MLB 2021 Season Thread

posted by Laley23

You cant change how someone swings -- though it would solve a lot of the issues. You can alter how much contact they can make by moving the mound a bit. I'd read up on some of Theo Epstein's proposals in his new role with MLB. Some of them are really solid. The sport is unwatchable to anyone under 30, and barely watchable to anyone period. There is so little action and it takes fucking forever. They need to do more testing on speeding up the games, but getting the ball in play more is paramount. The percentage of balls put in play for the AVERAGE pitcher this year is higher than in Gibson and Docs best years. Thats....not good for a sport that was already perceived as boring.

I'd also ban the shift 5 years ago. 

They changed their swings. Changed approaches.

posted by Ironman92

They changed their swings. Changed approaches.

Right. But you cant enforce a swing change -- thats my point. And math has said going for broke is the proper play. So the only way to curb that is to give them a better chance to put the ball in play.

posted by Laley23

Right. But you cant enforce a swing change -- thats my point. And math has said going for broke is the proper play. So the only way to curb that is to give them a better chance to put the ball in play.

Pitchers adjusting to the math….the math seems to be for bigger $ contracts.

I’m fine how it is

posted by Ironman92

Pitchers adjusting to the math….the math seems to be for bigger $ contracts.

I’m fine how it is

I mean, yeah I am too. But there wont be a sport unless it changes. You have to generate revenue and right now the age of MLB viewers is insanely high. Thats not good. If the regional networks offer up smaller contracts next time around, the sport could see a drastic shift in everything.

posted by Laley23

I mean, yeah I am too. But there wont be a sport unless it changes. You have to generate revenue and right now the age of MLB viewers is insanely high. Thats not good. If the regional networks offer up smaller contracts next time around, the sport could see a drastic shift in everything.

I still feel it’s a thing with youth and everything is so fast….don’t wait a week for new episodes, watch 8 years of a sitcom in 2 weeks. Instant internet, info everything. A baseball game has been around 3 hours forever.

Pitchers slow down to glacier speed which seems counterproductive for why they do it and it adds time. Analytics saying to switch pitchers all the time. A pitching clock wouldn’t hurt anything….nothing.

Whatever it is…it is, I’ll be watching

I don’t see sports gettjby less fans….I see the same amount of fans but more people overall and more options to watch

I think you move mound back and games will take even longer as pitcher under additional stress to be more pinpoint and hitters will have marginally inflated numbers which will slightly increase offense.

But shit man…I teach jumping jacks I don’t know lol

HR Derby participants so far

Ohtani

Gallo

Soto

Story

I'm not sure if moving the mound back will lead to more balls in play. It will definitely lead to more homeruns, but if hitters keep the same approach, there will still be a lot of strikeouts. There will just be more homeruns because of the increased reaction time.

That is the first that I have heard of the double-hook rule. I'd like to see it in action before forming an opinion.

I think that one problem we have is that the newer ballparks are much smaller in center field and the power alleys that it has led to everyone trying to hit homers all the time, and it has almost eliminated triples and inside the park homers (possibly the most exciting play in baseball)

50s-80s games were under or slightly over 2.5 hrs. 90s and early 2000s around 2:47. We are approaching 3:15 really fast. It’s not a good trend, and those games before you had more balls in play. 

Pitch clock needs to happen. So does a batters box clock. All of it. 1’ between innings and have networks go soccer style with 15 second spots between pitches to make up the lost revenue. I don’t know, but I find myself just following games now and tuning in last few innings if close.

As for the balls in play, very curious to see the data in Atlantic league with mound as well as mlb with sticky stuff gone.

Just don’t do the side by side commercial like golf….I despise that.

posted by Ironman92

Just don’t do the side by side commercial like golf….I despise that.

Lol those are awful. Soccers are solid. Big box stays on game, but audio goes to ad.

posted by Laley23

Lol those are awful. Soccers are solid. Big box stays on game, but audio goes to ad.

That might be better in some cases lol…but infinitely better than the golf

Laley…lol I’m watching MLB Network Nats at Padres and Tatis is coming to the plate and MLB Network went to the side by side commercial of some dude talking about erectile dysfunction and it doesn’t end until the pitcher is starting his windup and I was coming unglued.

Seems like they are doing 1 15 second ad every half inning….fine but don’t do it as the star of the show is coming up. Don’t be taking air time from Tatis, Machado, Soto etc

Acuna done for the season.

Damn

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/marlins-pablo-lopez-strikes-out-braves-history

First 9.

posted by Gardens35

First 9.

While USA Olympic team loses 2 straight international games for the first time ever…..lose to Nigeria.

posted by Ironman92

While USA Olympic team loses 2 straight international games for the first time ever…..lose to Nigeria.

Now do vs 2019…

posted by Laley23

Now do vs 2019…

I think that it would also be interesting to see local ratings this season since most streaming services have dropped the local providers.

posted by Laley23

Now do vs 2019…

Trying  but not sure where to find….everything I type in comes back pretty positive 

Hard to judge from before Covid hit 2020 obviously low and 2021 much better….need way more info to compare to unaffected years

posted by Ironman92

Trying  but not sure where to find….everything I type in comes back pretty positive 

Hard to judge from before Covid hit 2020 obviously low and 2021 much better….need way more info to compare to unaffected years

Everything on TV is drastically up vs 2020. Covid killed all ratings. The comparable comp for advertisers has been 2019.

SNB is up 4% vs 2019, but Fox is down 16%. The regional games on FS1 are down 11%. The real test will be the ASG and the Playoffs. Regular season is whatever, as long as you are getting in the millions still (which all major leagues are). I couldn't find any comp for MNB or WNB.