laffite wrote: ↑March 29th, 2023, 6:15 pm
I think ho,e plate umpires be retired and let the automatic television strike zone take over. I am fed up with the bad calls. Technology is so advanced that forgoing the human element can be eschewed without guilt.. We al know humans are fallible, time to move on.
Tennis stopped using humans to call lines in all major tourneys after COVID hit. Before that, the technology was used only as a challenge backup. Now only the chair umpire can overrule the automatic line calls, and it rarely happens.
Good point made in what appears to be a defense of laffite's argument here, Tex.
However, considering the idea that Baseball especially has always been much more "history-bound" than the sport of Tennis, I would think such a drastic change as taking away the homeplate umpire position isn't likely to happen in our lifetime, anyway.
(...and thus the reason why my earlier suggestion would seem to be a more logical and practical move that would and could be done by the MLB)
I don't know... Wimbledon goes back 135 years... The US Open is not far behind, starting in 1895. Tennis rules have changed very little, even with huge changes in the way it's played (relying more on powerful serves/shots rather than finesse these days). A form of tennis (so-called "real tennis," played indoors) goes back to 16th century Europe, mainly played by royalty. The modern game of lawn tennis arose in the 1860s.
Most rule changes of late (since standardization in 1924) regard tiebreak scoring. Wimbledon and the French Open resisted last set tiebreakers, which is why Wimbledon had a 138 game fifth set with John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in 2010 (6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68). It's the longest tennis match ever played, lasting 11 hours, 5 minutes of court time, spread over 3 days (time called due to nightfall the first two days). 2022 was the first year all the Grand Slam tourneys employed a last set tiebreaker consistently.
Tennis stopped using humans to call lines in all major tourneys after COVID hit. Before that, the technology was used only as a challenge backup. Now only the chair umpire can overrule the automatic line calls, and it rarely happens.
Good point made in what appears to be a defense of laffite's argument here, Tex.
However, considering the idea that Baseball especially has always been much more "history-bound" than the sport of Tennis, I would think such a drastic change as taking away the homeplate umpire position isn't likely to happen in our lifetime, anyway.
(...and thus the reason why my earlier suggestion would seem to be a more logical and practical move that would and could be done by the MLB)
I don't know... Wimbledon goes back 135 years... The US Open is not far behind, starting in 1895. Tennis rules have changed very little, even with huge changes in the way it's played (relying more on powerful serves/shots rather than finesse these days). A form of tennis (so-called "real tennis," played indoors) goes back to 16th century Europe, mainly played by royalty. The modern game of lawn tennis arose in the 1860s.
Most rule changes of late (since standardization in 1924) regard tiebreak scoring. Wimbledon and the French Open resisted last set tiebreakers, which is why Wimbledon had a 138 game fifth set with John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in 2010 (6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68). It's the longest tennis match ever played, lasting 11 hours, 5 minutes of court time, spread over 3 days (time called due to nightfall the first two days). 2022 was the first year all the Grand Slam tourneys employed a last set tiebreaker consistently.
And another good argument made here, Tex.
However, wouldn't you admit that the number of rabid and traditionally-minded Baseball fans who could give you minutiae stats about the game and its many players who have taken the field during this same amount of time and thus one manner which is used to "rate" the players in a historical context past and present, would far out-number, and especially in America, the number of rabid Tennis fans who might be able to do the same in that sport.
(...and so in essence what I'm saying here is that anything and any changes the MLB Rules Committee might consider, they always have to take into consideration the high number and percentage of traditionalist fans that comprise their fan base)
Good point made in what appears to be a defense of laffite's argument here, Tex.
However, considering the idea that Baseball especially has always been much more "history-bound" than the sport of Tennis, I would think such a drastic change as taking away the homeplate umpire position isn't likely to happen in our lifetime, anyway.
(...and thus the reason why my earlier suggestion would seem to be a more logical and practical move that would and could be done by the MLB)
I don't know... Wimbledon goes back 135 years... The US Open is not far behind, starting in 1895. Tennis rules have changed very little, even with huge changes in the way it's played (relying more on powerful serves/shots rather than finesse these days). A form of tennis (so-called "real tennis," played indoors) goes back to 16th century Europe, mainly played by royalty. The modern game of lawn tennis arose in the 1860s.
Most rule changes of late (since standardization in 1924) regard tiebreak scoring. Wimbledon and the French Open resisted last set tiebreakers, which is why Wimbledon had a 138 game fifth set with John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in 2010 (6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68). It's the longest tennis match ever played, lasting 11 hours, 5 minutes of court time, spread over 3 days (time called due to nightfall the first two days). 2022 was the first year all the Grand Slam tourneys employed a last set tiebreaker consistently.
And another good argument made here, Tex.
However, wouldn't you admit that the number of rabid and traditionally-minded Baseball fans who could give you minutiae stats about the game and its many players who have taken the field during this same amount of time and thus one manner which is used to "rate" the players in a historical context past and present, would far out-number, and especially in America, the number of rabid Tennis fans who might be able to do the same in that sport.
(...and so in essence what I'm saying here is that anything and any changes the MLB Rules Committee might consider, they always have to take into consideration the high number and percentage of traditionalist fans that comprise their fan base)
Sure. There's going to be a lot more fans, and a lot more games (162*32 teams) per season. So more griping. I think tennis fans generally favored automatic line calling anyway.
