Possible New Rule???

[Steeljim]

I heard a rumor that the MLB is thinking about implementing a intentional walk rule.
#1 Player can only be intentionally walked once in any given game
#2 Player has the option to refuse the walk
#3 Any player on base will also move to the next base

If this is true I think it would be great.....Last year with Bonds was a disgrace. Maybe I'm partial because I'm a Bonds fan, but I think it would add another interesting thought process to the game. What are everyone elses thoughts on this????

Source: Jason Starks ESPN

[monster]

the "unintentional" intentional walk would become VERY popular...

[mcqfesijiba]

the "unintentional" intentional walk would become VERY popular...

Yeah, I don't see how they would enforce against this situation. In some ways it would be nice, but differentiating between an "unintentional" intentional walk and a "normal" walk is not too clear.
Would you be required to throw at least one pitch somewhere near the strike zone? Some guys can't do that even when they're not facing Bonds. (Kaz Ishii is a pretty good example)

[timstlguru]

Impossible if you ask me.

[MikeeDee]

Jason Stark thinks of new possible rules at least twice a season. Sometimes he addresses real problems and sometimes he proposes real stuff. I've got to hear MLB mentioning doing something about the problem first. All I have to say is Jason Stark gets payed to write about baseball and right now NOTHING is going on!

[ScurvyDog]

What in the world we they think of next. First the winner of the AllStar game (a game that means NOTHing and DID NOT HAVE A WINNER LAST YEAR!) gets home field in the playoffs? Absurd. Now this? If you ask me, this is all stupid. If you want to make a rule, GET RID OF THE DH!

What's next?
If you throw a swung bat into the stands - yer out.
The second intentionally hit batter (per team) in a game gets a HR.
Coaches who leave the coaches box will be fined and must sit ion the stands.

My theory is they are creating rules aroud one player - Barry Bonds. What, is he just too good. Maybe if you are the existing HR champ (or hit more than 40 HR's in the year prior), the rule should be that once you hit 40 - your done. All HR's from that point on are triples - you have to stop at third base.

It's ridiculous.

[Pogotheostrich]

MLB hasn't said anything about it. It has been the media touting this. How many times was Bonds walked last year on four straight unhittable pitches and it wasn't considered an intentional walk?

[MikeeDee]

I really couldn't care less. It's baseball man! It didn't make Bonds look less good and it certainly didn't hurt benito a bit!

[ironman]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more lobbying for the removal of the DH. The position is unnecessary at this point and is robbing the game of its integrity. Seriously, does any one want to see a fat Bonds lingering around longer than he should so he can get the HR record from a lowly DH spot? Selig himself said he feels the DH is no longer necessary for the game and could see it disappear sometime in the future. So what's the hold up?

Maybe they're just waiting for Clemens to retire first so they don't have to worry about any murders when he comes to bat!

[mkoss]

I can't remember where I heard this quote, but it's one of my favorites:


From the official rulebook of baseball: "Baseball is a game played between two teams of nine players each." Therefore, baseball is a game played only in the National League.

In fact, I like that quote so much, I'm going to add it to my signiture Down with the DH!

Michael.