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NEW YORK -- Wade Miley hears the talk about lifting the bottom of the strike zone in an effort to spark offense and insists there has been too much tinkering already.I dont know why they just cant leave the game alone, the Seattle pitcher said. Cant we just go play and try to get three outs and go from there?Concerned about the drop in offense in recent years, Major League Baseball has studied whether to restore the lower edge of the strike zone from just beneath the kneecap to its pre-1996 level -- at the top of the kneecap. Any change for 2017 would require an agreement with the players association, which is skeptical. Membership is split.I think its kind of outrageous what theyre trying to do with the strike zone, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood said. Obviously, Im biased. Im a pitcher. But at the same time, its shrunk drastically, maybe even in the last five or six years.Baseball people talk about the strike zone the way most discuss the weather: constant complaints about hard-to-fathom change.Wood threw 11.9 percent of his pitches last year at the bottom of the strike zone, according to Fangraphs, which defined the lowest portion as between 1.5 and 1.75 feet off the ground. That was the highest-percentage in the major leagues, just ahead of Minnesotas Kyle Gibson at 11.3 percent and Mileys 11 percent.When the strike zone was last changed, umpires took years to adjust.MLB has used computer software to track umpires strike zones since 2001, which has helped bring the umpiring staff into closer alignment on balls and strikes. Umpires receive a grade now after every game worked behind the plate, and that has resulted in an expansion of the strike zone over much of the past decade.Any adjustment to a new rule-book definition would take time.Theyd have to start in the minor leagues. I think for some of the guys to try to adjust to a new strike zone is going to be chaotic, said umpire Bob Davidson, who worked his first big league game in 1982. I hope they just leave it the way it is. I think we call it now the way the rule book states.Offense has increased this season. Through Thursdays games, the big league batting average is .256, the highest for a first half since 2010, and teams have combined for 2.31 homers per game, the most in the first half since the Steroids Era peak in 2000.But one trend remains constant: strikeouts.Teams combined to average 15.95 strikeouts per game in June, the third-highest month in major league history behind September 2015 (15.96) and April 2016 (16.26), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The last 28 months dating to September 2011 are the highest-strikeout 28 months in big league history.Were at an interesting time in the game, Gibson said. I think they should ask players about strikeouts and how much they care about strikeouts because I dont think its as frowned-upon as it used to be -- because a guy whos striking out a lot is probably also hitting a lot of homers. And if you ask anybody in here if theyll take a 150-strikeout and 30-homer year, theyre going to say, yeah, sign me up.The strike zone has changed many times -- by definition, not just opinion, like Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon calling Laz Diazs zone last weekend amorphic. The top was moved from the armpits to the top of the shoulders ahead of the 1963 season, then lowered before 1969 following a drop in offense and redefined in 1988 as the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants.If the bottom came up, would the top come up, too? said Toronto pitcher R.A. Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner. If they want to introduce an era of better offense, then that would be one way to go, for sure. Because if youre having to elevate balls, thats right into the swing path of most hitters.But just raising the bottom alone likely would result in only a slight change.I think thats a tough pitch for umpires to call already. Not only are they blocked a little bit by the catcher, but the pitches that I throw down there arent straight four-seamers. Theyre sinking down already, Gibson said. I think most of those probably arent called strikes. Theyre probably groundballs or swings and misses or foul balls. ... But, yeah, raising the strike zone for me is going to be a little more difficult, depending on how they call that. But its just like any other rule change. Just like the slide rule at second. Im going to have to make an adjustment and hopefully its not an adjustment that causes me to get hit a whole lot. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. ETwaun Moore Jersey .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-Jahlil-Okafor-Pelicans-Jersey/ . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. Anthony Davis Jersey . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Custom New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. PHILADELPHIA -- Even with Dwight Howard having an off game, Atlanta won easily.And coach Mike Budenholzer said thats a good sign for the Hawks.Paul Millsap scored 17 points to lead five Hawks in double figures and Atlanta toppled the Philadelphia 76ers 104-72 on Saturday.Kyle Korver added 15 points and Mike Muscala added 14 for Atlanta.The Hawks barely needed top offseason acquisition Howard. The big man had just two points and seven rebounds in his second game for his hometown team after signing a three-year, $70 million free-agent contract this summer. The 31-year-old center had 19 rebounds and 11 points in Atlantas season-opening 114-99 win over Washington on Thursday.The great thing about adding Dwight to our group and something that Dwight is embracing and cherishing is that we play as a team, Budenholzer said.Everybody steps up, everybody contributes. Dwight is going to have great, big nights. A day like today was maybe not his day. Muscala, Paul and Kris (Humphries) were great. Its much more a positive than anything.Dennis Schroder displayed the playmaking ability the Hawks are counting on with him taking over for Jeff Teague as the teams point guard. After getting two assists in the opener, Schroder had 11 to go with 11 points against Philadelphia.Joel Embiid and Sergio Rodriguez had 14 points apiece for the 76ers.The Hawks reserves (51 points) had nearly as many points (53) as the starters.It says a lot, Millsap said. Our bench is great. Our bench did a great job of coming in and sparking a nice, little run for us. This game, last game, they did a great job of doing that.Millsap scored four points during Atlantas 8-2 run to open the fourth quarter, capped by Muscalas 17-foot jumper for an 82-60 lead.After sitting out for two years because of a foot injury, Embiid dazzled the home crowd with 20 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes in Wednesdays season-opening loss to Oklahoma City. The third overall pick in the 2014 draft, Embiid had trouble staying on the court in the opening half against Orlando.Moments after chants of Trust the process! Trust the process! serenaded Embiid on the free-throw line, the crowd erupted in the second quarter when Embiiid blocked Howards shot attempt.ddddddddddddEmbiid had to go to the bench seconds later after picking up his third foul. The Hawks took advantage, outscoring Philadelphia 17-10 from that point to enter the intermission up 53-39.Philadelphia could get only within 10 points in the third quarter on Jerami Grants highlight-reel reverse dunk. But the Hawks scored eight of the final 10 points of the period to enter the fourth quarter ahead 74-58.NATIONAL ANTHEMA day after apologizing for prohibiting R&B singer Sevyn Streeter from performing the national anthem at Wednesdays opener because Streeter was wearing a We Matter T-shirt, the song went off without any incidents or protests prior to Saturdays game. Mike Moore, a member of the teams Flight Squad, performed the national anthem with no signs that anything was amiss.NO CHEESESTEAKSDeAndre Bembry had two points for Atlanta. The rookie is a product of nearby Saint Josephs. He received cheers when he entered with just under six minutes left.Bembry said he had a bunch of people in attendance from St. Joes. One thing he didnt have while back in Philadelphia, though, was a cheesesteak due to the recent removal of a wisdom tooth.MORE MINUTESEmbiid, on a minutes restriction because of his foot injury, played 15 minutes.With the minutes he played, he clearly helped us, Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. Were looking forward to him playing more minutes.TIP-INSHawks: Millsap, a three-time All-Star, is averaging a team-best 22.5 points per game through two games. ... Atlanta nearly doubled Philadelphia in assists, with 31 to the 76ers 16.76ers: Philadelphia, which started 0-18 on the way to a 10-72 mark last season, looks for its first win with its third straight home game to start the season, Tuesday against the Magic. Five of the 76ers first six games are at home. Philadelphia is playing without three starters because of injury: Jerryd Bayless (wrist), Nerlens Noel (knee) and 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons (foot).UP NEXTHawks: Host Sacramento on Monday night.76ers: Host Orlando on Tuesday night. ' ' '