Rod Carew "speaking out - to the commissioner"

[Carter08]

Originally Posted by z28jd

Joey Gallo said he gets paid to hit doubles and homers so he doesn't even try to go the other way. I would say that other players feel the exact same way. He wouldn't even need to learn to go the other way. He could bunt for hits a few times and it will stop. Heck, with how far they play him off of the third base line, he could get some doubles on a good bunt. He could even put the odds in his favor by using a bat with a bigger barrel to bunt. Since he's not swinging it, who cares if it is heavier. If they give you a hit, take it. Make them adjust to you.

The shift is easy to beat if you want to beat it, but current hitters have the caveman mentality of swing hard and hope for the best. As someone who gets paid to watch minor league baseball, I can tell you without a doubt that it's only going to get worse. There are very few hitters with a nice approach at the plate and even less who change their approach in situations, and no one ever has a two-strike approach anymore. That mindset doesn't exist.

My guess is most teams have hired a literal genius to crunch the numbers and attempt what you’re suggesting and the analytics based on thousands and thousands of outcomes has said the team is better off not doing it. I like Buck as Manager on the Mets because he’s a bit old school but even he is doing math on games. If you toss the math aside over the course of the season that could hurt a little.

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by Carter08

My guess is most teams have hired a literal genius to crunch the numbers and attempt what you’re suggesting and the analytics based on thousands and thousands of outcomes has said the team is better off not doing it. I like Buck as Manager on the Mets because he’s a bit old school but even he is doing math on games. If you toss the math aside over the course of the season that could hurt a little.

Well it is the teams that buy all in to the launch angles and exit velocities and that gets passed down to the scouts and who they look for, so of course players are going to cater to what gets them noticed, it would be dumb not to. That doesn't mean that beating the shift isn't simple, and there's no way to know what teams would then do if someone who hits homers just decided to bunt down the third base line all of the time with no one within 75 feet of the line until they adjusted to him.

Joey Gallo doesn't have to be pathetic at baseball. He chooses to be that way. He also doesn't have to whine about something he controls, but he does that too. I have no problem with the shifts at all. If someone has a major flaw, exploit it, don't cater to him. They don't let pitchers who throw 89 MPH get closer to that plate to pitch. They have to find ways to get outs.

[Snapolit1]

How come football players from the 1960s and 70s don't whine about how the game is played very differently today than when they played? Never once heard Len Dawson dumping on Patrick Mahomes for the way he plays. ("Mahomes has to learn how to run a real offense. Throwing 50 passes in the Super Bowl is not how you do it. I threw 17! Players today lack the fundamentals.")

How come no one ever complains that football teams have like 19 coaches on the side lines staring at computer data to determine what plans to run? No one bemoans analytics ruining football.

How come football announcers who are former football players don't spend all game shitting on how the game is played today like John Smoltz and many others? People like Romo actaully seem to enjoy watching the game.

How come?

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

How come football players from the 1960s and 70s don't whine about how the game is played very differently today than when they played? Never once heard Len Dawson dumping on Patrick Mahomes for the way he plays. ("Mahomes has to learn how to run a real offense. Throwing 50 passes in the Super Bowl is not how you do it. I threw 17! Players today lack the fundamentals.")

How come no one ever complains that football teams have like 19 coaches on the side lines staring at computer data to determine what plans to run? No one bemoans analytics ruining football.

How come football announcers who are former football players don't spend all game shitting on how the game is played today like John Smoltz and many others? People like Romo actaully seem to enjoy watching the game.

How come?

They do, remember all the jive ass celebrations in the end zone? It was so pathetic they had to pass a rule banning it. Can you imagine, some egotistical wide receiver celebrating in the end zone when his team is down 32-7? Clueless and no class.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

They do, remember all the jive ass celebrations in the end zone? It was so pathetic they had to pass a rule banning it. Can you imagine, some egotistical wide receiver celebrating in the end zone when his team is down 32-7? Clueless and no class.

