OT MLB players reject pace of play changes, commish to implement regardless

[MNNumbers]

The change in how the game is played is precisely the problem. More pitches with the same amount of actual action. The younger generation is not interesting in waiting to see what happens.

Tighten up the waiting time and you hope for better viewing numbers.

Do nothing and your fanbase continues to lessen.

 

[tarheelhockey]

There is nothing wrong with baseball and the game times are fine.

The game times aren't fine. Very few people want to sit around for 3 hours on average for any form of entertainment, let alone a baseball game.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Historically though, this isnt how the game has been played. Even looking back at the length of games in the 70s and 80s shows drastic differences in time. Baseball can be quicker, becausw it used to be.

thats only because of pitching changes.

starters used to throw complete games almost every start and werent on pitch counts like they are now. Also it was 1 maybe 2 relievers used in a game, not all of the 1 batter left/right specialists like there is now.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The change in how the game is played is precisely the problem. More pitches with the same amount of actual action. The younger generation is not interesting in waiting to see what happens.

Tighten up the waiting time and you hope for better viewing numbers.

Do nothing and your fanbase continues to lessen.

This isn't a generational value shift. From the 1950s through the 1980s, otherwise known as the glory years of baseball, games held a consistent 2:30 standard, same as hockey or basketball. During that time period (when long-attention-span Boomers were the dominant audience) if a game had run 3 hours the fans would have wondered what the hell was the holdup.

Millennials are perfectly willing to watch a 2:30 sporting event, just like the generations before them. They are annoyed by a 3-hour sporting event, just like the generations before them.

 

[MNNumbers]

Tarheel,

I think we're saying the same thing but in different ways. I feel baseball is a have of anticipation. What might happen....... Keeps one's attention.

But when there is so long a time with nothing happening.... Wait through 7 pitches. Nothing. Oh, great, another pitching change.... It's just dead space.

I think that older generation fans still can tolerate it..... Baseball is important to them. They maybe don't like it, but they like the game. They'll wait.

The new fan does not have the 'I like baseball' impulse to hold their attention.

People can complain about changes. But the powers that be know..... If we don't change, we're lost.....

 

[tarheelhockey]

Tarheel,

I think we're saying the same thing but in different ways. I feel baseball is a have of anticipation. What might happen....... Keeps one's attention.

But when there is so long a time with nothing happening.... Wait through 7 pitches. Nothing. Oh, great, another pitching change.... It's just dead space.

I think that older generation fans still can tolerate it..... Baseball is important to them. They maybe don't like it, but they like the game. They'll wait.

The new fan does not have the 'I like baseball' impulse to hold their attention.

People can complain about changes. But the powers that be know..... If we don't change, we're lost.....

I think I can agree with that. Lifelong fans tolerate a lot of nonsense changes in every sport, because they're already sold.

I will say, I don't see a whole lot of kids anymore who seem to be hardcore baseball fans. They haven't totally disappeared, but it's not every single young boy like it was when I was growing up. There are a whole lot of kids who seem to be at least vaguely interested in pro soccer -- just as slow paced and anticipation-heavy as baseball, but the games are an hour shorter and something is happening almost the whole time. Those kids would be bored out of their mind watching baseball players stand around waiting for pitching changes.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

The change in how the game is played is precisely the problem. More pitches with the same amount of actual action. The younger generation is not interesting in waiting to see what happens.

YOU CANNOT ENFORCE A RULE WHERE HITTERS SWING MORE OFTEN! That is literally what is making the games longer. That and bullpens. You cannot limit pitching changes, the things you can do to speed up the pace of play have little to no effect on how long a game is.

 

[MNNumbers]

YOU CANNOT ENFORCE A RULE WHERE HITTERS SWING MORE OFTEN! That is literally what is making the games longer. That and bullpens. You cannot limit pitching changes, the things you can do to speed up the pace of play have little to no effect on how long a game is.

It's fine to scream like this if you want to. But if the game doesn't change, it will die in many markets. That's why this is happening.

Five seconds between each other in a 240 pitch game is 20 minutes. That's a lot.

So,.....
1- No visits to the mound from the dugout without a pitching change.
2- New pitchers have to face 2 hitters unless the first hitter makes the 3rd out of the inning.
3- Pitch clock applies to the hitter as well. If he's not ready, it's a strike.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

It's fine to scream like this if you want to. But if the game doesn't change, it will die in many markets. That's why this is happening.

no it's not... MNN

MiLB has had pitch clocks etc... for about 2 years

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

It's fine to scream like this if you want to. But if the game doesn't change, it will die in many markets. That's why this is happening.

MLB just had their two highest rated World Series in the last 10 years. 25 markets had MLB rule prime-time over the summer.

Local Prime-Time Numbers For The 29 U.S. Teams Show MLB Rules Summer TV

The only people that think baseball needs to change are the ones who don't follow it and never will and the idiots in the commissioner's office who listen to the idiots who wouldn't watch baseball even if you shortened it by 15 minutes.

