Strikeouts are killing baseball

Walks aren't putting the ball in play more.

I enjoyed the speed game of the 80's far more than the game now. I realize it would be a dumb way to manage and build a team. I'm not sure what can be done other than lowering the mound.

 

Pitchers would work in the zone more. There might be more walks at the beginning, but they'd eventually realize they have to throw it over the plate.

 

Astro turf had some to do with that also. Look at the Cardinals in the 80s, mostly speed contact hitters. No teams like that anymore.

 

Are there less kids in the league than when you were a kid?

 

Also different philosophies on how to play the game.

 

I'd like to see a combination of then and now. Didn't like astroturf at all, glad that's gone. But would like to see guys trying to make more contact. Like watching strikeouts, but would rather see some guys shorten up with two strikes, not take the same swing. With guys like Stanton, hard to have him change his swing. But think it would be better if a lot of guys went more defensive, thinking contact with two strikes.

 

Study shows youth baseball, softball participation on the rise | FOX Sports

 

Equally important from baseball’s perspective, the sport showed growth in both casual and core participation over one-, three- and five-year periods at a time when the trends in other team sports are less encouraging, said Tom Cove, the president and CEO of SFIA.


But what % of kids playing sports are playing baseball now compared to 30 years ago?

 

My point is not that there are more or less participants than there used to be. I don't know. My theory is that kids failing at the game at an early age may lead to them not becoming baseball fans because they will not develop an affinity for the game.

 

I want a strict 20-second pitch clock. One in CF and one behind the plate. With a loud buzzer at :00.

Pitch within 20 seconds or it's a ball. Batters: get in the box, because if they want to quick-pitch you, they will.

Offense and defense each get one 20-second time out per half inning, in addition to manager mound visits.

Umpires can grant time out at their discretion for obvious equipment problems (broken bat, etc), but they better be legit. Stepping out of the box to tug your wristbands or scratch your nuts, that's all over.

That's it.

 

Have you witnessed a lot of kids quitting because of some of the stuff you've mentioned? My family has participated in our town's rec league for the better part of a decade on all levels from T-ball through complete baseball rules -- and I mentioned what those levels were earlier in this thread and they're comparable to what you brought up -- and honestly the vast majority of kids I've seen leave my kids' teams are kids who went to competitive. Maybe we are an different place in terms of baseball, but this is rec league that has plenty of teams in each division and my fourth grader's team has pretty much been together since they were 4.