Farmer update and safety measures

[Jocko87]

On 4/13/2023 at 6:09 PM, chpettit19 said:

Agree to disagree that major league umps can see, and accurately call (that's the real key here), check swings let alone a hitter's intent on actually getting out of the way when significant movement takes place. There's at least 1 missed check swing call every day across major league baseball. There's simply a limit to how well the human eye can judge that, and there's a limit to how much input the human brain can take at once and accurately interpret. It's not a shot at umps, there's simply a limit to the human brain. I mean missed check swing calls isn't about norms at all. The umps are all trying to call it the same. They simply miss sometimes because there's a limit to the human brain.

Another thing to think about is we don't yet have a good way to see what the ump sees.  Go figure that after have this discussion I had a 14u team tonight that all stood on the plate like Rizzo.  All legal, as we have the plate side line to judge with but taking as much space as they could.  Of course, 4 HBP in the first two innings.  All legal, all trying to get out of the way.  The other team couldn't throw strikes on the inside half so they had no weapon to back them off.  Inevitably, there is a play with a runner going where the dugout was screaming for hitter interference.  Batter was already on the plate, but legal, and completing his swing he was still in the box.  I didn't call it as it is not interference if he does not step out of the box.  He looks to be interfering but has no requirement to get out of the way if he stays in the box.   Its tough but it looks completely different from my vantage point vs the dugout.  It is very visible but where umps can get in trouble is that there can be a million things to watch at once. 

Rizzo is very odd because he can somehow cover that ball on the inside while standing that close.  The first home run he hit in game one was just silly.  Very few can keep that fair if they can even put good contact on it.  This allows MLB etc to regulate standing to close to the plate by pounding the inside of the zone.  Very few hitters can handle it and they have to give room.  Most MLB hitters could move as much as a foot closer to the plate legally.  I believe tonight's coaches were hard on the interference angle because they knew they couldn't do anything about standing on the plate.

When we talk about these things as being regulated by the players its about a lot more than just drilling people.  Effective on the inner half is about throwing good strikes on the inside edge and it sets everything up for pitchers.  Unfortunately we get HBP like Farmer occasionally.  Glad to hear he is doing well.

[Doctor Wu]

On 4/14/2023 at 5:41 AM, Irishman said:

 

During the Red Sox season of 1967, Tony Conigliaro was hit in the face by a pitch that caused a severe eye injury and derailed his career.  He was not the same after this happened..  I remembered this when it happened.    I believe he passed away at age of around 40s in mid 1970's.  Sad!!!

I was just a kid, but a remember that one too. That Tony C. beaning was horrific. You are correct that he was never the same afterwards, but he did make a comeback and managed a few productive years before the damage to his eyesight made playing too difficult. He was such a promising young player. After he retired, he had a heart attack at age 37, then suffered a stroke, and never fully recovered, passing away at age 45. One of the more tragic baseball lives.