People who don't like baseball constantly trying to make baseball more appealing to other people who don't like baseball probably isn't the best strategy.

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Yeah it seems a bit odd. Baseball is what it is and has slightly changed over more than 100 years. But let’s let the talking heads tell us how it sucks, the players are indentured servants and the owners are craven.

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Elections have consequences.

It’s my favorite political recurrence, wherein one party doesn’t understand why the other party won’t nominate the candidate most appealing to the opposition party who’d never actually vote for that candidate.

I’ve still got a few cases of Jim Webb 2016 merch that I just cannot unload.

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When I watched baseball the most from the mid 90s to the late 00s there wasn’t heavy shifting, or 99% of players subscribed to the 3 outcome.

Limiting the shift isn’t so much about attracting new fans.

ImO it’s more about putting a stop to the fan hemorrhaging, and bringing fed up fans back.

Maybe I’m just speaking for myself, but it seems MANY don’t like the product anymore.

Also, all professional sports modify rules every year right?

Sometimes for competition.

Sometimes to make the product more appealing.

Sometimes for both.

Why is baseball so sacred?

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Because I said so. Now shutup about the shift and go jackhammer Mother Earth.

The prevailing theory is that hitting the occasional homerun with some walks scattered in for good measure is more advantageous than hitting for average. You can eliminate the shift, and that won't change. You're still going to be left with the same boring game.

The only thing that's possibly going to change that practice is a lot more teams like the '15 Royals winning the World Series.

I do need to sleep, but on a side note the one thing all these green energy enthusiasts really miss when criticizing the fracking industry is just how much water is used.

I’m talking like 2 million barrels of fresh water in the Bakken for 3 or 4 Frac pads in a little over a month.

There’s at least 10-15 Frac sites happening right now in the Bakken.

Probably more.

That’s simply unsustainable.

At least down in the Permian they use a lot of production water.

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In golf, they lengthen the courses, and do other nasty stuff to them for the majors.

In baseball, they really should be moving the foul poles back a bit, but that eats up seating when it can even be physically done. The Orioles decided to do it in left field this offseason, moved it back about 25 feet and raised the fence up to 13 feet. But they can't do that in RF because of the warehouse.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

It would be cool to see that happen. I wish the Tigers would have stuck to their guns and kept the original dimensions of Comerica.

We know they can change the baseball - which can have the same effect if that’s the desired goal. I don’t think that’s what they want though.

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Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.- JD Vance
If you committed violence on that day, obviously, you shouldn’t be pardoned.- JD Vance on the J-6 insurrectionists

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

They could deaden the ball and call the actual strike zone and you are probably looking at 80's style baseball. Is that good? For me I would like that but I'm not sure the average fan really wants the hit and run and guys with 100 stolen bases (That might be almost impossible even if stealing was encouraged with the increase In velocity and the switch to everyone on the slid step and pop rates and all that jazz).

I'd love it.

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I tried to like baseball. I bought the mlb.tv season pass at least 5 times mostly because I'm a sucker for live sports during the day on in the background while I mostly post on here and do a little work waiting for ltg to respond.

The game is slow even for that. Now, the players greed is cancelling games for the second season in three years all the while Jerry sits at home hoping he gets to bring Chicago the 8th title of his illustrious career all while people debate whether more bunting can make baseball more interesting.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Me too.

I don't think random goofs should just be able to throw up 50+ home run seasons and nobody really cares or notices. There was a time not that long ago when I could name every guy who had hit 50 or more off the top of my head.

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

You can't arm twist to get somebody to like something.

Worst case scenario baseball hits harder times. Fringe teams fold up. Player salaries plummet. Baseball will be forced to go back to its roots. Sabermetrics is god and non baseball people gurus will be thinned out.

Yeah. 87 (I think) when Dawson and McGwire hit 49 was a real outlier (I think Cecil went over 50. Couple year later but maybe that is a memory of will help hit 50 vs hitting 50). I get that the homerun is exciting. But a gap double and scoring 1st to home was too. People in motion is more exciting than weaver ball and this isn’t even weaver ball.

the alternative is to let what is already a generational gap widen in terms of baseball fans.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Hard not to argue.

You can keep the juiced ball if you want, just call the rule book strike zone. Guys will be down in the count 0-1, 0-2, 1-2, and stop looking for walks. More balls in play. You will still have homers but enforcing the true strike zone will keep that in check as well for the most part.

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The strike zone has always been a bone of contention for me. Tell the umps and players to stfu or the robot caller is coming.

Has the video already rid us of the phantom DP tag at 2nd?

I don’t particularly care about deadening the ball. Simply go back to some point accept a standard and stick to it forever. No other sport fucks with the ball. How is that any different than players juicing?

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Elections have consequences.

this is patently false. Are you serious? NFL kickers would like a word with you. As would Tom Brady.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Between your whacking off times, can you possibly suggest something useful?

Didn't the players negotiate, then vote to accept the past agreement they now consider unfair?

I'm now hoping there aren't games until the beginning of July to break the players. Have a 3 month regular season, followed by the postseason.

I just hope one side buckles asap. Players seem to be proposing no added revenue plus increased spending, so maybe they’re confident they can handle a longer lockout.

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That’s not the NFL doing it.

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Elections have consequences.

Yes for a collection of players beholden to guaranteed contracts they sure hate shit they agreed to.

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Elections have consequences.

rumors that an agreement is close, maybe tomorrow. lets see.

What was the international thing they agreed to which had Bernsie all excited today. I missed part of it.

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Elections have consequences.

was an international draft, wasnt it?

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'Your AT&T Universal Card has arrived'? Oh God, Kick-fucking-ass, I got a Master Card! I don't believe it, man. Life is kinda cool sometimes.

Local radio in Detroit reporting an agreement has been reached?