And just like a Republican to turn a baseball discussion into a needed political reference. GIVE IT A REST ALREADY.

Please dude, I originated the snarky comment. And definitely don’t quote the rule book to me. I’ve read it start to finish more times than you’ve cared to cut and paste it as the body of your “comment”. And next time, do some editing – we don’t need the full text of the rule.

Right off the top – when I make a satirical statement about MLB instituting a ‘Pitch Clock sponsored by Tag Heuer’, it should be clear by sardonic implication, that I’m fully aware of Rule 8.04 and that I’m satirizing Bud’s inexplicable endless desire to fix whats not broken. When I state “Pitch Clock” it should be obvious to even the average sports fan that I’m referencing basketball’s ‘Shot Clock’ in to make the point that there is very little that is sacred about the game of baseball to CEO Selig – except, of course, for the paycheck he draws as the ‘False Flag Commissioner’.

Now allow me to enlighten you my brother. Umpires do not enforce that rule because it is downright absurd. Jason Vargas is the exception – not the rule.

Pitching is disrupting the hitter’s timing. A hitter stepping out of the box and asking for time? That’s the act of a hitter disrupting the pitcher’s timing. Its a part of the game that is as old as the game itself.

Although we often have disdain for the men in blue, Umpires ignore that rule because they actually have respect for the game. Umps also understand that balls and strikes should be decided by pitched balls and not as the result of an ill-conceived penalty.

I am part of the video game, MTV short attention span generation and even I understand that the 12-second rule is a farce.

Tune into a game tonight. Take out out your smartphone and open up the stopwatch app. Sample a couple of innings and time the pitcher receiving and releasing the ball with no men on base. I guarantee you few, if any catch the ball, toe the rubber and deliver the next pitch within 12 seconds.

Heck most times it takes 12 seconds for the Catcher to flash the signs, adjust his cup and position himself to receive the pitch.

The A’s tried a pitch clock some years ago. It was not well received and was discontinued.

Can you name two other professional leagues which think having pitchers stand in the batter’s box improves the product? I’ll spot you the NPB Central League.

also, tell me the last time you actually saw a RHP “disengage” from the rubber by stepping backwards, the legal way to do it, instead of sideways. this isn’t a “judgment” call such as a LHP’s leg breaking the plane, it’s blatantly obvious.

8.04
When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.” The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball.
The intent of this rule is to avoid unnecessary delays. The umpire shall insist that the catcher return the ball promptly to the pitcher, and that the pitcher take his position on the rubber promptly. Obvious delay by the pitcher should instantly be penalized by the umpire.

I do believe this rule change qualifies as “DADAESQUE”!!!

In fact, I would have it stricken from the rule book, except I love it when some uber competitive manager gets a hair in his ass during a pennant chase and complains to the umpire that the pitcher who’s shut down his team for 7 Innings is taking too long to throw the next pitch.

Men, baseball is all about timing and disrupting that timing.

I see your banning of the DH and raise you a bowling style red-line Batter’s Box buzzer.

Once the batter has stepped into the box for his At Bat – he may not step out. No more calling time. If he steps on or over the line (even inadvertently) anytime before or during a pitch the batter will automatically have a strike assessed to the count.

BUT WHERE DOES IT END?

I just made up the idea of a ‘pitch clock’ a few weeks ago to illustrate how absurd the tidal wave of changes have become (maybe someone has seriously put this forth previously? If so please point him out so I can openly ridicule them).

Baseball has NO clock. It’s again one of the few remaining original qualities of the sport that keeps separates it from America’s other team sports.

But if you #thinklikebud – there is nothing about the game that isn’t changeable.

And this would be one of them, along with the ol hidden ball trick and tagging a guy with an empty glove in the hope of duping the runner into staying at the bag

And a perfect example of the cat and mouse of it all was emilio bonifacio at 3rd last night and chasing the 3rd baseman down the line during a bunt attempt by the pitcher. The result of the play was a bunt back to the pitcher and the 3rd baseman chased bonifacio back to 3rd but had the bunt been good, EB is already half way down the line on the safety squeeze…another example why baseball is glorious

On the other hand, it would be totally worth banning it just so I never again have to hear Michael Kay explain that he likes to call it the “Old Jeff Nelson.” You know, because Jeff Nelson used to do it.