[Shackdaddy]

The extra inning rule is stupid and misguided. The focus in speeding up the game should be keeping the batter in the batters box instead of allowing him to step out of the batters box after EVERY SINGLE PITCH. I have been saying this for years.

The batter should only be allowed to step out of the batters box in these instances:

1. He hits the ball (fair or foul). Obviously.
2. He gets on base without hitting the ball. Again, obviously.
3. He injures himself during the at bat.
4. To get out of the way of a pitch.
5. If he breaks his bat.
6. To talk to a coach or manager.
7. If the umpire calls time out.
8. To help wave a runner in on a wild pitch or passed ball.

A batter would not be able to step out of the batters box if:

1. He takes a called ball or strike. (Except ball 4 and strike 3)
2. Swings and misses or hits a foul tip. (Except for strike 3)

If a batter violated the rule once in an at bat he would be warned. A second time in a at bat would be a automatic strike. Sometimes you have to take radical steps to break a habit.

Over the course of a nine inning (250-300 pitch) ballgame this would reduce the time of a ballgame by quite a bit.

If I were czar of baseball, these rules would be tried out in the minors this year to iron out any bugs and knowing that it will work would be a rule in all professional baseball in 2018.

I googled the extra inning rule and ran across an article on the Forbes magazine website talking about the extra inning rule. The writer agreed that the rule is stupid and will not speed up the game.

At the end of this article the issue of the batter was brought up. They had two videos.
One was of a David Ortiz at bat, the other a Mickey Mantle at bat. The difference is amazing.

That is what prompted my posting.

I would post the link to that article, but I am not quite at that level of computer savvy. Check out the article.

Historical note: This stepping out of the batters box began in the 70's with former Texas and Cleveland great Mike "The Human Rain Delay" Hargrove. He also was the manager for the Cleveland teams that lost the World Series in 1995 and 1997.

Well I feel better now, getting this off my chest.

Now I can get back to playing OOTP 17. Can't wait for 18.