MLB The Show 16 News Post

MLB, Just Like The Show, Concerned About Time It Takes to Finish A Game

04:31 PM - May 17, 2016 by RaychelSnr

Last year, the creators of MLB The Show went all in on making sure you could finish a game of The Show in a reasonable amount of time. The results since then have been a streamlined experience with the ability to play through games at a pretty fast pace.

The folks at Major League Baseball are similarly concerned with the pace of play, as games this year are taking about four minutes longer on average than they were last year.

Quote:


	"Baseball games are getting longer this season, though. According to ESPN, the length of average MLB game in 2016 has stretched three hours and 26 seconds. That doesn't sound like a huge increase, but when you add four minutes to 2,430 games a year in the regular season, *it adds up to an additional 6.83 days* worth of baseball**. If you watch all 162 games of a given team, a four-minute increase per game adds up to 10.8 hours over the course of a season."

The pace of play in baseball is something which is always an interesting debate. Pitch clocks have been instituted in the minor leagues with great results at shortening the game.

Another change the MLB may look at include limiting the amount of mound visits which can be made during the course of a game.

The latter two proposals both could have big impacts on how you play The Show in the future. What do you think? Does baseball need to change the rules to speed up to the pace of play?

Game: MLB The Show 16Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4Votes for game: 23 - View All

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Member Comments

# 61 kehlis @ 10/10/16 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitman23


	You want to bet? Their is a clock at Yankee Stadium behind the left field bleachers that counts down the minutes or seconds for a commercial break. This way the home plate umpire knows when to resume play. Their are way more commercials now then their used to be 40 years ago. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Lol, that just proves my point.

Feel free to show me an example of a time when the umpire held up play for the commercial break to end. Would love to see it.

# 62 Margelofskya @ 10/10/16 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitman23


	You want to bet? Their is a clock at Yankee Stadium behind the left field bleachers that counts down the minutes or seconds for a commercial break. This way the home plate umpire knows when to resume play. Their are way more commercials now then their used to be 40 years ago. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

That clock is to let the Umpire know how long the pitcher has to warm up before he can signal time to play. Has nothing to do with commercials, pitchers need there time to warm up.

# 63 rspencer86 @ 10/11/16 03:01 AM

I'm all for cleaning up unnecessary delays in the game. But making rules about the number of pitching changes allowed, pitch clocks, etc... it's a foolish idea to believe that these things are what is keeping more people from enjoying the game of baseball.

# 64 armymule @ 10/11/16 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	Commercials have nothing to do with it in baseball. Commercials happen when there is already no play going on (in between innings when the pitcher is warming up). You will never go to a baseball game and see an umpire holding up play because they are waiting for a commercial to end like you will see with football and hockey.

Commercials have EVERYTHING to do with the length of games. Back in the 50s and 60s my teams home games started at 8:15pm. The games were usually over and I was home before 11pm. In those days there was one short commercial between each half inning. Compare that to games being played in 2016. The same is true for football. NCAA Division 3 games are much shorter than Division 1 games that are on television. The reason? Tons of commercials during each stoppage of play.

# 65 kehlis @ 10/11/16 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by armymule


	Commercials have EVERYTHING to do with the length of games. Back in the 50s and 60s my teams home games started at 8:15pm. The games were usually over and I was home before 11pm. In those days there was one short commercial between each half inning. Compare that to games being played in 2016. The same is true for football. NCAA Division 3 games are much shorter than Division 1 games that are on television. The reason? Tons of commercials during each stoppage of play.

And again, comparing it to football is just proving my point.

As previously pointed out there is a timer which is the amount of time a pitcher gets between innings.

It has nothing to do with commercials.

Our choice during those two minutes is to either see four 30 second spots or a pitcher throw warm up pitches.

The commercials fill in that dead time, they aren't adding to the length of the game. You can spare me the "in the fifties" stuff because you and I both know that's not relevant in 2016.

# 66 hitman23 @ 10/11/16 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	And again, comparing it to football is just proving my point. As previously pointed out there is a timer which is the amount of time a pitcher gets between innings. It has nothing to do with commercials. Our choice during those two minutes is to either see four 30 second spots or a pitcher throw warm up pitches. The commercials fill in that dead time, they aren't adding to the length of the game. You can spare me the "in the fifties" stuff because you and I both know that's not relevant in 2016.

You have an answer for everything don't you? It is a fact that their are more commercials today. I have tapes upon tapes to prove it.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

# 67 kehlis @ 10/11/16 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitman23


	You have an answer for everything don't you? It is a fact that their are more commercials today. I have tapes upon tapes to prove it. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I never argued there weren't more commercials.

