Intentional
Hit By Pitch
When
the pitcher throws a pitch that hits the batter, and the umpire
thinks that it was done intentionally, he gives warnings to both
pitchers. What's up with that? Does this mean it's okay to try to bean
the batter as long as a warning hasn't been given yet? In my opinion,
throwing at the
batter is a terrible terrible thing, and there's no place for it in
baseball. The penalty should be far more harsh. First, all
baserunners should move up at least two bases. And the pitcher
shouldn't just be thrown out of the game. He should be arrested. After
all, it's a
crime to throw a hard object at another person with the intent to hurt
him. How can the civil laws inside the stadium be different from those
outside the stadium? And yes, I know that the umpire could make a
mistake, thinking that the
pitcher was trying to hit the batter when he
really wasn't.
Well,
my response is: That's for the courts to decide.
Ground
Rule Double
When there's a ground rule double, the runner on first goes to third
base. That's the rule. But nearly every time this happens, the
announcers comment that, if the ball didn't bounce over the wall, that
runner would have scored. And really, if the batter hits the ball all
the way to the wall, the runner on first usually scores. So why not
change the rule to say that, on a ground rule double, all
baserunners score.
Fielding
Winners
In tennis, when a player fails to return an
easy shot, it's counted as an "unforced error". And, when a
player hits a great shot for a point, it is recorded as a "winner".
In baseball, when a fielder fails to make an easy play, it's counted as
an "error". Well, when he
makes an incredible play to get an out, why not add a "winner" to his
record? This would provide useful information in determining a player's
fielding ability.
Hustle
It
makes me so angry when a player doesn't hustle to first base. Is he too
tired? Is he trying to conserve his energy for later? If I was a head
coach, I would insist that the players run as fast as
they can every time they make contact with the ball (and on a third
strike). Even if it's clearly a foul ball, run hard until you see the
umpire or the first-base coach makes the call..And you'll have plenty
of time to do your home run trot after
the umpire twirls his finger in the air. When you hit a slow grounder
or
an easy pop fly, don't stamp your feet in anger. Run, Forrest, run!
Pitcher
Strategy
It used to be very common for pitchers to
pitch complete games. But then, I guess somebody decided that this
would end pitchers' careers too quickly, so everybody switched to the
strategy we see today: "Starters" pitch for 6 or 7 innings, "middle
relievers" go for 1 or 2 innings, and "closers" are only used for 1
inning. However I think I have a better idea. What about a strategy
where all pitchers would stay in for 2 to 4 innings? Then the head
coach has a wider selection when he needs to choose a pitcher. Also,
each pitcher would only need one or two days rest. And, in the national
league, you could pinch hit for the pitcher practically every time he
comes up in the batting order.
More
Errors
Why, I wonder, is a passed ball not counted
as an error? If the ball gets past the shortstop, it's an error, so why
shouldn't the same be true for the catcher? Suppose a passed ball
results in a run scoring. Should the pitcher really be charged with an
earned run? For that matter, perhaps
balks should be counted as errors to. And "catcher balks"...
Innings Order
When one team is leading, it's more interesting to watch the other team
bat. So, to make the game more exciting, here's what suggest: As soon
as one team takes the lead, the
state of the game (number of outs, which bases are occupied, and the
inning number) is recorded, and the teams switch sides so that the
losing team is batting. The losing team would keep batting until they
tied or took the lead, at which point, the state of the game is
recorded, and
then we return to the previously-recorded state.
Here's an example. In the top of the first, the visitors go three up
three down. Then in the bottom of the first, the home team doesn't
score. But in the top of the second, the leadoff batter hits a home
run. So at this point, I would have the teams switch sides, moving to
the home half of the second inning. In that inning the home team goes
three up, three down. Then we skip directly to the bottom of the third
inning, so the home team continues batting. Now in the bottom of the
third, the first two batters are retired,
the third batter hits a single, and then the fourth batter strikes out.
Then the runner on first goes back to the dugout, and we move directly
to the
bottom of the fourth inning. Here, the batters get a single, an out, an
out, and a double that scores a run. Now the score is tied
1-1, so the visitors take over where they left off, batting in the top
of the second with the bases empty and no outs. After getting two outs,
the visitors begin a two out rally: two singles, a walk, and a grand
slam home
run, making the score 5-1 in favor of the visitors. So we return to
where we left off before, in the home half of the fourth with two outs
and a runner on second base. Continuing the fourth inning, they get a
home run for two rbi's making the score 5-3.