And they repealed that rule and there have been coordinated group celebrations for years.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Tabe

And they repealed that rule and there have been coordinated group celebrations for years.

Yep, and it's still a pathetic display when your losing by 21 points.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Yep, and it's still a pathetic display when your losing by 21 points.

That I can agree with.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Yep, and it's still a pathetic display when your losing by 21 points.

That’s entirely different than complaining about how basic strategy to play the game has evolved over time.

[Shoeless Moe]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

How come football players from the 1960s and 70s don't whine about how the game is played very differently today than when they played? Never once heard Len Dawson dumping on Patrick Mahomes for the way he plays. ("Mahomes has to learn how to run a real offense. Throwing 50 passes in the Super Bowl is not how you do it. I threw 17! Players today lack the fundamentals.")

How come no one ever complains that football teams have like 19 coaches on the side lines staring at computer data to determine what plans to run? No one bemoans analytics ruining football.

How come football announcers who are former football players don't spend all game shitting on how the game is played today like John Smoltz and many others? People like Romo actaully seem to enjoy watching the game.

How come?

Mostly 'cuz they are all dead from CTE

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

How come football players from the 1960s and 70s don't whine about how the game is played very differently today than when they played? Never once heard Len Dawson dumping on Patrick Mahomes for the way he plays. ("Mahomes has to learn how to run a real offense. Throwing 50 passes in the Super Bowl is not how you do it. I threw 17! Players today lack the fundamentals.")

How come no one ever complains that football teams have like 19 coaches on the side lines staring at computer data to determine what plans to run? No one bemoans analytics ruining football.

How come football announcers who are former football players don't spend all game shitting on how the game is played today like John Smoltz and many others? People like Romo actaully seem to enjoy watching the game.

How come?

because football is over in less than 3 hours and isn't a complete bore, like watching 15 K's per game. I'd rather watch the grass grow.

Baseball is a game that has been pussified played by injury prone pussies that can't stay on the field. The umpiring is the worst I ever seen and that's with replay. The plays at home plate are non existent runners are always safe unless you can ridiculously swipe tag the bum. The unwillingness to hit against the shift is just Regoddamndiculous.

As someone who has spent 100's of thousands of dollars on season tickets and had the game in my blood for over 50 years...I can't watch a game. AND I certainly wouldn't go for free.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

because football is over in less than 3 hours

False. The average NFL game lasts. 3:12. College games are much longer, sometimes reaching 4 hours.

[HistoricNewspapers]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

How come football players from the 1960s and 70s don't whine about how the game is played very differently today than when they played? Never once heard Len Dawson dumping on Patrick Mahomes for the way he plays. ("Mahomes has to learn how to run a real offense. Throwing 50 passes in the Super Bowl is not how you do it. I threw 17! Players today lack the fundamentals.")

How come no one ever complains that football teams have like 19 coaches on the side lines staring at computer data to determine what plans to run? No one bemoans analytics ruining football.

How come football announcers who are former football players don't spend all game shitting on how the game is played today like John Smoltz and many others? People like Romo actaully seem to enjoy watching the game.

How come?

Yes, and running backs are sharing the load more and more. Workhorses are becoming a thing of the past like Complete Games in pithing in baseball.

Running backs on a team are a committee now except for just the very few top guys. Very few even get drafted very high. They are viewed as interchangeable parts.

There were only SEVEN 1,000 yard rushers in the NFL last year and that was with them adding another game to the schedule.

[G1911]

I see no issue with changing HOW the game is played; new statistical awareness changing how teams try to game the game to leverage their odds at winning. My personal opinion is that the newer 'strikeout or homer' way is boring as compared to small ball, but this is a minority view and it is more efficient with the current ball and parks.

What I am against is changing the rules. Phantom runners on 2nd. Banning the shift because we want to promote more offense and not defense.

So I agree with Carew on some of this and not on the other half.