By almost any measure, Giants designated hitters have been below average this season. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at OPS, OPS+, home runs, runs batted in, on-base percentage or batting average. Giants DHs are in the bottom half of baseball in all of those categories.
The Giants have a losing record this season in extra innings. Their winning percentage in extra innings was .160 points lower than it was in nine-inning games last year, too.
The limits on how many times a player can be recalled and demoted has affected how the Giants build a roster. They’ve used a wider variety of pitchers and hitters than they otherwise might have, and the results have been disappointing.
So you’re right to be a little concerned about Major League Baseball’s new rule changes. Rule changes have not been kind to this organization lately. If history is any guide, they’ll probably hose the Giants.
That’s the cynical view, though. The only thing we know for sure is that they’ll be affected, so let’s do our best to figure out how. Here are all the new rules, with how they might affect the Giants.
Pitch clock
I’m an expert on very few things. Random Giants backup catchers from decades ago*. Quotes from the ’90s MTV show, “The State.” How to break the yolk of an egg when I’m trying my best not to.
* Yamid Haad
The pitch clock is one of these things.
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