Since the visitors are still winning, the home team keeps batting. They
get an out, ending the bottom of the fourth. Now the bottom of the
fifth begins. They don't
score. There are no runs in the bottom of the sixth, seventh, or eighth
innings either. In the bottom of the ninth, they pick up one run, but
that's it. The game ends with the visitors winning by a score of 5-4.
So, to repeat, here's what happened in this game:
Top of
the first inning (0-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Fly out (0-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Ground out (0-0, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Strike out (0-0, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom
of the first inning (0-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Fly out (0-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Walk (0-0, 1 out, runner on first)
Ground out; the runner advances to
second (0-0, 2 outs, runner on second)
Strike out (0-0, 3 outs, runner on
second)
Top of
the second inning (0-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Home run (1-0, 0 outs, bases empty)
Bottom
of the second inning (1-0,
0 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (1-0, 1 out, bases
empty)
Strike out (1-0, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Strike out (1-0, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom
of the third inning (1-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Fly out (1-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Fly out (1-0, 2 outs, bases empty)
Single (1-0, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Strike out (1-0, 3 outs, runner on
first)
Bottom
of the fourth inning (1-0,
0 outs, bases empty)
Single (1-0, 0 outs, runner on
first)
Fielder's choice (1-0, 1 out,
runner on first)
Fly out (1-0, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Double; one run scores (1-1, 2
outs, runner on second)
Top of
the second inning, continued
(1-1, 0 outs, bases empty)
Fly out (1-1, 1 out, bases empty)
Ground out (1-1, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Single (1-1, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Single; runner advances to second
(1-1, 2 outs, runners on first and second)
Walk (1-1, 2 outs, bases loaded)
Home run (5-1, 2 outs, bases empty)
Bottom
of the fourth inning, continued (5-1, 2 outs, runner on second)
Home run, two runs score (5-3, 2
outs, bases empty)
Ground out (5-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom
of the fifth inning (5-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Single (5-3, 0 outs, runner on
first)
Double play (5-3, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Fly out (5-3, 3 outs, bases empty)
Bottom
of the sixth inning (5-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Strike out (5-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Fly out (5-3, 2 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (5-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom
of the seventh inning (5-3,
0 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (5-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Double (5-3, 1 out, runner on
second)
Ground out; runner advances to
third (5-3, 2 outs, runner on third)
Fly out (5-3, 3 outs, runner on
third)
Bottom
of the eighth inning (5-3,
0 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (5-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Fly out (5-3, 2 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (5-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom
of the ninth inning (5-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Double (5-3, 0 outs, runner on
second)
Ground out; runner advances to
third (5-3, 1 out, runner on third)
Single; one run scores (5-4, 1
out, runner on first)
Fly out (5-4, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Single; runner advances to third
(5-4, 2 outs, runners on first and third)
Walk (5-4, 2 outs, bases loaded)
Strike out (5-4, 3 outs, bases
loaded)
Isn't that game far more exciting than what could have happened under
the current rules:
Top of
the first inning (0-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Fly out (0-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Ground out (0-0, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Strike out (0-0, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom
of the first inning (0-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Fly out (0-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Walk (0-0, 1 out, runner on first)
Ground out; the runner advances to
second (0-0, 2 outs, runner on second)
Strike out (0-0, 3 outs, runner on
second)
Top of
the second inning (0-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Home run (1-0, 0 outs, bases empty)
Fly out (1-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Ground out (1-0, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Single (1-0, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Single; runner advances to second
(1-1, 2 outs, runners on first and second)
Walk (1-1, 2 outs, bases loaded)
Home run (5-0, 2 outs, bases empty)
Double (5-0, 2 outs, runner on
second)
Single; one run scores (6-0, 2
outs, runner on first)
Fly out (6-0, 3 outs, runner on
first)
Bottom of the second inning (6-0, 0 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (6-0, 1 out, bases
empty)
Strike out (6-0, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Strike out (6-0, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Top of
