The end of baseball as we know it is upon us... or as suggested about time?

[UmpJeff]

7 minutes ago, basejester said:

I'm not.  I am going to draw a distinction, though.  The game of football is violent.  The game of hockey is violent.  OK.  But in hockey, we routinely have fist fights, which are tolerated and really encouraged.  Routinely. 

My son took an interest in hockey.  We attended some games as spectators.  I don't want to teach him that if you are frustrated in a game it's normal to punch people.

I trust that there are well-disciplined youth programs.  I just haven't seen it.

As a hockey official for 43 of my 55 years, I can say, with a certain amount of confidence, that you are correct.  Because, by its very nature, fast-paced...physical contact at high speeds, the game of hockey is a violent sport.  Fortunately, the sport has its own "checks and balances"...fisticuffs.   But, since Bettman has been in the Commissioner's Office, the violence (read fighting...) has nearly been eliminated.  That's not to say that fighting doesn't occur at the professional level.  It does still exist.  But, it's the exception and not the rule...and it still serves a purpose.  Just like the bean ball. Will MLB ever rid the game of that?  I don't think so.  Fighting, however, has been virtually eliminated from the amateur ranks.  Just like specific things are done on an MLB diamond, specific things happen on an NHL rink.  And, whether we like them or not, they exist and serve a purpose....and won't entirely go away.

[zm1283]

As a fan of an NL team, bring on the DH as soon as possible. It is awful watching the pitcher try to hit on a day-to-day basis. It's a free out and makes the game awful when you have two runners on with two outs and the pitcher's spot comes up. Might as well go to commercial break. 

[ricka56]

11 minutes ago, zm1283 said:

As a fan of an NL team, bring on the DH as soon as possible. It is awful watching the pitcher try to hit on a day-to-day basis. It's a free out and makes the game awful when you have two runners on with two outs and the pitcher's spot comes up. Might as well go to commercial break. 

One word...TIVO. If you're at the game, feel free to hit the concession stand when F1 is at bat with runners in scoring position. Odds are you'll beat the crowd and won't miss anything. On the other hand, you might miss the most talked about hit of the game.

[andydufresne]

Oh, an AL pitcher...I'll just throw a fastball by him for strike one.

 

[Welpe]

I do enjoy #PitchersWhoRake.