Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for July 26, 2022

I’m with Pops. The HR Derby stinks.

Amen to that. Even Big Papi once bunted (against the shift) for a double.

Let’s face it: Many, if not most, people who attend ballgames these day are there for the Clang-Honk-Tweet Show that surrounds it, not the baseball itself. It’s entertainment with four bases and a pitcher’s mound to them.

The fans want games won, and this would win games (and they could mix in home runs in between strategically directed hits). It amazes me that the batters don’t hit for the gaps. Either the batters don’t have enough talent, or the coaches don’t.

Well they’ve gotta win, somehow.

My comment regarding hitters vs. coaches and homer or bust. I gave up on MLB a few years back (6 or 7, or more) when I saw Joe Maddon hem & haw when asked about it – he strongly suggested that upper management was interfering; and now baseball can’t go back, it seems – the media money is too high for non-competing.

It is the 3 true outcomes thing. Swing for the fences. Doesn’t matter if you strike out more. Hitters still have a decent eye to draw walks. Hardly any balls in play. Barely any rallies. No steals. And yet the game takes forever. No wonder viewership is down.

Ichiro could have won the home run derby but never participated because home runs weren’t important to him. It wasn’t his style. He preferred smart hitting.

I think a game with nothing but base hits and bunts would be great. It would show one and all the actual talent of all of the infielders like can they catch a grounder/bunt and throw to the correct base. It would also make the broadcasters work for their big bucks

Ouch!

The curmudgeon has a point!

Not being a strict traditionalist I love the idea of banning the shift.

Last night, the 32 year old AllStar Jose Altuve, bunted his way safely onto base. With no shift.

ESPECIALLY for the lefties, when your opponents shift leaving all of third and most of short stop open, just slap a little bunt or soft base hit into the OPEN AREA. The pitcher/3rd/left outfield are SO FAR AWAY you’ll definitely get one, if not TWO BASES!!!!

Lou Boudreau invented the shift for Ted Williams. Williams didn’t cry and whine about it, he took it as a challenge. Lifetime average of .343. Admittedly, MLB doesn’t have many hitters like that today, but refusing to modify a swing to take advantage of a WIDE-OPEN FIELD and then complain about it, “Mommy, they’re being mean to me. Make them stop!” is pathetic.

I suggest a slight modification to the game, to give the fans what they want:

Pitchers, catchers (to return the ball) and designated hitters.

A walk puts a guy ‘on base’ (virtual bases)

.

A home run scores the batter and anyone ‘on base’. Anything else is an out.

After some experience and data collection, baseball may want to tinker, maybe lower or move the mound, a protective screen for the pitcher, maybe give some benefit for a strikeout, 2/3 of a run or something.

Nine innings.

Between innings, mascot races, dot racing, music too loud to talk over, etc., continues as before.

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Fans will love it.

Purists, same as now.

Gotta go with the old guy on this one.

Truth! He may be a geezer, but he’s got the right idea!

Once Jhonny Peralta got a bunt sign….You can just imagine…

The baseball problem is about to be solved… August 4th – NFL Hall of Fame Game and the start of preseason football!

It’s shocking how many major league ballplayers can’t bunt. I learned that skill in Little League.

Blame Ted williams.When the “shift” originated with him,he didn’t even TRY to beat it—he just tried to bull his way through.

So everybody copies Ted.Only everybody isn’t Ted.

I even saw Dave Kingman bunt his way out of a slump.