MLB 2023 Season

[thehef]

Was watching Dodgers-Cubs today (Sunday) and the game ended with three straight Dodgers called out on strikes, all 3 called-looking K's - plus a couple of others in the inning - were outside of the strike zone, and not particularly close...

I don't mind the occasional high-low pitch being called wrong, as long as it's close, because at least that's open to interpretation. The same, however, cannot be said for inside-outside calls, like the ones I just witnessed. No excuse, other than incompetence.

Made me think that when umpires are eventually/inevitably replaced by robots, they will only have their ineptitude to blame. Good riddance, don't let the door hit ya, I'll say.

[Déjà Bru]

I have to agree with this, traditionalist though I may be. The stakes are too high and the mistakes too obvious now for this to continue. On the flip side of this, I am also tired of seeing managers ranting like babies when things don't go their way. I will never pay to see machines play ball but I would be comfortable with the only humans on the field being the ballplayers themselves. Let machines regulate play fair and square and let managers (and coaches for that matter) sit on their rear ends in the dugout. Fire the umps.

[Déjà Bru]

The other day, I was watching Giancarlo Stanton running hard (to his credit) to first. I remember thinking "there goes his Achilles." Well, it was not that play, but he did pull his hamstring running out a double and so will be out 4 to 6 weeks. Muscle-bound players like him are a waste, especially in their declining years. It's amazing how one good season will buy someone years of misplaced hope and faith in him.

[GeoWar]

Originally Posted by thehef

Was watching Dodgers-Cubs today (Sunday) and the game ended with three straight Dodgers called out on strikes, all 3 called-looking K's - plus a couple of others in the inning - were outside of the strike zone, and not particularly close...

I don't mind the occasional high-low pitch being called wrong, as long as it's close, because at least that's open to interpretation. The same, however, cannot be said for inside-outside calls, like the ones I just witnessed. No excuse, other than incompetence.

Made me think that when umpires are eventually/inevitably replaced by robots, they will only have their ineptitude to blame. Good riddance, don't let the door hit ya, I'll say.

The "K-Zone" strike area is simply a configuration of camera strike zone . It does not adjust to batters or to an angle that favors inside or outside pitches . Give me a consistent human umpire . Pitchers need to go back to throwing strikes (adjusting to umpires) Batters need to go back to hitting strikes ( and balls that can be hit ) .

Judge and Betts have different strike zones --- Judge has had Betts low strike called on him , Betts has had high strikes called but not a Judge high strike called on him .

It is a game - played with pride by coaches, players, and umpires - let them be accountable .

I am glad I can see the infield and/or outfielder positioning more and less of the catcher's crotch .

[thehef]

Originally Posted by GeoWar

The "K-Zone" strike area is simply a configuration of camera strike zone . It does not adjust to batters or to an angle that favors inside or outside pitches . Give me a consistent human umpire . Pitchers need to go back to throwing strikes (adjusting to umpires) Batters need to go back to hitting strikes ( and balls that can be hit ) .

Judge and Betts have different strike zones --- Judge has had Betts low strike called on him , Betts has had high strikes called but not a Judge high strike called on him .

It is a game - played with pride by coaches, players, and umpires - let them be accountable .

I am glad I can see the infield and/or outfielder positioning more and less of the catcher's crotch .

I agree with some of this. However, it's not the Judge vs Betts / vertical strike zones that I have a problem with (I'm ALL for umps having discretion to make this call, without robot input). It's the over-the-plate-or-not part. It doesn't matter whether it's Judge, Betts, Richie Sexson, or Eddie Gaedel. Home plate doesn't move, and it's either over the plate or it's not. Pitches that are half a foot or even more outside of the K-zone are simply not strikes, regardless of the characteristics of the individual batter.

Umpires missing borderline pitches is one thing, but missing by that much - on the horizontal calls - is just bad umpiring and should not be tolerated, IMO.

Re "pitchers need to go back to throwing strikes (adjusting to umpires) Batters need to go back to hitting strikes..." that becomes more difficult when umpires lack consistency.

We have - and use - the technology to determine if a football has crossed the goal line. Since big league umps have demonstrated an inability to consistently call inside-outside pitches correctly, we should use that technology. IMO.

[Westheim]

Shoutout to Kutter Crawford, you came into the Patriots Day Game with an ERA of "you have options, right?", and after the second rain delay pitched 6.1 scoreless innings while the Sox' rally just fell short.

I'm a sucker for Shohei Ohtani, but at that point I was rooting for a walkoff to give Crawford the W.

[Westheim]

Reds have a debutee on the hill, and Levi Stoudt might grab the record for briefest MLB career yet (that's half-supposed to be a pitch clock pun, but doesn't really work, much like Stoudt's pitchcraft). It's 5-0 and only one out in the first. The Rays are absolutely killing him.

[Cobra Mgr]

Mad Max got ejected for using a foreign substance.

[Izz]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Mad Max got ejected for using a foreign substance.

Ooh, looking forward to the Jomboy breakdown for this one...

[Bluenoser]

Las Vegas Athletics - 1 step closer to becoming reality. - https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...as-vegas-strip

[Cobra Mgr]

Nick Ahmed playing cricket.

[Izz]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Mad Max got ejected for using a foreign substance.

Originally Posted by Izz

Ooh, looking forward to the Jomboy breakdown for this one...

And here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVHrWQHBTxY

[Cobra Mgr]

Mad Max to get 10 games.

[Westheim]

Drew Smyly was perfect through five against the Dodgers, but the Cubbies batted for almost 30 minutes as they brutalize the Dodgers, and now in the sixth he seems like he's lost his edge.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Westheim

Drew Smyly was perfect through five against the Dodgers, but the Cubbies batted for almost 30 minutes as they brutalize the Dodgers, and now in the sixth he seems like he's lost his edge.

Well, as far as perfect games busting late go, this one was pretty special

[Cobra Mgr]

This is why failing less than 7 out of 10 times in your career gets you into the HOF.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

This is why failing less than 7 out of 10 times in your career gets you into the HOF.

Elon should make his rockets out of whatever is in that guy's elbow.

[monkeyman576]

Who would've thought Seattle's Jared Kelenic would have more home runs than Aaron Judge at this point in the season?

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

Who would've thought Seattle's Jared Kelenic would have more home runs than Aaron Judge at this point in the season?

Hitting .342 as well?? When did that happen??

Those Mets...

[Amazin69]

The Legend of Brodie von Hunchback lives on!!

(Okay, so we also got Edlose Diaz in the deal. Who's even been good…some of the time. But Kelenic-for-Cano has the potential be an all-time stinker, even if Timmy comes back and finds top form.)