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Baseball Eric Sogard Jersey , like all sports, must evolve to survive. Rule changes and strategic tweaks are as necessary as they are inevitable.That said, there are limits. There are bad ideas.Moving the pitcher's mound back seems like one of them.In case you missed it, the independent Atlantic League concert with MLB implement a number of rule changes. These will reportedly include the use of an automated strike zone and moving the mound back an undisclosed distance, though the Atlantic League declined to confirm any specifics, per J.J. Cooper of Baseball America.As Cooper noted, "the Atlantic League, which is full of veteran pitchers, many of whom have MLB experience, will give MLB an opportunity to try out a rather significant change with high-caliber players.""We've been talking a lot to our clubs and to the Players Association about changes to rules on the field," MLB senior vice president of league economics and operations Morgan Sword told Cooper. "We have prototypes of new equipment we want to see in action. Our group thought it was better to see them [tested] in an unaffiliated baseball league. It gives us an opportunity to test some of these things in regular-season competition."The "robo umpire" is an intriguing notion we've highlighted before. Depending on how it's rolled out, it has merit."Baseball players used to leave their gloves on the field between innings," former big leaguer and robo-ump proponent Eric Byrnes told me in July 2016. "They used to take trains across the country instead of airplanes. They used to not have lights and not play night games. It's a simple progression."Moving the mound back even by a foot or two, however, may not be progress. In fact, it could be a counterproductive disaster.Granted, we're talking about an independent league trial run. It's not as if this is coming to a big league ballpark near you. But based on Cooper's report, baseball's higher-ups are clearly weighing the option.The Tommy John epidemic has leveled off. According to data gathered by FanGraphs' Jon Roegele, 143 minor and major league players underwent the procedure in 2015. That figure fell to 122 in 2016, 100 in 2017 and 84 in 2018.San Francisco Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto was one of 84 MLB and MiLB pitchers to undergo Tommy John surgery in 2018.Jason O. Watson/Getty ImagesStill, it's a significant issue that curtails and sometimes ends the careers of pitchers at all levels. And now, just as it seems to be abating http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , MLB reportedly wants to experiment with guys throwing from a longer distance, potentially putting even more strain on their arms and elbows?So we arrive at baseball's velocity obsession. Pitchers who tickle 100 mph are all the rage in today's game, but radar-gun-singeing fastballs and arm injuries are at least tangentially connected.In 2015, the Hardball Times' Jeff Zimmerman did an analysis of pitchers who averaged 96 mph or more. He found they had a 27.7 percent chance of hitting the disabled list the following season, compared to a 15.2 percent chance for pitchers who averaged between 90 and 93 mph and an 11.2 percent chance for pitchers who averaged between 87 and 90 mph.That's not irrefutable evidence, but it strongly suggests throwing harder begets more injuries. Therefore, it stands to reason, moving the mound back could exacerbate arm problems.The 60'6" mound was established in 1893. It's one of the game's oldest norms. MLB lowered the mound in 1968 to combat an offensive decline, but the quirky, symmetrical span between pitcher and batter has remained unaltered for 126 years.Why tweak it now? Total strikeouts topped 40,000 for the second consecutive year in MLB last season. That's only happened twice, ever: in 2017 and in 2018. Overall, MLB has set a new strikeout record for 11 consecutive seasons.Would moving the mound back reduce whiffs? Maybe, maybe not.Chicago White Sox infielder Yoan Moncada led MLB with 217 strikeouts in 2018, the 11th consecutive year baseball set a new record for whiffs.Tom Szczerbowski/Getty ImagesUpping the distance would give hitters more time to react to triple-digit heaters. But it might also make wipeout sliders and hammer curveballs deadlier."The mound being moved back will be way worse for hitters," Kyle Boddy of Driveline Baseball told Baseball America's Cooper. "The difference is not large from a velocity/reaction-time standpoint, but the movement difference is huge.""Play catch with a big leaguer throwing sliders at 50 feet and then play catch at 70 feet," Boddy added. "[Catch at] 70 feet is infinitely more terrifying."To be fair, Boddy doesn't suggest moving the mound will increase pitcher injuries. But he does seem to feel it could give pitchers an advantage, contrary to the ostensible goal of aiding hitters.Consider MLB's other obsession, launch angle, which coincided with an all-time record 6 Zach Davies Jersey ,105 home runs in 2017. Hitters are swinging for the fences in all-or-nothing fashion. Would moving the mound back and giving them more time to size up a pitch make them do that more or less frequently?Again, there's nothing wrong with growth and innovation, even in a game as history-steeped as baseball. Pitch clocks? Automated strike zones? A universal designated hitter? Lowering the mound again? We're all ears.But moving the mound back, assuming this experiment moves from an Atlantic League microcosm to an MLB reality, feels drastic bordering on reckless. It seems like a "solution" that may only create more problems.The distance between the pitchers mound and home plate has been unchanged at the MLB level since 1893.