|
Post by fenwaythehardway on Mar 15, 2018 19:10:01 GMT -5
I'm not even sure why they identified extra inning games as a problem in the first place. They want to do something about the pace/length of games and since a lot of the stakeholders hate extra innings games (players, media), it's the easiest reform politically. It isn't actually a good idea, but it's easy and lets Rob Manfred hold up a chart in front of reporters and go "see? we've shortened the average game by seven minutes!". What would really improve the pace of the game would be an enforced pitch clock and generally less dicking around between pitches, and shorter commercial breaks. The first one is hard because of player reasons, the second one is a complete non-starter because of money reasons.
|
|
|
Post by James Dunne on Mar 15, 2018 22:33:40 GMT -5
The problem in baseball is that the sixth inning through eighth inning of good/close games are interminable, especially if someone gets on base. There's a difference between time of game issue and a pace of play issue. Some three hour games feel totally crisp. A back and forth 9-6 affair is going to to take awhile time-wise but nobody is complaining about that. It's the games that are 3-1 and we got to the sixth inning at 8:40ish and then it's 9:52 and we're starting the seventh and the score is still 3-1.
We really don't need the whole commercial break/warm-up routine every time a new reliever comes into the game. It certainly made sense in 1884 when they only switched pitchers when the starter was attacked by pickaxe or caught consumption, and no reliever was warming up because he was busy gambling and drinking. But in 2018, the reliever is warmed up and we don't need a three-minute break four times in an inning. It should be as disruptive as sending in a pinch hitter.
|
|
|
Post by jimed14 on Mar 16, 2018 6:56:05 GMT -5
One thing that hasn't been discussed is that there are two goals for baseball and they are at odds with each other. One is shortening games and one is not decreasing offense (and excitement). I heard Steve Lyons talking about how they need to call more strikes to quicken games and this is a complete non-starter because they aren't going to want low scoring games either.
|
|
|
Post by James Dunne on Mar 16, 2018 7:20:54 GMT -5
One thing that hasn't been discussed is that there are two goals for baseball and they are at odds with each other. One is shortening games and one is not decreasing offense (and excitement). I heard Steve Lyons talking about how they need to call more strikes to quicken games and this is a complete non-starter because they aren't going to want low scoring games either. These are only at odds if, like I said above, the goal is shortening the time of games rather than just quickening the pace of play. Games that take awhile because lots of stuff is happening aren't the problem.
|
|