MLB rule changes for 2023.

[SkipBranham]

With the rule changes coming next year, I was wondering if anyone was thinking of trying to implement some of the changes in your saves?

Some of the changes in considering for my save are:

Banning infield shifts.

Slightly increasing balks. (To try to simulate the changes in pitch clock and the new pick off attempts rule)

Moderately increasing stolen base attempts and success due to the increase in base size and changes to aforementioned pitching rules.

Any suggestions, ideas, or feedback?

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by SkipBranham

With the rule changes coming next year, I was wondering if anyone was thinking of trying to implement some of the changes in your saves?

Some of the changes in considering for my save are:

Banning infield shifts.

Slightly increasing balks. (To try to simulate the changes in pitch clock and the new pick off attempts rule)

Moderately increasing stolen base attempts and success due to the increase in base size and changes to aforementioned pitching rules.

Any suggestions, ideas, or feedback?

Shift ban as written is already an option in OOTP23.

I don't think balk attempts is the right way to simulate pitch clock change; what you want is slight decrease in Ks and a moderate increase in SBs.

Strictly speaking you should also probably tick each of BABIP, 2Bs, and 3Bs up a *hair* to compensate for the very slight decrease in distance between bases.

[SkipBranham]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

Shift ban as written is already an option in OOTP23.

I don't think balk attempts is the right way to simulate pitch clock change; what you want is slight decrease in Ks and a moderate increase in SBs.

Strictly speaking you should also probably tick each of BABIP, 2Bs, and 3Bs up a *hair* to compensate for the very slight decrease in distance between bases.

You don't think that there will be any jump in balks with the numerous changes in pitching rules?

I knew that the ban shift option was already in the game, I have just never used it. So without having the shift, the number of hits will surely go up. I wonder if there's any data on shifts and hits prevented from said shift?

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by SkipBranham

You don't think that there will be any jump in balks with the numerous changes in pitching rules?

I knew that the ban shift option was already in the game, I have just never used it. So without having the shift, the number of hits will surely go up. I wonder if there's any data on shifts and hits prevented from said shift?

I don't. I think the number of balks from a third pickoff attempt will be countable on one hand - I do think runners will get better leads because pitchers won't be as comfortable using pickoff attempts 1 and 2.

Without the shift the number of hits actually doesn't change much at all. Eno Sarris (senior baseball writer for The Athletic) crunched the numbers on his podcast on Monday and I think came up with a number that the lefty hitters who are the most extreme-pull on grounders (which are by far the ones shifted on most) might if they're lucky get an extra 4-6 hits per season.