Five Bull@#$% traditions that annoy me about Baseball.

[wrveres]

Since we have moved on to rule changes now, I'd like to see the Bochy rule implemented.
No more than three double switches per game

[Tavish]

Yeah, you're right, statistics have never really mattered in baseball.

You're right, statistics are why they play the game.

And that's relevant to the topics of this thread how?

The thread is about what traditions annoys people about baseball. If how a play is scored in the stats annoys you then chances are you probably are more worried about your fantasy team than really giving a crap about the actual game anyways.

If someone watches baseball purely for the statistical side of the game, I hate to break to them, but they probably picked the absolutely worst sport ever created to follow. They should probably stick with football stats and just avoid QB rating. Almost every traditional baseball statistic is based on A) a scorekeeper's judgement B) nearly nonsensical criteria that really doesn't have much to do with the actual game C) Both A and B. Really the only thing that does make them worth anything is that they have been compiled in the same way since my granddad was in diapers.

[lastingsgriller]

You're right, statistics are why they play the game.

And that's relevant to the topics of this thread how?

The thread is about what traditions annoys people about baseball. If how a play is scored in the stats annoys you then chances are you probably are more worried about your fantasy team than really giving a crap about the actual game.

+1

[HOOTIE]

Easily, managers think they have to bring in their closer with a lead in the 9th.
The SP was nasty, but they yank him, to watch their closer give up a 3 spot. See Felix career.
The RP was lights out in the 8th, but they pull him for a closer, boom, blown save again.
Bringing in a closer, just because it's the 9th, and you have a lead, is on many occasions, insanity.

[TopChuckie]

You're right, statistics are why they play the game.

And that's relevant to the topics of this thread how?

The thread is about what traditions annoys people about baseball. If how a play is scored in the stats annoys you then chances are you probably are more worried about your fantasy team than really giving a crap about the actual game anyways.

If someone watches baseball purely for the statistical side of the game, I hate to break to them, but they probably picked the absolutely worst sport ever created to follow. They should probably stick with football stats and just avoid QB rating. Almost every traditional baseball statistic is based on A) a scorekeeper's judgement B) nearly nonsensical criteria that really doesn't have much to do with the actual game C) Both A and B. Really the only thing that does make them worth anything is that they have been compiled in the same way since my granddad was in diapers.

-1

You make no sense. I'm not referring to any particular play, or players, so who knows if the batter or the pitcher would be on my fantasy team and who would be helped more by the illogical tradition of scoring a pop up lost in the sun as a base hit? If it were to happen to my batter it would help my fantasy team, that has nothing to do with how I feel about the scoring of the play. My point is scoring a pop up lost in the sun seems to credit or blame every player involved incorrectly. How can you argue that? Did the pitcher do his job well? Did the batter do his job well? Did the fielder do his job well?

It's a tradition that annoys me because it is illogical and places credit and blame incorrectly for every player involved and it would make more sense if it was entirely the other way around. This has nothing to do with my fantasy fortunes. Also, just because I think baseball does this wrong, how does that equate to only watching the game for the statistical side of it? Did I say anything remotely close to "I'm not watching another game until baseball gets this pop up in the sun issue fixed"?

And by the way, baseball has the romance and tradition it has because of the statistical aspect of the game. Statistics are what give it the history and identity that no other sport has. Ever been to Cooperstown? If you don't appreciate the statistical nature and history of baseball, you don't fully appreciate the sport and you're the one who it is being wasted on and should just go watch football.

One last thing, please explain to me how a home run is either based on score keeper's judgement or nonsensical criteria, or both.

[BJSFAN123]

Easily, managers think they have to bring in their closer with a lead in the 9th.
The SP was nasty, but they yank him, to watch their closer give up a 3 spot. See Felix career.
The RP was lights out in the 8th, but they pull him for a closer, boom, blown save again.
Bringing in a closer, just because it's the 9th, and you have a lead, is on many occasions, insanity.