Game 2 of the World Series this year went 4:19 and game 5 went 5:17 and those were two of the most exciting games I've ever seen. I wanted them to go on all night they were that exciting. I was on twitter for both of those games and people who didn't even like baseball were following just because baseball fans in their timeline were talking about how exciting the games were.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

The game times aren't fine. Very few people want to sit around for 3 hours on average for any form of entertainment, let alone a baseball game.

ESPECIALLY a baseball game. I'd rather watch a nail rust.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Game 2 of the World Series this year went 4:19 and game 5 went 5:17 and those were two of the most exciting games I've ever seen. I wanted them to go on all night they were that exciting. I was on twitter for both of those games and people who didn't even like baseball were following just because baseball fans in their timeline were talking about how exciting the games were.

If game 34 in mid-May lasted 5 hours, would you think it was really exciting and not the least bit of a concern?

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

If game 34 in mid-May lasted 5 hours, would you think it was really exciting and not the least bit of a concern?

It depends. Is it a 3-2 9 inning game with 10 pitching changes? Is it a 16-14 game that went 13 innings?

I mean I went to a game that lasted 2:14 and the only good thing that happened in that game was an immaculate inning in the top of the 1st. The most exciting game I've ever been to is a 13 inning game that lasted well over 4 hours.

 

[tarheelhockey]

It depends. Is it a 3-2 9 inning game with 10 pitching changes? Is it a 16-14 game that went 13 innings?

Well those were 11 and 10 inning games respectively.

10 innings, 5 hours. Ok with you if it's a random regular season game and not the World Series?

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Well those were 11 and 10 inning games respectively.

10 innings, 5 hours. Ok with you if it's a random regular season game and not the World Series?

I like baseball. Why would I complain about getting to watch more baseball?

 

[tarheelhockey]

I like baseball. Why would I complain about getting to watch more baseball?

So you'd be OK wrapping up a 10-inning game after midnight, in May?

You're good with this if you're actually at the stadium and now have to go get in your car and drive home?

You're good with this if it's a day game in July?

 

[cutchemist42]

Yeah I feel the people saying they dislike baseball because of the length wouldnt it like no matter what. Its a unique game structure from the other variants of the protect-our-end sports.

 

[BattleBorn]

Yeah I feel the people saying they dislike baseball because of the length wouldnt it like no matter what. Its a unique game structure from the other variants of the protect-our-end sports.

I like baseball most than many/most, but I definitely skip out on a Cubs/Reds May game if it's dragging along.

There's a lot of other stuff to do, and there's a hundred other, more interesting, games I can check out later in the season.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

So you'd be OK wrapping up a 10-inning game after midnight, in May?

You're good with this if you're actually at the stadium and now have to go get in your car and drive home?

You're good with this if it's a day game in July?

Yes, I've been to games like this. I'm entertained. If I don't want to stay, I can leave. Nobody is making me stay.

Colorado Rockies at Milwaukee Brewers Box Score, May 20, 2011 | Baseball-Reference.com

Colorado Rockies at Milwaukee Brewers Box Score, September 13, 2011 | Baseball-Reference.com

An 11 inning game with 3 total runs lasting almost 4 hours? The horror! God I wish I would've left early. I wouldn't have been able to see this.

 

[tarheelhockey]

An 11 inning game with 3 total runs lasting almost 4 hours? The horror! God I wish I would've left early.

Apparently a lot of people did.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Apparently a lot of people did.

And that's their choice. That doesn't mean they didn't enjoy the game or they thought it was going too slow. It's just that it was too late for them to stay up or their kids were tired or whatever.

 

[TheSituation]

you may want to look again. just in recent years, Vlad Guerrero hit a HR during an intentional walk...Cabrera hit a go ahead single...Gary Sanchez hit a sac fly

mistakes/hits during an intentional walk are rare, but no more so than things like a perfect game, hitting for the cycle, or hitting 4 HR in a game.

Vlad Guerrero and recent don't belong in the same sentence. The overreaction to that rule change is a collective "old man yelling at the sky"

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

If game 34 in mid-May lasted 5 hours, would you think it was really exciting and not the least bit of a concern?

thats not a baseball exclusive thing. happens in hockey and basketball too. simply a factor of the # of games that cant be avoided.

Same way a sloppy penalty fest in game #51 against Arizona isn't gonna be really exciting

 

[tarheelhockey]

thats not a baseball exclusive thing. happens in hockey and basketball too. simply a factor of the # of games that cant be avoided.

Same way a sloppy penalty fest in game #51 against Arizona isn't gonna be really exciting

Eh, NHL games are reliably done in under 3 hours. Even if they go to OT. Basketball can theoretically go on forever like baseball, but that’s not what people are talking about here. Even a plodding, ugly basketball game with an OT period will be over in 3 hours or less.

Baseball games are clocking in at the same pace on average. So an especially slow game takes it to a whole other level. There is literally no circumstance in which a regular season NHL game would last 4 hours, other than some sort of non-hockey delay like a power failure.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

There is literally no circumstance in which a regular season NHL game would last 4 hours, other than some sort of non-hockey delay like a power failure.

Because there is no clock and no ties in baseball. Weird how that works!