As I've said from the start, the commercials don't add to the length of the game.

As a former college player who played in game without commercials I have the experience to prove it.

# 68 Armor and Sword @ 10/11/16 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capa


	Here is the average length of a MLB game, starting with 2014 and going back at 10-year intervals to 1954, and then ending with 1950, the earliest year in Baseball Prospectus' database: 2014: 3:09 2004: 2:51 1994: 2:58 1984: 2:40 1974: 2:29 1964: 2:35 1954: 2:31 1950: 2:23 The reason can be explained due to multiple factors: more commercials between innings, more pitching changes, pitchers working more slowly, batters stepping out of box more frequently and for longer times, pitching changes, etc. All factor in to the increase in game time. In the 60's the commercials were 30 seconds or 1 minute between innings. However, all items above play into the increase. C

While commercials are a factor, I would say they are the least of all those factors you mentioned. I would personally rank them this way...

1) More pitching Changes
2) Combination of slow working pitchers and batters doing a lot of pre stepping in the box rituals after every single pitch.
3) Commercials

1 and 2 can be seriously a time sink. Pitchers dual's always fly by in under 2:30 typically. But once everyone started playing "La Russa" ball the games starting dragging more.....and over the last decade or so some of the pre box batting rituals after every single solitary pitch border on insane.

I don't think pitch timers and what not need to be implemented. What needs to happen is Umpires having more control of the pace of play with batters getting set quicker and pitchers working faster.

Too many Scott Sanderson's on the mound (as far as pace) and too many Cabrera's at the plate tightening their batting gloves 3 times after every freaking pitch.

Move along...let's go.

Play ball.

# 69 Armor and Sword @ 10/11/16 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capa


	Let's not discount or forget how the presentation of the game has changed over the past 60 years. It is an entertainment event now...not just going to see a ballgame. Your senses are assaulted between innings with ads, promotions, on field races, etc. Blurring the lines between watching on tv and being in the park. There is no reason for them to hurry up the game from an advertiser's point of view. You have a captive audience and longer games mean more food and drink sales, more items bought in gift stores, more people choosing to eat in the in house restaurants, etc. They can try to speed up the game a bit, but make no mistake about it. Longer games bring more revenue for everyone involved. C

Absolutely true. So where is the line drawn by MLB? I think they are selling more tickets to ball games than ever before. Yet you hear some people claiming the game is not cool enough, too slow blah blah blah etc.

Chris Rocks buffoonery (there is a video on his thoughts on baseball) about making the game more hip hop.....ughhh no. Baseball has it's own traditions and atmosphere for a reason. Much like Hockey too. Leave it alone. Baseball has it's core fans and many teams are doing just fine. Also baseball's pageantry has so many different types of players. So you do get Hip Hop, Rock, Country, Latin all types of cultures with how they have different walk up songs, high fives, attitudes, superstitions etc. Baseball is a melting pot of culture. I love it.

Last time I looked big metropolitan teams like the Met's, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals, Giants are doing just fine. Even smaller market teams like the Pirates, Brewers, Twins etc are getting good attendance. Baseballs popularity may not be main street anymore, but there are enough core fans that the game is thriving just fine without having to change it's culture, tradition and rules. The game in it's truest form is perfect. Money and greed has ruined some things like it always does in every sport.

As far as those who claim they don't like baseball because of how slow it is? Well too bad. It's not for you then.

Meantime I can't watch a full NFL game start to finish anymore. The sheer amount of commercials, and replay timeouts borders on absurd. The wonderful thing about hockey and baseball is the stoppage in play is limited and we get a lot of on screen action. Even the NBA is pretty much fast paced. It only get's bogged down in the last 2 minutes LOL with all the fouls and timeouts. But those first 45-46 minutes rock.

Football? It's ridiculous now. Seriously without the Red Zone channel the NFL would be dead to me....I am totally serious. It is so bad now with stoppage of play in today's NFL. It's a joke. I simply flip to red zone on every stoppage during a broadcast game I am interested in watching. Commercial free NFL is great.

Baseball much like Hockey has become more of a niche sport. I am fine with that. And the owners of MLB will have to be....because if they start ****ing with our National Pastime they will lose most of their true die hard life long fans.

