The rule was put in for safety in the 1st place. To even think about dropping the rule to 2 would seem to over the top and would keep guys from throwing inside. A good pitcher is able to pitch inside and work the batter. Sometimes mistakes happen!

If someone is doing it deliberately then thats a different story. Besides most guys aren't even throwing hard enough to leave a mark.

Hey - how about this?

We give a pticher only 2 HBP's a game, but if they don't use them up, they can accumulate them (like those ATT rollover minutes), so that after 3 games they can go out in their 4th appearance and hit up to 8 batters! So on a per game basis, they can only average 2 a game!

Wait - how about on a per inning basis? If we keep it the way it is, a pitcher can only hit 3 for a 7-inning game. So he can only hit .42857 batters per inning. If he gets a batter full on, that would count a 1 HBP. If he just grazes him, the umpire can score it on a percentage basis. Say, he throw's a pitch and it glances off the batter's helmet and ricochets at a 75 degree angle back towards the backstop, I would say that he would have only hit the batter at a .2500 degree, so he's good to continue. But if he hits him and the ball deflects directly sideways off of the batter's noggin, that would equal a degree of deflection (DOD) of .50, thus eliminating that pitcher. But if he has accumulated enough innings it would not be a problem(using the method outlined above - we'l call it the HBPPIAF - Hit By Pitch Per Inning Accumulated Factoring). We can keep track of his (or her) Hit Batter Savings Account (HBSA) using Quicken or Microsoft Money. Oooo - we could also factor in WHERE he got hit - head factor = 1, shoulder factor =.75, butt factor = .25, groin factor = 2 - and so on!

How about we start making the pitcher wear a patch on the front of his uniform that gets added each time he hits a batter? That way the batter can decide whether to dig in or not. For example, if you come up in the tenth game of the season and the pitcher only has one Hit Patch (a Batter with an X through it) on his shirt, you may feel comfortable sliding up close to the plate, but if you can't read the pitcher's number or team name on the front of his uni because of the sea of patches, you may ask that the batter's box be enlarged so that you can get as far away from the "strike" zone as you can!

To save ourselves from injury from this or any other thing happening, we can (1) Wear bubblewrap; (2) Make everyone throw underhand using their opposite hand (Wait - which one would we make Tom Maney use??!); (3) Say "sorry" if you tag someone out; (4) Take showers and clean up BEFORE a game; and (5) Put "Odor Eaters" in our new Nerf cleats.

Can we get a shuttle service around the bases so we don't pull hamstrings? I was going to suggest we play this old electric baseball board game I had rather than going on the field where we might get a stone in our shoes, but I'm afraid someone might get shocked!

Sorry for the sarcasm - just kidding around, but I really don't see this as a problem. People get hit - some crowd the plate - some pitch inside. Nobody likes it, but it happens. We're not pros, but we are also playing a game where a ball gets thrown by a player as hard as it can be within a foot or so of another player - and it's good because it's a strike! We all signed up to play the game - play it the way it should be.

I think the rule should just stay the way it is - 3 and you're gone, unless in the umpire's judgement the pitcher has intent to hit. If a pitcher has a history - it can be brought up by any manager to that league's commisioner who can make a ruling in the name of safety on that player's ability to continue pitching in the league. That should more than cover it. (Oh, and make him wear the patch!)

And sorry for the length - had not written anything stupid in a while - it was bottled up inside too long.

-- Edited by rayjdem on Tuesday 15th of September 2009 07:22:03 AM

-- Edited by rayjdem on Tuesday 15th of September 2009 02:03:32 PM

Thanks Tony

Nobody - and I mean Nobody - has called me cute in a loooooong time (with the exception of Wayne Newcomb and Don Wixon - when they aren't all googly-eyed at each other)!

I know someone who could make these really, really adorable patches! I say we make them pink to add extra embarassment!

And each team can be required to have calculators to cipher out the HBP Factoring. No calculator - forfeit!

The bubble wrap might be a bit tough - I would probably pop them all as stress relief well before game time.

Wait - I was kidding? And what part was the smart part?

Okay - to be "real" here - I really don't even care if we drop the "3 and out" rule. That makes no difference to me and I have no special preference for or against it. If a guy is pitching that badly, what team wants him to keep pitching for them, anyway? Heck - you'll pull him out because he really sucks. "Intent" and "Lack of Ability" are the magic words.

The umpires know and see who can pitch and who is just out there flinging poo like a monkey at the zoo - it can be their call for all I'm concerned. If a pitcher hits just one batter but has not demonstrated any ability to control the batting zone , the umps can confer and determine him unable to continue. But on the other hand, if batters step into pitches and "force" the 3 HBP rule, the umps can deem the pitcher as adequate and let him continue pitching. And the Commissioner can make the call for over the long term of the season, if requested.

Thanks again Tony. I knew I liked you for good reason. (You really have to dig deep into my messages to get the true meaning - usually about 3 or 4 paragraphs deep)