Strikeouts are killing baseball

Having nine players on defense is about all the creativity you need to pull that one off.

 

Touche. But it's also about sweeping the mental jugular. Strike first. /Kreese

 

Shifts have been around since Rogers Hornsby was playing(not to the current extent). It’s not going anywhere.

 

I don't mind the shifts, but I think it's stupid that players, especially the lefties, aren't bunting against it. It's a free hit and a baserunner right there for the taking.

 

Bellinger tried to bunt last night ... on a 3-0 pitch ... with the Dodgers down 2 runs and needing a baserunner. He bunted right back to the pitcher for an easy out ... on a 3-0 pitch!!
Roberts was incensed. He might be too smart to manage boneheads. Second time in a week he has gotten into it with Bellinger over a dumbass play.

 

See, this is what I find interesting. He was bunting to beat a shift.
On the other hand, it was a 3-0 count, and the take sign was on.

 

Yeah, the take sign was on.

 

I’m not a baseball guy so this is probably stupid but what about a hard pitch clock the way the NBA has a shot clock?

Conceivably the pitcher would have to work faster and make more mistakes and it would put more balls in play?

 

This might sound counterintuitive, but what about calling pitches per the rule book? Open that strike zone up wide and force the batters to swing and defend it. These guys are so used to the tight zone that they lay off of pitches that are 1/2" off. If they're forced to get up there and hack at it, either there will be more base runners or faster outs. Both will help move the game along.

That or drop the mound an inch or two, but that isn't nearly as overpowering an advantage as it was years ago.

 

Or (gulp!) even more strikeouts.

 

Shrug. Guard the plate. Make contact.

It seems to me that the biggest problem with the game is a lack of balls put in play.

 

It was great.