Reds to relax rules in farm system

[ghettochild]

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03/05/2006 6:00 PM ET
Reds to relax rules in farm system
Club gives flexibility to pitch limits and batting restrictions
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com


SARASOTA, Fla. -- Whether they're watching potential future Reds at games in Sarasota, Dayton or Billings, fans who come out should notice the same thing this year ... which actually will be something different.
Pitchers will have the ability to work longer. Hitters can go into the batter's box swinging away.

The edict, under the previous front office regime of general manager Dan O'Brien, was that all starting pitchers below Double-A were held to strict pitch counts of 75. The lower Minor League teams had to employ an eight-man tandem rotation and have two starting pitchers ready to work every fourth day.

All hitters were instructed to take the first strike before they could swing in order for them to develop patience at the plate. Opposing pitchers knowing the Reds' organizational hitting rules going in were often able to get ahead with 0-1 counts.

Those blanket policies are now out of Cincinnati's farm system.

"Everybody is different," said Johnny Almaraz, a longtime member of the organization who was promoted to Reds player development director last month. "Everybody deserves to be given an individual plan that's best suited for them."

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[volzok]

All I can say is, "Thank God."

[redsrbetter]

Yep Thank God is right. I did not hate the strict pitch count for the minors, but I did not like that it was that strict. I could see DanO's point in that manner though after seeing guys like Gruler and Howington go down. He should have just made it less strict.

[volzok]

I agree with you on the pitch counts. No need to have anyone throw 120, but if they are grooving, let them go a little while longer. I really hated the first pitch rule. I understand the building of patience, but if you get a good pitch first, why not knock it?? Especially if you are a good hitter.

[Slyder]

Another move by O'Brien being thrown into the oblivion that is baseball history. Great move Krivsky.

[Geki Ace]

I didn't mind the pitch counts, though they needed to be loosened up some. The take-a-pitch rule was retarded. It doesn't build patience at all.

[homerun21]

The take first pitch rule was ridiculous. Especially considering opposing teams knew about it and just grooved first pitch strikes in there a majority of the time.

[McKain]

The take-a-pitch rule DID build patience; I don't even see how you can deny that.

Everyone was very patient; they took that pitch, every at-bat, gritted their teeth, and said "**** you Dan O'Brien" instead of beating him with their bats and saying "YOU ARE A MORON AND THIS IS A BAD RULE." They learned plenty of patience!

[redsrbetter]

The take-a-pitch rule DID build patience; I don't even see how you can deny that.

Everyone was very patient; they took that pitch, every at-bat, gritted their teeth, and said "**** you Dan O'Brien" instead of beating him with their bats and saying "YOU ARE A MORON AND THIS IS A BAD RULE." They learned plenty of patience!

Excellent thinking on your part McKain! I like that analagy a lot. And it is precisly why DanO is not the kind of guy you want running your organization. Bad decisions makes for bad business.

[ghettochild]

i liked the first pitch rule to an extent. i am a fan of building the pitch count and i HATE HATE HATE first pitch swinging. if you get about 3-4 pitches in an AB, you basically know what he's going to throw next, and good batters can tell that.