AB.        He's 1 for 44 in that period.    That's Ray Oyler territory.  

[Jim Cowan]

19 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Trayce Thompson is hitting .023 since April 14th.   25 Ks in 44 AB.        He's 1 for 44 in that period.    That's Ray Oyler territory.  

Do you think we could get him back?  We were such fools for letting him go last time.

[chasfh]

2 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Trayce Thompson is hitting .023 since April 14th.   25 Ks in 44 AB.        He's 1 for 44 in that period.    That's Ray Oyler territory.  

Ray Oyler was not that bad.

[Tiger337]

3 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Is Fernando Tatis Jr a clubhouse cancer?   That team was so much better without him.   How much do they still owe him?  

$340 million which comes out to $24 million per year. I'd take him though.  

[RandyMarsh]

Love to see this!

[chasfh]

I would like to know whether the shorter games, as well as rumors that the games are shorter, is behind this. I would guess it has a lot to do with it.

[Tiger337]

I generally could not care less about MLB breaking an attendance record as it is of no benefit to me.  However, if it's because of faster paced games and it encourages them to stay with the pitch clock as is, then it's a good thing.  

[RandyMarsh]

Some have also speculated that with the more balanced schedule now there could be some more attractive or atleast new matchups for fans to go out and see. 

[RandyMarsh]

I care about attendance numbers just cause I want the game to grow or atleast not die off so any sign of possible growth is a good thing in my eyes even if it doesn't directly effect me. 

[chasfh]

1 minute ago, RandyMarsh said:

Some have also speculated that with the more balanced schedule now there could be some more attractive or atleast new matchups for fans to go out and see. 

I suspect many would care if Bryce Harper or Trout or Ohtani or Judge were coming to town, since even casual fans have heard of these guys.

[Tiger337]

3 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I suspect many would care if Bryce Harper or Trout or Ohtani or Judge were coming to town, since even casual fans have heard of these guys.

But those guys now play less often against divisional opponents, so wouldn't that lower the attendance for teams in their division? 

[RandyMarsh]

5 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

But those guys now play less often against divisional opponents, so wouldn't that lower the attendance for teams in their division? 

Yes but those fans have been seeing them 9 times a year for several years so by this point the novelty of seeing them may have worn out a bit.

I mean it's certainly still there but not to the extent that it would be to a market that either hasn't seen or rarely sees them. To them this could be the first time they got a chance to see them on a weekend with nice weather so that potential gain should be more than the loss you would see in intra division games. 

 

[chasfh]

Plus, since we now have games against all 29 other teams, all those NL cities can be certain the Yankees, Red Sox, and Trout/Ohtani Angels will come to town at least every other year.

[oblong]

How was the weather nationally?   

[KL2]

5 hours ago, chasfh said:

I would like to know whether the shorter games, as well as rumors that the games are shorter, is behind this. I would guess it has a lot to do with it.

Im sure its part of it. But covid being over also plays a part. Lots more traveling and heading out now and many aren't realizing how much more they are compared to pre-pandemic

[Tenacious D]

I don’t think enough is being reported about the A’s this season.  They are on pace for a bout a 30-win season without any hope of much improvement the rest of the way.  They could obliterate the all-time futility MLB record.

[casimir]

14 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

I don’t think enough is being reported about the A’s this season.  They are on pace for a bout a 30-win season without any hope of much improvement the rest of the way.  They could obliterate the all-time futility MLB record.

Las Vegas is considering just keeping the AAA team and passing on the A's.

[RandyMarsh]

The A's could throw 20 straight shutouts and there'd be a decent chance they still be last in the league in runs allowed after it was over with. 

[Motor City Sonics]

Max Scherzer needs to shut the hell up or retire.   His non-stop bitching about the pitch clock is annoying.