Runner on second in extra innings??

[imref]

Dear MLB: Please don't do this:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb-plans-to-test-new-extra-innings-rules-in-rookie-ball-with-joe-torres-approval-224914115.html

[WerthHisWeight]

Yeah, uh, no.  Wouldn't that just make it more likely that each team scores one and only one run in each extra inning?

The only way to make this work is to simultaneously introduce a sudden death rule.  Yeah, that's the ticket in today's limited attention span world.  Let's write to the White House and ask them to issue an Executive Order.

[imref]

Yeah, uh, no.  Wouldn't that just make it more likely that each team scores one and only one run in each extra inning?

The only way to make this work is to simultaneously introduce a sudden death rule.  Yeah, that's the ticket in today's limited attention span world.  Let's write to the White House and ask them to issue an Executive Order.

 How long before a  home run derby is used to settle ties?

[HalfSmokes]

your own team supplying pitchers in extra innimgs seema like the next step

[machpost]

If you want to speed up the pace of the game, figure out a way to speed up pitching changes and get players to quit screwing around so much on the mound and at the plate. Adjusting your batting gloves 30 times per at bat is not going to make you a better hitter and stepping off the mound 30 times per at bat is not going to make you a better pitcher.

[DPMOmaha]

As I think about it, I don't have a problem with it during the regular season. I really don't. I'd like to see them go back to the traditional format in the postseason, but I don't mind it. You won't see as many games go 14 innings or more and frankly, in May, June and July, that's not really all that fun to watch. Lots of sports have different rules for overtime in the regular season and then change them in the postseason. If they do that here (and I'm not sure if that's on the table or not), I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I certainly don't have a problem with this in the minors.

[Count Walewski]

The more I think about it, the less I hate it. It would certainly add strategic depth to the game. It will increase scoring. Will it make games shorter? That I'm not so sure about.

The Pareto Principle says that 20% of the causes lead to 80% of the effects. MLB's efforts to cut game time seem to be focusing on the 80% of the causes that lead to 20% of the effect.

[The Chief]

Let's just cut to the chase and play Blernsball

[OldChelsea]

The principal instigators behind this are no doubt the television networks...it's called 'scheduling certainty', no risk of matches running to huge extra innings and screwing up later programming.

Beyond that it is, in and of itself, a stupid idea.

[imref]

the obvious solution to ending extra-inning games is what we've all done in little league: relays.

Each team picks five players.  Home team starts at home, visiting team starts at 2nd.  First team to get all five players around the bases wins.

To make it more interesting, teams must use one pitcher, and their 1B.

[DPMOmaha]

the obvious solution to ending extra-inning games is what we've all done in little league: relays.

Each team picks five players.  Home team starts at home, visiting team starts at 2nd.  First team to get all five players around the bases wins.

To make it more interesting, teams must use one pitcher, and their 1B.

*Trea Turner moves to first base in all tied games in the 9th inning*

[DPMOmaha]

Beyond that it is, in and of itself, a stupid idea.

Why's that?

[imref]

*Trea Turner moves to first base in all tied games in the 9th inning*

good point.  And after the game all players meet in the middle of the field for oranges and juice boxes.

[dcpatti]

This is like Korean rules or something. Japanese leagues have some equally dumb rules, like if you're ahead by 5+ at the bottom of the 5th inning, you automatically win.  They are probably floating all the stupid ideas to make the ideas they really want to pursue sound less stupid by comparison.

Although I wouldn't object if the runner was Trea or Murph or really anyone who can reliably swipe a base and the pitcher was Syndegaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard, because i like watching that dude lose his composure trying to hold a runner.

[UMDNats]

As I think about it, I don't have a problem with it during the regular season. I really don't. I'd like to see them go back to the traditional format in the postseason, but I don't mind it. You won't see as many games go 14 innings or more and frankly, in May, June and July, that's not really all that fun to watch. Lots of sports have different rules for overtime in the regular season and then change them in the postseason. If they do that here (and I'm not sure if that's on the table or not), I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I certainly don't have a problem with this in the minors.

Extra-innings minor league baseball is unbearable and completely unnecessary (more than a couple innings at most). Definitely like trying this in the minors.

[varoadking]

Extra-innings minor league baseball is unbearable and completely unnecessary (more than a couple innings at most). Definitely like trying this in the minors.

They should just call it a draw after 10 innings...that's all the scoreboard can deal with anyway...

[GburgNatsFan]

Leave it just the way it is. If a game goes extras and you don't want to watch anymore, turn it off.

Extra innings are full of walk-off, ninth-inning drama.

[DPMOmaha]

This rule won't reduce it.

[whytev]

Extra-innings minor league baseball is unbearable and completely unnecessary (more than a couple innings at most). Definitely like trying this in the minors.

Your opinion is wrong,  but if I agreed with it I would just want ties to exist.

[OldChelsea]

Why's that?

Like the shoot-out in the NHL it's another sop to that sector of the fandom that wants offence-at-all-costs and can't appreciate good defence. Besides, change for change's sake (or change just to accommodate the telly networks, which as I mentioned earlier is still, in my opinion, the real reason for the proposal), to a rule that has been in existence since time immemorial, is stupid.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Like the shoot-out in the NHL it's another sop to that sector of the fandom that wants offence-at-all-costs and can't appreciate good defence. Besides, change for change's sake (or change just to accommodate the telly networks, which as I mentioned earlier is still, in my opinion, the real reason for the proposal), to a rule that has been in existence since time immemorial, is stupid.

there is something to a depth struggle that makes a long extra inning game is regular season interesting.  Plus, even with our quick to switch viewing culture, there's a lot of times folks will tune in if a they learn a game is going into extras.  Having to burn a bullpen early in a series or a stretch of games makes season strategy challenging.

[UMDNats]

Your opinion is wrong,  but if I agreed with it I would just want ties to exist.

I've been to enough minor league games that drag on and on and on to want to just cut minor league games to 9 innings. Nothing more depressing that extra-innings A-ball in Tampa, Florida in front of an empty stadium.

[DPMOmaha]

Like the shoot-out in the NHL it's another sop to that sector of the fandom that wants offense-at-all-costs and can't appreciate good defense. Besides, change for change's sake (or change just to accommodate the telly networks, which as I mentioned earlier is still, in my opinion, the real reason for the proposal), to a rule that has been in existence since time immemorial, is stupid.

I find extra innings that go beyond 11 or 12 innings to be fairly interminable during the regular season. I have no problem coming up with a way to spice things up a little bit April-September. Plus, "that sector of the fandom" is a pretty big segment. They want to get as much of it as they can. October sells itself, the regular season is a little more difficult.

[UMDNats]

From what I've read about this rule in international and amateur leagues, the game only slows down when this happens. Apparently, every team bunts the runner over, then the pitcher walks the next guy to set up a double-play and then pitches around him. Between the bunt and the walk you're killing any momentum of the game. That'd be a concern of mine.

[DPMOmaha]

That's not unreasonable. With as analytics reliant as we're getting, I'd hope we'd see teams recognize that trend fairly quickly.