Baseball games are too long

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by sycks22

I'm assuming this is tongue in cheek? If not, I've heard this argument from friends for years and I think it's a joke. People are complaining about how the younger generation is getting bored with how long games are. Will the hipster generation watch more baseball if it's 5 minutes shorter? (nope). Will those extra 25 seconds before innings really impact how much someone watches baseball? Either you like baseball or you don't, pretty simple. I've never left a game and thought to myself (It would've been a better experience is the catcher only went to the mound 5 instead of 7 times during the game).

+1. Also, seems strange for the OP to suggest that limiting the time between innings is "more extreme" than reducing the number of balls and strikes. Really? Sing it with me: "For it's one, two strikes you're out at the ol' [new] ballgame".

[TheNightmanCometh]

There's nothing wrong with the length of baseball games.

[Nunzio11]

What makes the game so great is that there is no clock. Games are longer now because of the amount of specialized relief pitchers used. The average was 4 (3.96) pitchers used per team per game last year. Thats the highest it’s ever been. Managers are managing “by the book” with matchups. Starter is asked to go 5 innings then the parade to the bullpen starts to bridge the gap to the closer.

[BleedinBlue]

Originally Posted by TheNightmanCometh

There's nothing wrong with the length of baseball games.

+1

If the OP really wants to shorten the game then the simple solution is to limit the number of substitutions per game. Make it like soccer. 3 subs/game. That’s what it was like when games were 2 hours long.

Does anybody have stats on average players used per game by year? I’m sure it’s getting much larger today than when I was younger.

[TheNightmanCometh]

Originally Posted by BleedinBlue

+1

If the OP really wants to shorten the game then the simple solution is to limit the number of substitutions per game. Make it like soccer. 3 subs/game. That’s what it was like when games were 2 hours long.

Does anybody have stats on average players used per game by year? I’m sure it’s getting much larger today than when I was younger.

I always tell people, if you wanna shorten the time of the game, show up in the 3rd inning.

[Piratedogcardshows]

Originally Posted by TheNightmanCometh

There's nothing wrong with the length of baseball games.

Here here.

[BruceinGa]

Originally Posted by TheNightmanCometh

There's nothing wrong with the length of baseball games.

I also agree.

the op must play softball. Few associations still use the 3 strike and 4 ball count. None allow more than one foul after 2 strikes. Most start with a 1-1 count.
I do admit that I like playing in 1 pitch tournaments. A pitcher pitches to his own team, you take a pitch-your out. Foul ball, your out. most games last 15 minutes!!

Don't watch or go to the game.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by rgpete

Don't watch or go to the game.

The owners wouldn't be happy with that.

[tonyo]

I believe baseball overall would benefit from faster games.

Sure 5 minutes shorter wont make a difference, but 30 or 45 minutes could very well.

But I certainly don't want to add clocks or change the historical fundamentals of the rules.

Started to put on my thinking cap and "solve the problem myself", but that seems fruitless, so I googled for proof that games used to be shorter and for other folks ideas

Came up with this article (https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/20...isual-analysis) which I only skimmed, but the gist I took away is: the speed of the game is pretty-much fully in the umpires hands. I certainly didn't realize there is actually an MLB rule regarding the time between pitches.

The article is summed up by the last sentences: "Keeping the games moving can get the game down to around two-and-a-half hours without sacrificing one second of ad time, so work to eliminate those extraneous behaviors that add additional time and no value. It can be done if there's a will to do it."

There probably could be some rules added to help the umpires keep the game moving like:

1. limit the number of time outs by batters and baserunners. (I guess this is akin to "staying in the box")
2. pitchers must face minimum of 3 batters or finish an inning, or institute a maximum number of mid-inning pitching changes per game (one per team?). Sure it removes some managerial strategy, but I don't see that as drastically changing the fundamentals of the base-game.
3. reduce (or eliminate) warm up pitches for relief pitchers (that's what bullpens are for)
4. I have a love-hate relationship with instant replay - hate that it stops the flow of the game, of course I do want the plays to be called correctly, except I can live with fringe calls like: the "neighborhood" calls on double plays or those calls where a sliding runner comes 1/2" off the bag for a millisecond and is called out after replay, or if a play at first has to be replayed seven times with ultra high-def to determine if the foot touched the bag before the ball landed in the back of the glove. I imagine that MLB can assign an official to watch replay of every play, establish a list of plays that can be reversed, or forget the list- if it's obvious a call was missed after one viewing of a couple different angles, in about 15 seconds time, then then reverse the play, otherwise keep the game moving.


I've typed a little too much on this already, so.........

everyone enjoy their Saturdays!

[wdwfan]

To me, the best way to shorten a game is to get there in either the 3rd or 4th innings. Nothing happens over the first few anyway. But the middle of the game is when the parade to the mound starts, the endless pulling relief pitchers, subbing batters, etc. So if you get there in the 4th inning, you still get about 6 innings, catch all that stuff and knock the game down to about 2:15. Just my 3-1/2 cents though.

Or you could do like I do and just leave after about the 6th or top of the 7th. I hate sitting in traffic jams, so I leave early to alleviate that. I can always say I was at the game (and not be lying) if something crazy happens. Plus, I'd hear it on the radio while scooting back home instead of listening to yabbering in the post game show while sitting in traffic.

[silvor]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

To me, the best way to shorten a game is to get there in either the 3rd or 4th innings. Nothing happens over the first few anyway. But the middle of the game is when the parade to the mound starts, the endless pulling relief pitchers, subbing batters, etc. So if you get there in the 4th inning, you still get about 6 innings, catch all that stuff and knock the game down to about 2:15. Just my 3-1/2 cents though.

Or you could do like I do and just leave after about the 6th or top of the 7th. I hate sitting in traffic jams, so I leave early to alleviate that. I can always say I was at the game (and not be lying) if something crazy happens. Plus, I'd hear it on the radio while scooting back home instead of listening to yabbering in the post game show while sitting in traffic.

May cable company shows a 2 hour replay of the game the next morning. That really shortens the game. Or, just watch the highlights!

[Fred]

I would be nice to speed up the game a little. I don't agree with the "pointing to first base for the intentional pass". I'd rather see them throw the ball 4x and see if something gets screwed up in the process.

[JollyElm]

Some people complain that hockey games are too long. Maybe the NHL should install heaters beneath the rinks, forcing players to play much more quickly, so they can net some goals before all the ice melts away and the game is called. Problem solved.

[doug.goodman]

The same people who complain about baseball being "boring" point to basketball and football as examples of "exciting".

My definitions of "boring" and "exciting" are different than those used by such people.

Football plays to a 60 minute clock, basketball to a 48 minute clock, and the both games takes multiple hours to play.

At the moment that a game has become "too long" you should stop watching. Go home. Change the channel. Whatever fits the situation.



I once had a conversation with a woman sitting in front of me in the upper deck of Dodger Stadium that went something like this:

Doug - catches beach ball, stabs it with game scoring pen, rips it in half, throws it over the railing.

Woman - "why did you stab that beach ball and throw it over the railing?"

Doug - "because I hate f'g beach balls at baseball games"

Woman - "but baseball is boring"

Doug - "then go to the f'n beach"

Doug's mortified wife - buries face in hands


Later in the game I caused the wave to stop, but that's a different story.


Doug "my dream day involves a 28 inning game that lasts for as long as it lasts, preferably with no beach balls, or the people who would bring them" Goodman