Quote:
Originally Posted by LansdowneSt
I did see that. As one watching the game and looking at the baseball reference site, I think MLB accomplished its goal on the stolen bases. The pitcher having limited throws to first seems, to my eye, the most impactful but whatever is the driver, the effect is noticeable, and I think - as we watch the numbers come in over a season via the link in the first post, the pinch runner thing won't be necessary and would be too far even if one is very open-minded on new rules.
I miss starters too. The complete game workhorses of my youth are gone but I think some of the restrictions on pitchers on the roster and the limits on the AAA shuttle to constantly move relievers in and out is helping. But I'd need to look at Quality Starts and IP per starter to see if my impression is supported by data. As an AL-league guy, I don't want to lose the DH under any circumstances and injuries (though this will prob be a carve out in the rules) or ineffectiveness further reducing the ability of a team that falls behind to come back (by losing the DH) is silly.
Sometimes you need to test to see how silly it is though.
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I do feel like the days of the 10 CG a year starter is done, not necessarily because of huge bullpens but because the league figured out that there’s a significant penalty for one pitcher facing batters more than a couple times, maybe 3 times at the most, per game. I also can’t really see a way you can legislate that back into the game and so I’m OK with trying to do things to fix everything else. Admittedly my own solutions - make the balls slightly larger and squishier, experiment with moving the mound back - are a lot more game impacting than tinkering with the designated hitter (admittedly I think the designated pinch runner is interesting even if it doesn’t get at all the strikeouts).