This just happened in the Cubs game, Dempster was breezing through the Cinci lineup, only 101 pitches but they go to Marmol in the 9th and he proceeds to blow the save.

[NZ Eff]

Seriously, so many of these suggested rule changes sound absolutely god-awful. I'm the last person to be called a traditionalist, but the idea of a foul tip into the catchers mitt being an out is just a horrible idea, for so many reasons, most of which have already been outlined on this thread.

The problem I have with it is that it is an out if there are two strikes on the batter. If that is going to be the case then why not apply the rule logically and say that if a batter hits the ball and a fielder catches it they are out as happens in the outfield or foul territory. In my mind it is irrelevant that it happens to be the catcher and from a foul tip.


Hootie, good to hear from you. Agree 100% with your sentiments.

[Tavish]

You make no sense. I'm not referring to any particular play, or players, so who knows if the batter or the pitcher would be on my fantasy team and who would be helped more by the illogical tradition of scoring a pop up lost in the sun as a base hit? If it were to happen to my batter it would help my fantasy team, that has nothing to do with how I feel about the scoring of the play. My point is scoring a pop up lost in the sun seems to credit or blame every player involved incorrectly. How can you argue that? Did the pitcher do his job well? Did the batter do his job well? Did the fielder do his job well?

If it is scored as a hit or an error doesn't change whether a player did their job well. It doesn't change a single thing about the game itself. Unless you are looking at the game as purely a statistical exercise then things like errors, ER, ERA really don't mean anything.

It's a tradition that annoys me because it is illogical and places credit and blame incorrectly for every player involved and it would make more sense if it was entirely the other way around. This has nothing to do with my fantasy fortunes. Also, just because I think baseball does this wrong, how does that equate to only watching the game for the statistical side of it? Did I say anything remotely close to "I'm not watching another game until baseball gets this pop up in the sun issue fixed"?

I'm not sure really what you are saying. The closest I can guess is that you are saying after watching a game you would think something like "That was a really good game except for those bad calls by the scorer". Which to me is like watching a football game and say "That was a really good game except the cheerleaders missed some steps".

And by the way, baseball has the romance and tradition it has because of the statistical aspect of the game. Statistics are what give it the history and identity that no other sport has. Ever been to Cooperstown? If you don't appreciate the statistical nature and history of baseball, you don't fully appreciate the sport and you're the one who it is being wasted on and should just go watch football.

I do appreciate the historical nature of stats. I'm pretty sure I already said that. I'm not the one arguing that those stats are screwy and need to be changed but just the opposite. The stats, quirky as they may be, have always represented the same thing aside from a few rule changes with the actual game.

One last thing, please explain to me how a home run is either based on score keeper's judgement or nonsensical criteria, or both.

Almost every traditional baseball statistic is based on A) a scorekeeper's judgement B) nearly nonsensical criteria that really doesn't have much to do with the actual game C) Both A and B.

You gave one example of one that doesn't. Do I need to give you 20 examples of ones that do?

[neoforce]

I know this is about baseball traditions, but I was at a game on Sunday and got peeved by a football tradition that made an appearance. Please keep the Wave out of MLB!! I'm trying to watch a game and it is the most annoying thing in the world.

[Fantasy Sports Genie]

Seriously, so many of these suggested rule changes sound absolutely god-awful. I'm the last person to be called a traditionalist, but the idea of a foul tip into the catchers mitt being an out is just a horrible idea, for so many reasons, most of which have already been outlined on this thread.

The problem I have with it is that it is an out if there are two strikes on the batter. If that is going to be the case then why not apply the rule logically and say that if a batter hits the ball and a fielder catches it they are out as happens in the outfield or foul territory. In my mind it is irrelevant that it happens to be the catcher and from a foul tip.


Hootie, good to hear from you. Agree 100% with your sentiments.

At least one of the primary objections raised was that it is asking a lot of the home plate umpire to figure out if such a pitch was tipped or not so that he can tell if it is supposed to be a strike or an out. With two strikes, it doesn't really matter; the batter is out either way. It matters in fantasy, but not in the actual game.