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press/Associated PressThink about it. Pitchers who've grown accustomed to hurling from 60'6" since they exited Little League will suddenly be asked to adjust. Arm angle, stride, release point...all will have to be reworked.To quote San Francisco Giants broadcaster and former big leaguer Duane Kuiper, speaking on KNBR's MurphMac, "If they move the mound, I'll quit."Maybe there's nothing wrong with MLB testing this out in the Atlantic League. On the other hand, maybe this is a concept MLB shouldn't consider in the first place.MLB has to evolve. Not all evolution is created equal, though, and the league may end up wishing this experiment had been cast aside like a soggy rosin bag. NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees view Troy Tulowitzki as their starting shortstop until Didi Gregorius returns from Tommy John surgery this summer.Still, general manager Brian Cashman won’t rule out trying to sign Manny Machado, one of the top free agents on the market.And, in his first question-and-answer session of the year, Cashman revealed he has dragged talks to trade Sonny Gray until the Yankees know CC Sabathia will be ready to pitch following surgery to implant a stent in an artery from his heart.Tulowitzki, a five-time All-Star absent from the major leagues since July 2017, finalized his one-year contract for the major league minimum $555,000 on Friday after passing a physical.“It doesn’t mean we’re going to get vintage Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Rockie years when he was there,” Cashman said, “but it’s exciting to dream on what he might be capable of when his health is there on a consistent basis because he was quite the player for quite a long time.”Tulowitzki missed last season because of bone spurs in his right and left heels. Gregorius had right elbow surgery on Oct. 17 and Cashman expects him back in June http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , July or August. New York will evaluate then what role Tulowitzki could play after Gregorius reclaims the position.Yankees scout JT Stotts attended a workout by Tulowitzki at Long Beach State, and scout Jay Darnell and director of pro scouting Dan Giese attended a second workout. They forwarded video to others in the front office.“Scouts that I highly respect were very pleased with what they saw and very excited by the workouts that he put himself through in front of them on multiple occasions,” Cashman said. “He really looked athletic. It looked like he had got that bounce back in his step.”Tulowitzki, who wore No. 2 previously in honor of retired Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, is expected to discuss his decision publicly early next week. He is owed $20 million for next year by the Blue Jays, $14 million for 2020 and a $4 million buyout of a 2021 team option. Toronto pays all but the big league minimum in the Yankees deal, which is offset against his 2019 salary.He joins an infield that has Gleyber Torres at second, Miguel Andujar at third and Luke Voit at first — unless Greg Bird beats Voit out during spring training, Cashman said.Machado could replace Andujar at third if he signs with New York. Machado visited Yankee Stadium last month and had dinner with team officials.“I thought it was a real positive experience from our perspective,” Cashman said.New York’s other news was an update on the health of Sabathia, the 38-year-old left-hander who had a stent inserted on Dec. 11.“I think we are optimistic that the pending medical evaluations that he’ll have here in January are going to be fruitful and beneficial and positive, which would green light a full return to play as early as when he reports for spring training as you prepares for the season,” Cashman said. “If those follow-up appointments go well, I think we’ll know we’ll be in a much better position to give you an honest answer on opening-day expectations.”Sabathia is part of a projected rotation that includes Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and J.A. Happ. Cashman said at the outset of the offseason he planned to trade Sonny Gray, who struggled and was booed by Yankees fans.“The CC thing, certainly when it developed it slowed down my conversations with intent because we have to see how this played out first,” Cashman said. “And so once he has these follow-up appointments, I’ll be in a much better position to either fully engage moving forward the Sonny Gray conversations that we’ve had or continue to slow walk it while we make sure that CC is taken care of healthwise first and foremost.”Notes: RHP A.J. Cole was designated for assignment to open a roster spot. … Cashman said RHP Luis Cessa is out of options but RHP Domingo German has one option remaining.