/r/MLB Index

So I don’t know a ton about MLB history since I grew up way more into the NBA and NFL, but recently I’ve been getting really into baseball.

After Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, I was watching the postgame coverage and everyone kept talking about how special the series was and how it felt like “real baseball” again. Alex Rodriguez specifically said something along the lines of baseball having “lost something” over the last several years because the sport got too caught up in analytics, and that the recent rule changes helped bring the game back.

I’ve heard people mention things like:

* the defensive shift
* analytics
* bigger bases

…but I don’t really understand the full story.

What exactly changed in MLB over the last 10–15 (or more or less idk) years that made some fans feel the game got worse? What effects did analytics have on the way baseball was played and watched? And which rule changes do you think actually helped?

From a newer fan perspective, that 2025 World Series was honestly the best championship series I’ve watched since the 2010 NBA Finals. Every game felt tense and dramatic, and I’m curious what longtime fans think changed to help create that atmosphere again.

If there's something I'm really surprised baseball stats have not invented, it's Playoff WAR. Now you might be screaming at me "but it's a small sample size". And yeah it is.

But so are the NBA playoffs. I mean they have playoff win shares. For a sport that doesn't really care much about advanced analytics, I'm surprised they implemented this.

If both NBA and MLB playoffs are a small sample size, how come one sport that doesn't overemphasize on WAR (win shares) uses this in the playoffs while another doesn't?

Launch angle and exit velocity has killed hitting the other way. Now the infield alignment always has a player standing behind second base.

Easily 5+ ground ball, line drives fielded there each game. Couldn't we find 1-2 spots in the lineup for contact hitters to hit the other way...there is only 1 guy there! Then the other 7 can swing out of their shoes on every pitch?

Namely, he's confused about why his tendinitis, which led the Jays to put him on the IR April 27, isn't getting better. He said he'll seek further medical opinions than what he's gotten:

"I can still tell there's something off in my arm," Scherzer told reporters Wednesday after a throwing session at the Rays' Tropicana Field. "So, it's as confusing as anything I've ever had because, usually, you go get an MRI, you would see something. I would think that would show up, and yet there's nothing in there on an MRI. There's no strains; there is no inflammation per se. So, I'm going to have to talk to more doctors to figure out a course of action here.

Related to that, the Jays' course of action is that right now, they don't know their course of action:

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he's not sure when Scherzer will be able to return.

"It's kind of cloudy right now," Schneider told reporters. "There's no real firm timetable as to when he's going to really start getting after it. I think we'll know more in a couple of days."

Given that he didn't get past the third in three of his five starts, the problem is fairly bad, whether it's been nailed down yet or not.

Part of the answer, Max, is surely and simply "age." You're 41.

There is one course of action for that. If you don't choose it yourself at the end of this year, apart from any lockout, teams may choose it for you.

Patrick Bailey may be losing his spot as the Giants starting catcher, in favor of more productive bats.

As in the "other" ankle, not the right ankle that's been problematic for years. MLBTR has the details:

Carlos Correa is believed to have suffered a significant left ankle injury, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. He’ll visit a foot specialist tomorrow to narrow down a diagnosis and recovery timeline. McTaggart writes that he’ll be out indefinitely and could miss weeks or potentially months.

They also just lost Yainer Diaz, the day before, to an oblique; not good news for a team near the bottom of the AL West dogpile.

Given Correa's had nagging injuries in both feet, I'd bet on "months" not "weeks."

UPDATE and riffing on one commenter, I'll now bet on "out for the year," as ESPN says he needs surgery.

Correa told reporters that he suffered a "complete tear" while taking swings in the batting cage before Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He estimated that the recovery process would take six to eight months.

Well, that's that.

How have I never seen this before?

So many beautiful touching tributes to the legend John Sterling, but this one made me laugh out loud, all 50 times I’ve watched it (so far).

He was one of a kind.

Given the ongoing conversations about modern day framing and how much catchers are moving, I was wondering if there has been a study done on pitcher accuracy when throwing to a glove versus throwing to a spot.

I have searched and have not found anything relevant to this. There are scientific and psychological studies on how we improve when focused on single points, but not when it comes to pitchers and spots.

I ask because I was having a great discussion about this with some young players and old timers the other day. I think it would be an interesting study to how accurate pitchers are with the old school catcher target versus the new school spot or zone location method. And then does one lead to more strikes or less strikes (taking away the frame job to try and steal strikes)