the third inning (6-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Fly out (6-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Fly out (6-0, 2 outs, bases empty)
Single (6-0, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Fly out (6-0, 3 outs, runner on
first)
Bottom
of the third inning (6-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Fly out (6-0, 1 out, bases empty)
Fly out (6-0, 2 outs, bases empty)
Single (6-0, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Strike out (6-0, 3 outs, runner on
first)
Top of
the fourth inning (6-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Single (6-0, 0 outs, runner on
first)
Fielder's choice (6-0, 1 out,
runner on first)
Double; runner advances to third
(6-0, 1 out, runners on second and third)
Sacrifice fly; both runners
advance (7-0, 1 out, runner on third)
Single; one run scores (8-0, 1
out, runner on first)
Ground out; runner advances to
second (8-0, 2 outs, runner on second)
Fly out (8-0, 3 outs, runner on
second)
Bottom of
the fourth inning (8-0, 0
outs, bases empty)
Single (8-0, 0 outs, runner on
first)
Fielder's choice (8-0, 1 out,
runner on first)
Fly out (8-0, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Double; one run scores (8-1, 2
outs, runner on second)
Home run, two runs score (8-3, 2
outs, bases empty)
Ground out (8-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Top of
the fifth inning (8-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Walk (8-3, 0 outs, runner on first)
Double play (8-3, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Strike out (8-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom
of the fifth inning (8-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Single (8-3, 0 outs, runner on
first)
Double play (8-3, 2 outs, bases
empty)
Fly out (8-3, 3 outs, bases empty)
Top of
the sixth inning (8-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Strike out (8-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Fly out (8-3, 2 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (8-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Bottom of
the sixth inning (8-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Strike out (8-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Fly out (8-3, 2 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (8-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Top of
the seventh inning (8-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Ground out (8-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Fly out (8-3, 2 outs, bases empty)
Home run (9-3, 2 outs, bases empty)
Double (9-3, 2 outs, runner on
second)
Strike out (9-3, 3 outs, runner on
second)
Bottom
of the seventh inning (9-3,
0 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (9-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Double (9-3, 1 out, runner on
second)
Ground out; runner advances to
third (9-3, 2 outs, runner on third)
Fly out (9-3, 3 outs, runner on
third)
Top of
the eighth inning (9-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Walk (9-3, 0 outs, runner on first)
Ground out, runner moves to second
(9-3, 1 out, runner on second)
Triple (10-3, 1 out, runner on
third)
Ground out; one run scores (11-3,
2 outs, bases empty)
Walk (11-3, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Single; runner moves to third
(11-3, 2 outs, runners on first and third)
Strike out (11-3, 3 outs, runners
on first and third)
Bottom of the eighth inning
(11-3, 0 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (11-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Fly out (11-3, 2 outs, bases empty)
Strike out (11-3, 3 outs, bases
empty)
Top of
the ninth inning (11-3, 0
outs, bases empty)
Walk (11-3, 0 oust, runner on
first)
Home run (13-3, 0 outs, bases
empty)
Strike out (13-3, 1 out, bases
empty)
Double (13-3, 1 out, runner on
second)
Walk (13-3, 1 out, runners on
first and second)
Walk (13-3, 1 out, bases loaded)
Walk; one run scores (14-3, 1 out,
bases loaded)
Fielder's choice; runner thrown
out at the plate (14-3, 2 outs, bases loaded)
Walk; one run scores (15-3, 2
outs, bases loaded)
Double; three runs score (18-3, 2
outs, runner on second)
Walk (18-3, 2 outs, runners on
first and second)
Walk (18-3, 2 outs, bases loaded)
Ground out (18-3, 3 outs, bases
loaded)
Bottom
of the ninth inning (18-3,
0 outs, bases empty)
Double (18-3, 0 outs, runner on
second)
Ground out, runner moves to third
(18-3, 1 out, runner on third)
Single; one run scores (18-4, 1
out, runner on first)
Fly out (18-4, 2 outs, runner on
first)
Single; runner advances to third
(18-4, 2 outs, runners on first and third)
Walk (18-4, 2 outs, bases loaded)
Strike out (18-4, 3 outs, bases
loaded)
Stadium
Design
If I had the
opportunity to design a major league
ballpark, I would want it to be unlike any other ballpark in the major
leagues. Here are some ideas:
I don't like the fact that,
when a player hits a deep fly ball, it can
be a matter of feet that determines whether it's a home run or an out.
If it's only a few feet short of a home run, I think it should be
worth two or three bases. So, I would slant the wall outward, to make
it look like the side of a bowl. That way, if the ball clears the wall,
it's a home run. But if it's a few feet short, it will still hit the
wall, giving the batter a double, or maybe a triple. It it's a few more
feet shorter, it will still hit the wall for at least a single.
I would make the distance to
the outfield wall quite short, so that the
fans in the outfield would have a good view of the game without
binoculars.
