MLB 2022: The Long and Winding Thread

The alignment for Gallo isn't meaningful if he did more of what the Yankees got him for.

Oh, and Sweeny Murti generally is beyond tedious. The guy who put Francesa to sleep, on the air.

 

And have a girl named Maria do the anthem.

 

Or Tony! Toni! Tone!

 

The only defenders you need for half of Gallo's ABs are the pitcher and the catcher.

 

Gee, I wonder if these organizations have thought of these things?

 

I am interested in the rationale why they don't bunt against a shift. Three true outcomes or whatever. I'd really hate for it to be an "unwritten rule" or "not sporting."

 

Re: Strikeout, walk or home run. That's not changing any time soon. I took my kid to a hitting class for a few weeks to get him ready for the season (and felt a little dirty doing it) and it's all they're teaching. Launch angle, launch angle, launch angle. No cutting down your swing with two strikes, no choking up a little for better bat control. No putting the ball in play. Just swing on this plane as hard as you fucking can. If you strike out, it's just an out. Etc. Swing styles are way different than in my era. It's like common core math. Even if I wanted to help my kid, I couldn't, because it's completely different from the way I did it. Also, it's way more fun. When these kids make contact now, it makes a different sound. They just almost never make contact.

 

That’s not it at all. There are articles out there explaining it.

 

“It Feels Good!!”

 

It’s the same reason why Shaq refused to shoot FTs underhanded.

 

Why don’t more players bunt against the shift?

MLB hitters explain why they can't just beat the shift

Bunting is hard, pride and giving ups a bunt with a shift is probably a better outcome for the defense. I figured there was more math involved. Though I do think the rise of shifts (and their success) goes hand in hand with more pitchers per game, and more players concerned with launch angles with their swings, and more whiffs. The "contact hitters" of yore are few and far between.

 

That sucks. If this were the state of the game in 1969, I would never have become the baseball fan I became. It’s so monolithic. The diamond showed there were multiple types needed for the team. Not just launch angle boppers. I guess baseball is following what happened to softball in the early 90’s when it just became everyone who could hit it over the fence and baseball plays no longer mattered. Sad.