1. The strike zone needs to be larger, not smaller.

2. I'm OK with this. Why go through the charade of throwing four pitches outside of the strike zone? Just let the guy have first base.

3. I know they've done this in high school softball for years, at least in Massachusetts. Maybe it works in that sport at that level, but it's an awful idea for professional baseball.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/02/mlbpa-weighing-proposals-for-raised-strike-zone-automatic-intentional-walks.html?fv-home=true&post-id=84725

Forgot to post link

Mags wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

They're pushing again to speed up games. Keep batters in the batters box and require pitchers to throw a pitch within a certain time. Make the strike zone bigger than a shoe box. Limit the number of times a catcher can go to the mound.

My sentiments exactly.  Either the umpires control the game or the players and managers well push the envelope till it splits.  As long as these self-important assholes (batters) think they are entitled to control the pace of the game, it will continue to be boring for many.  I'm so sick of seeing some young jerk, hold up the game as a way of protesting a strike call that I'm tempted to switch to a girls softball game.  That and watching some guys preen and pose like high school beauty contestants.

Sorry, Artie.  I really hate to see them adopt the no-pitch pass.  They could make it more exciting by preventing the catcher from leaving the box before the pitch is released.  One of my favorite world series moments was seeing Dick Williams and the Oakland A's strike out Johnny Bench when he was looking for an intentional pass.

It was Bench, wasn't it?

Indeed ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw0w9rhNtCk

Mags wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

Mags wrote:

My sentiments exactly.  Either the umpires control the game or the players and managers well push the envelope till it splits.  As long as these self-important assholes (batters) think they are entitled to control the pace of the game, it will continue to be boring for many.  I'm so sick of seeing some young jerk, hold up the game as a way of protesting a strike call that I'm tempted to switch to a girls softball game.  That and watching some guys preen and pose like high school beauty contestants.

Sorry, Artie.  I really hate to see them adopt the no-pitch pass.  They could make it more exciting by preventing the catcher from leaving the box before the pitch is released.  One of my favorite world series moments was seeing Dick Williams and the Oakland A's strike out Johnny Bench when he was looking for an intentional pass.

It was Bench, wasn't it?

Indeed ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw0w9rhNtCk

Thank you very much.  One of my favorite baseball moments.
 

I didn't realize how much of a dick Bench is until I saw a program on the MLB Network a couple of years ago about Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. What a bitter, bitter man.

JV wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

I didn't realize how much of a dick Bench is until I saw a program on the MLB Network a couple of years ago about Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. What a bitter, bitter man.

Remember when he did the commercials for Krylon spray paint? I was watching one with my Dad, who at that point in my life seemed to be on good terms with everyone. When Johnny said the tagline "No runs, no drips, no errors", Dad muttered "No drips except for you". 
 

I remember Bench pretty much told John McNamara that he was moving to third base to preserve his knees. He wouldn't have tried that with Sparky. As good as Bench was defensively as a catcher, he was a disaster anywhere else on the field.
That Big Red Machine cast had some of the most enormous egos in the history of sports. One of my friends is a reporter who worked for United Press International back in the 70s, and he covered the '75 World Series. He's overweight, and apparently Pete Rose continuously referred to him as "Fat Fuck" and didn't miss an opportunity to belittle the poor guy any chance he got. 

Mags wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

JV wrote:

Remember when he did the commercials for Krylon spray paint? I was watching one with my Dad, who at that point in my life seemed to be on good terms with everyone. When Johnny said the tagline "No runs, no drips, no errors", Dad muttered "No drips except for you". 
 

I remember Bench pretty much told John McNamara that he was moving to third base to preserve his knees. He wouldn't have tried that with Sparky. As good as Bench was defensively as a catcher, he was a disaster anywhere else on the field.
That Big Red Machine cast had some of the most enormous egos in the history of sports. One of my friends is a reporter who worked for United Press International back in the 70s, and he covered the '75 World Series. He's overweight, and apparently Pete Rose continuously referred to him as "Fat Fuck" and didn't miss an opportunity to belittle the poor guy any chance he got. 

As I think you know, Artie, I have a very good friend who is married to an MlB player (a friend also) who was a contemporary of Rose.  She confirmed for me all of my worst impressions of Rose and some negative things I didn't know.

I had very mixed feelings about The Big Red Machine.  Because of Rose and Bench, I was thrilled by everyone of their post-season loses and agonized over their win over the Red Sox.  But I have always been a big fan of Joe Morgan and Tony Perez. 

Don Gullet always caused me a lot of pain.  But I couldn't see any reason to dislike him other than the way he pitched against the Cardinals.

I also am not fond of Ray Knight but I guess he wouldn't be considered part of the "Big Red Machine."
 

I've never been keen on the Cincinnazi experience, from Rose to Marge Schott to Dusty Baker's crew to Brandon Phillips. When I cared about the NFL, my loathing of the Reds even carried over to the Bengals.
And they put cinnamon in chili. That's medieval.