I would make the wall extremely
tall. In fact, it would surpass the
bottom of the upper deck, with the top part of the wall being netting
so that the fans could see. Of course, if a player manages to hit the
ball into the netting, it will take some time to fall down, enabling
the player to get a triple, or even an inside-the-park home run. (I
don't think there are enough inside-the-parkers in the major leagues.)
I would have the ground outside
the foul lines of the infield slant
upward for a few feet. This way, if the player hits a ball that lands a
few feet foul, it's likely to bounce back into play.
Intentional
Walk
According to the official rules for scoring
baseball games (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/rule10.shtml),
10.02 The official
score report prescribed by the league president shall make provisions
for entering the information listed below, in a form convenient for the
compilation of permanent statistical records: ...
(c) The following
records for each pitcher: ...
(10) Total number of bases on balls
allowed
(11) Separate listing of any
intentional bases on balls allowed ...
10.18 ... For the
purpose of determining earned runs, an intentional base on balls,
regardless of the circumstances, shall be construed in exactly the same
manner as any other base on balls.
So,
if a pitcher intentionally walks a batter, that walk gets added to his
record as a Bases on Balls (as well as an Intentional Bases on Balls).
And if the batter should end up scoring (without the benefit of an
error), an earned run is charged against the pitcher. Does this make
any sense? Why should the pitcher be penalized for an intentional walk?
It's not even his decision to do it. If anything, he could be praised for executing the
intentional walk correctly when his coach tells him to do it.
In my opinion, the intentional walk should have no effect on a
pitcher's records. However, I would make an exception if the pitcher
throws at least two balls and fewer strikes than balls before the
decision
is made to intentionally walk the batter. This corresponds to:
10.18 (h) A relief pitcher shall not
be held accountable when the first batter to whom he pitches reaches
first base on four called balls if such batter has a decided advantage
in the ball and strike count when pitchers are changed.
(1) If, when pitchers are changed, the count is
2 balls, no strike,
2 balls, 1 strike,
3 balls, no strike,
3 balls, 1 strike,
3 balls, 2 strikes,
and the batter gets a base on balls, charge that batter and
the base on balls to the preceding pitcher, not to the relief pitcher.
Personal Statistics
I think it's always questionable to keep track of individual statistics
for any team sport. Take a look at what I said
here.
In particular, consider a pitcher's win-loss record. Recording his
losses isn't so bad, since, in order to lose, he must give up a run
knowing full well that
the run gives the other team the lead. However, if that run is
unearned, he might not deserve the blame. But the number of wins is
what I have a real problem with. In my opinion, it is inappropriate to
add a win to a pitcher's record he cannot win a game without help from
his teammates. For ezample, even if the starting pitcher gives up
twenty runs in
the bottom of the first and gets pulled without recording a single out,
he can still be the winning pitcher. And another pitcher could pitch a
perfect game for eighteen innings only to see his reliever give up the
game-losing run in the nineteenth inning. Certainly these are extreme
examples. However, any time a pitcher gives up a go-ahead run, I think
it's wrong to give him credit for a win.
Despite what I have said, I really liked the game-winning-rbi
statistic, and I wonder why it's not recorded any more. It's still true
that the win is a team effort, but the player who gets the game winning
rbi should get credit for performing well in a high-pressure situation.
Better
Batting Order
A coach sets up the batting order trying to
optimize the chances of scoring in the first inning (and whenever the
ninth
batter makes the third out of the previous inning). If I was a head
coach, I think I would try
to set up a batting order like this:
1: The fastest runner would be my leadoff batter, since, if he gets on
base, he can steal second to get into scoring position.
2. The second batter would be whoever has the best on-base percentage,
to optimize the chances that, if the first batter is still at first, he
will move into scoring position.
3. The third batter is fairly likely to come up to bat with a runner on
first base. So I would want this to be the player who hits into the
fewest double plays.
4. Now after three batters, it's relatively likely that somebody is in
scoring position. In this situation, I'm not looking for a home run
from a batter who strikes out a lot. I would want the player who has
the best batting average with runners in scoring position.
5. I would list the player with the best slugging percentage fifth.
This is because the bottom of the order is coming up, and those weaker
batters are relatively unlikely to get rbis, so this is a good time to
try
to get a home run. Also, this is probably the most likely time to have
a
runner at third base with less than two outs, so the slugger can bring
him in with a sacrifice fly.
Eight Bases