Comments on: Thoughts On This Season’s Rule Changes

By: Morgan

Morgan — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:27:00 +0000

This makes me think of the story of Sandy Amoros, the Dodgers outfielder from the Brooklyn days, trying to find his way to spring training while living off apple pie a la mode ’cause it was all he knew how to say in English (there was an updated fictional version of that story in that movie about the minor leaguer a few years ago, but with waffles?). I think teams should do everything they can to get the best possible performance from players, and treat them well too, and clear communication is an important part of that. What is the problem with having a translator? What is so wrong with it? What harm does it cause? Not everyone can be completely bilingual, and English does take a long time to learn even if you have a knack for languages. I know lots of people who have to spend substantial time in places where they do not know the language who don’t speak the local language very well, if at all, and I have never heard of them having help be a problem. Most employees I imagine would prefer to have as much translation as possible if hiring someone with a language issue is needed, so unless you want some sort of literacy or fluency test to sign a contract…

Plus think about the United Nations, all those people wearing the headphones, all those translators working there. Do you think they all not responsible enough to learn English? Does the argument that they knew they were coming here they should learn English apply to them too? Or do they have more important skills relative to the job, which in baseball would be a great fastball, curve, etc?

By: Donal

Donal — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 21:07:28 +0000

Most organizations have programs for international players that help them adjust not the language, but the lifestyle as well. Some are better than others, but still, it is there.

But, maybe some guys simply aren’t good at foreign languages. Oh well. I don’t see how taking a translator out there is different than a trainer.

As for the third to first thing…really? Was this really and issue? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have a rule about doing 30 checks to first when a guy like Daniel Murphy is on base?

By: rob

rob — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:21:20 +0000

My opinion, for what it’s worth:

I dont really have a problem with translators going to the mound.
Of course, when they also bring the infield in, it will look more like a board meeting with about 7 people on the mound, but ok.

I am glad to see that ‘fake throw’ thing go away. I’ve never understand why that is not considered a ‘balk.’ After all, a balk is any attempt to devieve a runner.
And yes, it looks stupid

By: Metfan Lou

Metfan Lou — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:08:56 +0000

No problem on the translators. Baseball is an international game and we have Latin American, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, and I bet soon even some players from Russia, China and other countries. Ok by me and I bet when American players go to Japan they are allowed the same courtesy. Probably the banning of the fake to third throw is a small attempt to speed up the game. We’ll see a lot more of these types of plays in the future. I predict someday we’ll see the automatic walk rule where ther catcher tells the umpire of an intentional walk and the guy takes the base. If umpires would enforce the pitch rule it would go quicker. Start your clock” the pitcher waves off the catcher on three pitchers, the catcher calls time. goes to the mound, finally the umpire comes out and talks to them and says hey guys move it along. The batter hasn’t moved his bat, and nothing is getting done. Fix that crap!

By: Metsie

Metsie — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:10:45 +0000

“If you don’t have a catcher your going to have a lot of passed balls”

And Thole proved him right! LOL

By: srt

srt — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:01:05 +0000

‘Can’t anybody here play this game????’

By: Metsie

Metsie — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:58:45 +0000

And he said it with the same sounds of DREAD most people around here say it with! LOL

By: ifthevansrockin

ifthevansrockin — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:50:38 +0000

“candlesticks are always a good gift” plays in every language too.

By: Joe D

Joe D — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:44:53 +0000

Metsie, Metsie, Metsie. Isn’t that what Stengel said most of the time? He gave you your nickname. lol

By: gregg

gregg — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:41:54 +0000

Daniel, regarding the translator to mound rule, I think it’s plain stupid. My reason is different from yours though. I have visions of the translators getting into arguements with the umpires, and being run from the game, then what happens? I don’t think it’s a huge leap for a player from another country to learn a few simple english phrases, like “throw a strike, dammit”, or “don’t throw this guy a curve”
The third to first play is dopey, but so are a lot of plays in baseball. Banning doesn’t make sense. It’s like the arguement regarding the intentional walk. Should the manager be allowed to signal the umpire he wants a guy walked, and not have a pitcher throw 4 balls? Sometimes a player hits one of those four balls, just like sometimes the silly 3rd to 1st play works. Don’t ban it.

By: Metsie

Metsie — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:32:28 +0000

Most who learn it I think do so because if they want thier day in the sun (in front of the Camera) they kind of have to learn it….

As for the japanese players I have yet to see one last long enough in the league to master the language.

Hot commodities for a year maybe two and then they seem to be done.
Don’t know why that is true but it could explain why players who can’t get jobs here go to Japan to revitalize thier career.

By: Metsie

Metsie — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:29:56 +0000

We could really use a Stengel for the entertainment value to us right about now don’t you think? LOL

By: srt

srt — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:10:31 +0000

Most non American players who don’t speak English I believe make an attempt to learn it when they come over here. For some, it just takes time. If you remember, listening to Reyes talk when he was a rookie was a lot harder then it was in later years.

Some that come over from Japan probably don’t have enough time to learn the language before they make their MLB debut. Probably the same for some Cuban defectors.

I understand your point about making it easy for them not to learn the language but I think even with this new rule, most will make the attempt anyway. So I really don’t have a problem with this new rule.

The other rule, while I agree that faked attempt very rarely works, I’m not sure why they felt the need to ban it. Was it harming anything? Anyone know?

By: srt

srt — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:04:08 +0000

‘I wonder if they would have allowed translators to go the mound with Stengel to translate whatever the hell he was saying to pitchers’
hahaha – good one.

By: Metsie

Metsie — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:52:50 +0000

I wonder if they would have allowed translators to go the mound with Stengel to translate whatever the hell he was saying to pitchers…..LOL

I just don;t get why anyone would make a rule against a fake throw to third because every american has a god given right to look foolish anytime he wants…

It’s not a balk and the reason why it is done is in hopes of catching a runner going…

And what if there is a runner on third? Isn’t faking a throw over there justified?
This sounds like they ran out of things to make rules about and just made some up to justify thier existence.

By: jessep

jessep — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:33:47 +0000

Daniel – I think the idea that this creates a slippery slope with regards to language is fair but I also think you can’t tell somebody they have to learn english.

When you apply for a job there are requirements. For example, my daughter goes to a doctors office in a city with a very large hispanic population. The nurses etc there are likely required to know both languages before being hired.

If you’re MLB you can’t do that. Why? Well take Yu Darvish for example. Are you going to tell Texas that before you pay this kid to make an impact on your team, he needs to learn english? Of course not.

Believe it or not, most players who use English as a 2nd language do try to learn it when they come here. There’s a difference between LEARNING the language and being COMFORTABLE in the language.

When there is a visit to the mound lets say – a pitcher needs to understand fully whats being said and also needs to be able to inform the coach or trainer exactly what he thinks or feels. That can’t get lost in translation or misunderstanding of words.

A lot of coaches are learning spanish in the minors. You’d be surprised at how many coaches are at least bilingual. The problem is mostly the asian population who mostly come directly from their pro league to ours.

I think MLB needs to be sensitive to that and I think it’s a very fair rule for them to allow a translator to the mound. The slippery slope is, what about the umpire or base coaches etc. I don’t think it will get to that, but it’s the slope that is created by this.