But as for baseball, I think the loudest protest would come from the umpire's union!
Sure. There's going to be a lot more fans, and a lot more games (162*32 teams) per season. So more griping. I think tennis fans generally favored automatic line calling anyway.
But as for baseball, I think the loudest protest would come from the umpire's union!
You might be right here. And in fact, you probably are. And perhaps ever more now days, when the whole concept of "Traditionalism" seems to be on the wane.
(...and of course, not just in the realm of Sports)
Thompson wrote: ↑March 29th, 2023, 9:25 pm
I don't want to see the computerized strike zone anymore. I would much rather see the ball leaving the pitcher's hand. A bird's eye view from behind second base. Let the umpires call the game without us seeing that stupid box.
AND speaking of "Traditionalists"?!
(...we seem to have one being riled-up right HERE!!!) LOL
I’m not a “Get off my lawn” kinda guy but I definitely fall into the Traditionalist category when it comes to baseball. I don’t want umpires to go away, I just want them to be better. It’s supposed to be a merit-based system yet you still have guys like Angel Hernandez and Cowboy Joe West (retired thankfully) butchering calls behind the plate. These are the types of guys that should be weeded out by the Umpires Association but they’re not. Assuming the umpires union has something to do with that.
Now get off my lawn, I’m trying to watch the ballgame…
Thompson wrote: ↑March 29th, 2023, 9:25 pm
I don't want to see the computerized strike zone anymore. I would much rather see the ball leaving the pitcher's hand. A bird's eye view from behind second base. Let the umpires call the game without us seeing that stupid box.
Agreed. I wonder why the Umpires union doesn't carp about that.
Anyone seen the Padre uniforms today? They look like birthday cakes. If I were a Padre I wouldn't go out there looking like that. Maybe that's why there losing again. They think they are at a birthday party.
laffite wrote: ↑March 31st, 2023, 10:55 pm
Anyone seen the Padre uniforms today? They look like birthday cakes. If I were a Padre I wouldn't go out there looking like that. Maybe that's why there losing again. They think they are at a birthday party.
They're the Padres version of the Nike city connect jerseys and it's supposed celebrate San Diego and Tijuana. Few teams have good ones, while many of them are bad. They're better than the black or white Player's Weekend abominations from 2019.
All of this is just an an excuse to sell more jerseys.
That being said I do love the Field of Dreams game related gear because it brings back the old-timey logos. I love the old school Cubs logo.
Here are some of the City Connect jerseys released in previous years. Nike releases about 5-6 every year.
laffite wrote: ↑March 31st, 2023, 10:55 pm
Anyone seen the Padre uniforms today? They look like birthday cakes. If I were a Padre I wouldn't go out there looking like that. Maybe that's why there losing again. They think they are at a birthday party.
They're the Padres version of the Nike city connect jerseys and it's supposed celebrate San Diego and Tijuana. Few teams have good ones, while many of them are bad. They're better than the black or white Player's Weekend abominations from 2019.
All of this is just an an excuse to sell more jerseys.
That being said I do love the Field of Dreams game related gear because it brings back the old-timey logos. I love the old school Cubs logo.
Here are some of the City Connect jerseys released in previous years. Nike releases about 5-6 every year.
I am old school everything. Thanks for the info. I am a disaffected baseball fan trying to make a comeback. I wouldn't know about this uniform stuff.
laffite wrote: ↑April 1st, 2023, 11:44 am
I am old school everything. Thanks for the info. I am a disaffected baseball fan trying to make a comeback. I wouldn't know about this uniform stuff.
I am generally an old school fan in my early 40s, but I do like some of the new things they are trying out. The City Connect is a way to reach out to different communities in a cities fanbase, or at least that is what the marketing says.
I like old throwbacks uniforms like the Cardinals powder blues. I only 1 jersey to begin with because they are very expensive. I won't buy anymore because I don't like how the Nike logo interferes with how the Cubs pinstripes look.
I like a healthy balance of statistics, but not an overkill.
This was the most interesting baseball related video I watched this week. It's about the various camera angles they use and how it affects our perception of pitches.
Follow the money. Games are too long resulting in less fan interest and thus in less revenue? Implement a pitch clock to
speed things up. Shifts causing lower batting averages, less fan interested, etc.? Strictly curtail the shift. Follow the money.
Andree wrote: ↑April 1st, 2023, 4:11 pm
Follow the money. Games are too long resulting in less fan interest and thus in less revenue? Implement a pitch clock to
speed things up. Shifts causing lower batting averages, less fan interested, etc.? Strictly curtail the shift. Follow the money.
Yes, this is it exactly. Theo Epstein, Cubs former team president, now works for MLB addressing pace of play issues he helped usher in with the usage of analytics.
"The executives, like me, who have spent a lot of time using analytics and other measures to try to optimize individual and team performance have unwittingly had a negative impact on the aesthetic value of the game and the entertainment value of the game in some respects," Epstein said when he resigned.
If a game is long because there is a lot of action, I don't think any baseball fan would mind.
Last year the average of length of a game was 3:03. So far up until yesterday the average length this young season is 2:30. One game was actually 2:09 !! Wow !
