I miss the days when...

[Eric72]

I miss the days when:

The leadoff hitter was a speedster who did everything they could to get on base. They didn't swing for the fences. They worked a walk, beat out an infield single, laid down a bunt, etc. When they got on base, they disrupted the pitcher any way they could. Ideally, they'd steal a base.

The #2 hitter could control their bat. They weren't concerned about "exit velo" at all. They knew their job was to move the runner along. Whether they did it with a clean single, a sac bunt, or something else was almost irrelevant.

The #3 hitter kept the inning going with a productive at bat. They weren't swinging from their heels at the first pitch. They were working the count, waiting for their pitch, and putting the ball in play. No "three true outcome" garbage here. Runner on third? Sac fly. Runner on second? Line drive, preferably into the gap. Runners on the corners? Be patient while your team tries a double steal.

If 1, 2, and 3 did their job, the cleanup hitter would step to the plate with a chance to drive in some runs. Instead, I've seen the cleanup hitter lead off the 2nd inning far too often.

I guess I miss the days when teams would manufacture runs one-at-a-time. Lead off the inning by getting on base, then spend that inning getting the runner home.

"Inside" baseball.

"Scientific" baseball.

"Strategy."

Call it what you will, I miss the days when a game of baseball didn't resemble a three hour home run derby.



Oh, and pitchers. Don't even get me started on spin rates, pitch counts, and the fact they don't have to step in the batter's box these days...

[philliesfan]

I miss the days when decisions are made by the managers feel for the game and what's happening and not by computers.....analytics and the such.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I miss the days when:

The leadoff hitter was a speedster who did everything they could to get on base. They didn't swing for the fences. They worked a walk, beat out an infield single, laid down a bunt, etc. When they got on base, they disrupted the pitcher any way they could. Ideally, they'd steal a base.

The #2 hitter could control their bat. They weren't concerned about "exit velo" at all. They knew their job was to move the runner along. Whether they did it with a clean single, a sac bunt, or something else was almost irrelevant.

The #3 hitter kept the inning going with a productive at bat. They weren't swinging from their heels at the first pitch. They were working the count, waiting for their pitch, and putting the ball in play. No "three true outcome" garbage here. Runner on third? Sac fly. Runner on second? Line drive, preferably into the gap. Runners on the corners? Be patient while your team tries a double steal.

If 1, 2, and 3 did their job, the cleanup hitter would step to the plate with a chance to drive in some runs. Instead, I've seen the cleanup hitter lead off the 2nd inning far too often.

I guess I miss the days when teams would manufacture runs one-at-a-time. Lead off the inning by getting on base, then spend that inning getting the runner home.

"Inside" baseball.

"Scientific" baseball.

"Strategy."

Call it what you will, I miss the days when a game of baseball didn't resemble a three hour home run derby.

Oh, and pitchers. Don't even get me started on spin rates, pitch counts, and the fact they don't have to step in the batter's box these days...

Well said! I agree.

[Brian Van Horn]

My objection to the current day game is having a runner at second to start each half inning after the ninth. I don't care about the reasoning it is just stupid.

[kmac32]

Originally Posted by Brian Van Horn

My objection to the current day game is having a runner at second to start each half inning after the ninth. I don't care about the reasoning it is just stupid.

Absolutely! Or make it a progressive thing with a man starting at first, then starting at 2nd?

[JollyElm]

17. I miss the days when broadcasts didn’t have to include extremely overly-qualified stats to try to invent a historic meaning for any on-field occurrence - “Constantine is the first switch-hitting player of Cypriot descent to ever reach first base both through an intentional walk and catcher’s interference in the same game.”

18. I miss the days when teams could actually plate runs when there were two runners in scoring position and no outs by any means other than hitting a home run.

19. I miss the days when you didn’t have to stressfully keep an eye on the ‘New Year’s Eve countdown clock’ on screen each time a pitcher was preparing to deliver the ball.

20. I miss the days when if their pitcher plunked our guy, the first guy up for their team - no matter who he was - would also immediately get plunked.

21. I miss the days when players actually used two hands to make a catch, and didn’t purposely try to make every catch look as stylishly nonchalant as possible.

22. I miss the days when betting on a baseball game meant meeting up with a guy named Benny in the smoke-filled back room of a deli in Queens, and not simply visiting the websites of all the MLB-promoted gambling concern ads plastered all over the stadiums and visible throughout the TV broadcasts.

And finally...

23. I miss the days when relievers didn’t come in with booming, stadium rock theme songs, but were casually driven to the mound in little BEEP! BEEP! buggies.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

...if their pitcher plunked our guy, the first guy up for their team - no matter who he was - would also immediately get plunked.

Yes...this. The "unwritten rules" of baseball have been redrafted.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

23. I miss the days when relievers didn’t come in with booming, stadium rock theme songs, but were casually driven to the mound in little BEEP! BEEP! buggies.

I miss the days when professional athletes were actually expected to trot onto the field on their own.

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I miss the days when:

The leadoff hitter was a speedster who did everything they could to get on base. They didn't swing for the fences. They worked a walk, beat out an infield single, laid down a bunt, etc. When they got on base, they disrupted the pitcher any way they could. Ideally, they'd steal a base.

The #2 hitter could control their bat. They weren't concerned about "exit velo" at all. They knew their job was to move the runner along. Whether they did it with a clean single, a sac bunt, or something else was almost irrelevant.

The #3 hitter kept the inning going with a productive at bat. They weren't swinging from their heels at the first pitch. They were working the count, waiting for their pitch, and putting the ball in play. No "three true outcome" garbage here. Runner on third? Sac fly. Runner on second? Line drive, preferably into the gap. Runners on the corners? Be patient while your team tries a double steal.

If 1, 2, and 3 did their job, the cleanup hitter would step to the plate with a chance to drive in some runs. Instead, I've seen the cleanup hitter lead off the 2nd inning far too often.

I guess I miss the days when teams would manufacture runs one-at-a-time. Lead off the inning by getting on base, then spend that inning getting the runner home.

"Inside" baseball.

"Scientific" baseball.

"Strategy."

Call it what you will, I miss the days when a game of baseball didn't resemble a three hour home run derby.

I agree. I love it when teams try these things now and the other teams have never seen anyone try this and they end up giving up runs that they otherwise wouldn't have. These things still work if done properly.