Challenge System Probably Incoming for MLB...quick questions

[Le Grande Orange]

According to Retrosheet's game log for the 2012 season, the average length for a normal-length game (8½-9 innings, 51-54 outs) was 175.96 minutes. The shortest was 118 minutes; the longest was 255 minutes.

Originally Posted by D-BacksJosh

Back in the 70's games averaged 2.5 hours. I guess those were the days.

I actually put together a graph taken from Retrosheet's game logs which showed the average length in minutes of a normal-length game (8½-9 innings, 51-54 outs) for all the seasons for which there were sufficient data. Last year when Markus added the Real Time Simulation feature to OOTP I sent him the info so the typical length of games as taken for RTS could vary in accordance with the era.

If I get the chance I'll post it later on.

[Nunyer]

Originally Posted by Sweed

And yet you can comprehend the mental gymnastics required to come to the conclusion that getting a called strike three, that is obviously actually ball four, 100% wrong because the "powers that be" determine that call cannot be reviewed. OK, gotcha

Have yet to see anyone explain why a runner called out on a throw can be put on first base when the call is overturned by replay. Yet a batter called out on a third strike that can be shown by replay is obviously ball four cannot be put on first base because his play is determined to not be reviewable. Care to explain why the runner's call is more important than the batter's call? Both calls 100% wrong only one can be reviewed. Nice system.

MLB has decided to not allow balls and strikes to be reviewed. What is so terribly difficult to grasp about that? It's called "don't throw out the baby with the bath water". Either you are willing to accept an incremental improvement in the accuracy of the officiating or you are not.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by Nunyer

MLB has decided to not allow balls and strikes to be reviewed. What is so terribly difficult to grasp about that? It's called "don't throw out the baby with the bath water". Either you are willing to accept an incremental improvement in the accuracy of the officiating or you are not.

And yet MLB wants replay so they "can get it right". The technology is there to get it right for 100%* of the plays. Why not use it? I can't understand anyone that wants replay not standing up and insisting that all plays should be included. Makes no sense at all to me.

As far as that goes a ball-strike review would probably be the fastest and easiest review to do. Ball touches any part of the box it's a strike. Ball doesn't touch any part of the box it's a ball. What is so hard about that? Don't want to embarrass the umps? News flash anyone already watching the game knows he missed the call. Then it's compounded by a system that could fix the issue but simply won't. Why? That is way more embarrassing than the ump simply missing the call.

*At least I haven't been able to think of a play that couldn't be reviewed.

[VanillaGorilla]

What troubles me is that this is being rolled out with all sorts of fan fare by the Commissioner's Office, but the specifics are being withheld. I am getting the sense that this is being pushed at this time to take the suspensions off the front pages (and it has done that).

If this is such a great thing, why the lack of specifics? I am getting the sense that this is a situation where we are supposed to accept a "We won't know what is in the bill until we vote on it, so don't ask questions" argument*.

We are being sold a bill of goods that NO ONE knows how will all play out.

Want to go forward expanding replay? Fine.

Experiment with it in Spring Training, minors, college...some place other than the Majors, first.

[Nunyer]

The suspensions were two weeks ago... roughly a month for Braun. I can't say I read up on baseball news every single day, but that was still getting headlines everywhere?!?

And I'm sure balls and strikes will never, ever be subject to a challenge. The home plate umpires will simply be eliminated at some point. The current technology is accurate to within an inch or two... give it another few years and it will be closer to perfect. Give it another few years and we'll likely only see two umpires on the field with nobody permanently behind the plate. Give it another few years and human umpires are only plying their trade at the lower levels. Good, bad or something in between... change marches on.

And just for the record... I am largely indifferent to replay in baseball. If the commissioner's office announced that all replay would be removed from baseball and the issue would be not be discussed again until after the 2035 season... I would have just shrugged my shoulders, said 'meh' and continued to watch baseball same as I have for the last 30 years. As I've stated before, it's all much ado about nothing.

[VanillaGorilla]

Originally Posted by Nunyer

The suspensions were two weeks ago... roughly a month for Braun. I can't say I read up on baseball news every single day, but that was still getting headlines everywhere?!?

Yep.

Check espn site. Top linked story on main page there involves Tejada. The Top three stories on the baseball page are Tejada, A-Rod, Braun.

MLB got front page of the main section of USA Today, Friday. It literally knocked all other stories off the front page.

Instant replay should be done and done right. Not as an opportunistic gimmick for PR purposes.

Originally Posted by Nunyer

And just for the record... I am largely indifferent to replay in baseball. If the commissioner's office announced that all replay would be removed from baseball and the issue would be not be discussed again until after the 2035 season... I would have just shrugged my shoulders, said 'meh' and continued to watch baseball same as I have for the last 30 years. As I've stated before, it's all much ado about nothing.

I agree with you up to your summation.


It is something ado about something. And the something is that this historic change needs to be vetted at the lower levels.

We know the umpires go through a vetting process, what about the people working the equipment in New York who will override the on field calls? Will these be umpires or merely college interns working the gig because of their looks and/or pedigrees?

[Nunyer]

Everybody knows Toledo Mud Hen games are covered by 22 high def camera recording every inch of the park... It's the perfect test bed for instant replay! Some things are not going to be practical in the minors.

At this point, I'm willing to give MLB the benefit of the doubt that college interns gettin paid $8/hour won't be involved. About the very worst case scenario would be replay overturning the proper call... MLB knows this would be an absolute *bleep* storm disaster and I doubt they are taking any shortcuts.

And yea... PEDs are another thing I'm largely indifferent about... so I tuned out news on that shortly after the story broke. Guys broke the rules, they were caught and punished... Again, much ado about nothin. Cheating has been going on as long as competition and it still throws everybody's panties into a bunch when *gasp* guys look to weasel.

[VanillaGorilla]

And what major league park comes with cameras? They can be moved in and out of minor league locations in the same manner.

[D-BacksJosh]

Originally Posted by Honorable_Pawn

I have always wondered why teams bother to throw the ball for an intentional walk with this rule in place. It's completely dumb. I would never have my team throw the ball.

What would this lead to?

Would it possibly lead to others following suit? What if every team started doing that? The wild-pitch on intentional walks would be eliminated. I have never looked up the rule before. Is there a ball 4 clause or something?

8.04
When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.” The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball.
The intent of this rule is to avoid unnecessary delays. The umpire shall insist that the catcher return the ball promptly to the pitcher, and that the pitcher take his position on the rubber promptly. Obvious delay by the pitcher should instantly be penalized by the umpire.

Now that I am re-reading the rule it is required that the batter is in the box first. Guess there should be a rule about that too.