New Intentional Walk Rule: Like It?

[KMayUSA6060]

Originally Posted by steve B

I'll answer both at once without quoting, I'd have to do some copying and pasting to quote both and frankly I'm feeling lazy.

KMay -

I personally like the game just fine as it is.
There will always be changes, some small, some bigger. I started paying attention as a kid in late 73, so to me the DH in the AL but not NL is just how baseball is. And that was a really major change.
I don't like it, but changing the intentional walk isn't quite on the same scale as rule changes go.
I enjoy both Baseball and Football, for different reasons. Hockey and Basketball a bit less as they've both changed a lot since I was into them.

The younger friends and relatives I have that don't quite get baseball all have a standing offer to watch a game with me so I can explain all the subtle stuff going on away from what the TV focuses on. Like where the catcher sets up vs where the pitch really is. (Many good catchers will sometimes set up "wrong" and correct as the pitch is being released, something that surprised me when I learned of it.) And how that affects where the fielders play.
Only one taker so far, and even the bit I know changed his whole perception of the game from nine guys mostly standing around until there was some brief frantic activity to one with more appreciation for that "standing around" which is such a big part of the game.
Another was complaining about Manny Ramirez a few years ago, saying he was lazy and had to go because of it. When I told him to watch closely and notice how Manny would sort of meander over to a ball whether a popup or clean hit to the outfield (The laziness) then note how quickly he threw the ball once he got it. And how regularly that caught the baserunner a bit off guard. There's a reason he had a decent number of outfield assists. Again, something that totally changed how he saw the player. To this day I'm still not sure if it was actually Manny being a bit lazy or if it was truly just an act as I suspected.

Overall, I don't like the change, but I think it's something we'll eventually get used to.

Steve B

I'm somewhat with you that the game is just fine as it is. I would like to see them bring back collisions at home plate. I don't know why they got rid of that entertaining aspect of the game. I'd also like to see them allow managers the opportunity to argue calls again. Screw replay. Even when it's used it isn't always right.

I just don't understand what they are trying to accomplish with these petty little rule changes. John Kruk said there's an IBB once very 2 games. If it shaves 14 seconds off per IBB, that's 7 seconds a game. What a joke. And it doesn't stop here. They're going to look at more aspects going into next season. It's annoying. Leave my baseball alone. Haha.

Also, I was watching MLBTV and they were with Benjie Molina at the Giants' camp. He talked about framing pitches, and how catchers will set up "wrong" to sell a pitch that comes back over the plate. Pretty interesting stuff.