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I'm not sure of the full rule, but I think there's something in there that it only applies when the pitcher is on the rubber. If they're walking around the batter can too.

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The pitcher comes off the rubber every pitch, but if they leave the mound (dirt area) the batter can exit the batter's box.

There are all sorts of caveats... here's the full rule:

(4) (6.02(d)) The Batter’s Box Rule
(A) The batter shall keep at least one foot in the batter’s box throughout the batter’s time at bat, unless one of the following exceptions applies, in which case the batter may leave the batter’s box but not the dirt area surrounding home plate:
(i) The batter swings at a pitch;
(ii) An attempted check swing is appealed to a base umpire;
(iii) The batter is forced off balance or out of the batter’s box by a pitch;
(iv) A member of either team requests and is granted “Time”;
(v) A defensive player attempts a play on a runner at any base;
(vi) The batter feints a bunt;
(vii) A wild pitch or passed ball occurs;
(viii) The pitcher leaves the dirt area of the pitching mound after receiving the ball; or
(ix) The catcher leaves the catcher’s box to give defensive signals.

If the batter intentionally leaves the batter’s box and delays play, and none of the exceptions listed in Rule 5.04(b)(4)(A)(i) through (ix) (Rule 6.02(d)(1)(i) through (ix)) applies, the umpire shall issue a warning to the batter for the batter’s first violation of this Rule in a game. For a batter’s second or subsequent violations of this Rule in a game, the League President may issue an appropriate discipline. In National Association play, for a batter’s second or subsequent violations of this Rule in a game, the umpire shall award a strike without the pitcher having to deliver the pitch. The ball is dead, and no runners may advance.

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If they dial the balls back again, there will be few homers, which means more balls in play, which means more action.

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With how much publicity it got this year I think they do this. It will be interesting to see though.

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MLB is great, but there are so many fricking games. It's a chore to keep up during the season. 162 3 hour games, in 180 days.

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I enjoy the amount of games. But, I would not be against reducing the games back to 154. I probably went to 50+ Texas games this year and watched another 60 on tv.

The game amount is something I understand from a more casual fan point of view though.

I enjoy the amount of games as well. Something to watch every single night basically from early April to early October

I've enjoyed this series as well. I have no preference for either team but watching the Yankees rally last night was fun.

Last year didn't get really good until the WS, which hasn't happened yet. One game 5 in the DS vs two this year, and the ALCS is shaping up to be as good or better than the NLCS last year

It would be hard to match the WS from last year but so far the playoffs have been just as good or better

MLB.tv is the shite.

MLB playoffs are always amazing because the games actually matter unlike the regular season and the crowd and players have so much more emotion involved

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The thing is, is that those games will matter eventually.

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Sure, but only very minimally more with a 154 game season as opposed to 162. You're eliminating less than 5% of the games, that's not a major change. It's not really fixing anything.

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because the games actually matter unlike the regular season

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Wrong. The Rangers are in the playoffs if Sam Dyson doesn’t blow six saves in the first two weeks.

ETA: in the wildcard, probably lose to the Yankees in the wild card.