# 70 bababooey76 @ 10/11/16 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullit


	In my opinion, I wish they would just leave it alone (both MLB and Thein the Show) I don't watch or play a game of baseball because I'm in a hurry. When I'm at the park with a cold beer, hot dog and a score book, I have NEVER thought "this game is just taking too long" I am the same way with The Show. I never jump scenes, fast forward thru innings. I just want to relax and enjoy a game of baseball. I even just put the controller down at times just so the idle animations will play. There is enough, hurry up, instant gratification and self entitlement in the world today. Leave it out of Baseball.

They want to change things to appeal to short attention span folks at the expense at the true fans, purists. Baseball is not for everyone. It sounds snobbish, but it requires a certain intellect and right make up to really get the game and all the nuances that true fans appreciate. To a true fan, there is nothing more beautiful than stepping foot into a stadium and seeing that green grass.

# 71 Smallville102001 @ 10/11/16 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armor and Sword


	Absolutely true. So where is the line drawn by MLB? I think they are selling more tickets to ball games than ever before. Yet you hear some people claiming the game is not cool enough, too slow blah blah blah etc. Chris Rocks buffoonery (there is a video on his thoughts on baseball) about making the game more hip hop.....ughhh no. Baseball has it's own traditions and atmosphere for a reason. Much like Hockey too. Leave it alone. Baseball has it's core fans and many teams are doing just fine. Also baseball's pageantry has so many different types of players. So you do get Hip Hop, Rock, Country, Latin all types of cultures with how they have different walk up songs, high fives, attitudes, superstitions etc. Baseball is a melting pot of culture. I love it. Last time I looked big metropolitan teams like the Met's, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals, Giants are doing just fine. Even smaller market teams like the Pirates, Brewers, Twins etc are getting good attendance. Baseballs popularity may not be main street anymore, but there are enough core fans that the game is thriving just fine without having to change it's culture, tradition and rules. The game in it's truest form is perfect. Money and greed has ruined some things like it always does in every sport. As far as those who claim they don't like baseball because of how slow it is? Well too bad. It's not for you then. Meantime I can't watch a full NFL game start to finish anymore. The sheer amount of commercials, and replay timeouts borders on absurd. The wonderful thing about hockey and baseball is the stoppage in play is limited and we get a lot of on screen action. Even the NBA is pretty much fast paced. It only get's bogged down in the last 2 minutes LOL with all the fouls and timeouts. But those first 45-46 minutes rock. Football? It's ridiculous now. Seriously without the Red Zone channel the NFL would be dead to me....I am totally serious. It is so bad now with stoppage of play in today's NFL. It's a joke. I simply flip to red zone on every stoppage during a broadcast game I am interested in watching. Commercial free NFL is great. Baseball much like Hockey has become more of a niche sport. I am fine with that. And the owners of MLB will have to be....because if they start ****ing with our National Pastime they will lose most of their true die hard life long fans.

NBA is my favorite sport to watch NFL is a close second and I like to watch NHL to but I don't know like half of the rules. Baseball I only watch come playoffs and only if Giants are in it. There is only so much time in the day and with work, school, sleep and keeping up on NBA, NFL, NHL there is only so much time to watch MLB and on top of that when MLB starts playoffs are just around the Conner for NBA. They all have to many breaks though. The problem with NFL is that a team will score and then you get a time out. Then after the time out you get a kickoff that takes like 5 seconds and then another time out lol. If instead of having a time out after the kick off you just had the one time out after the score and then did the kick off and wanted to have the next time out after the kick return team scores or punts or what ever the game could be a lot faster. With MLB I don't think there is any thing you can really do in less you either don't have a 3 minute time out after ever half inning and just go back to playing a minute later like has soon has the teams get back into the field or make it so you can have has many pitching changes. The pitching changes are the big one. In the old days a lot of times each team would only use like 3 pitchers. Now a lot of times each team will use like 6 pitchers. If each team uses 3 more pitches that is 6 more used in a game over all. If each one of those adds 2 minutes that is a extra 12 minutes to the game.

# 72 KBLover @ 10/12/16 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armor and Sword


	Football? It's ridiculous now. Seriously without the Red Zone channel the NFL would be dead to me....I am totally serious. It is so bad now with stoppage of play in today's NFL. It's a joke. I simply flip to red zone on every stoppage during a broadcast game I am interested in watching. Commercial free NFL is great.

Same here. I can't watch on regular channels anymore. Makes it hard to watch SNF, MNF, TNF.

Granted commentators in sports...at least the ones in my market and on the "main" channels...are just hard for me the more I learn about the sports I follow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armor and Sword


	Baseball much like Hockey has become more of a niche sport. I am fine with that. And the owners of MLB will have to be....because if they start ****ing with our National Pastime they will lose most of their true die hard life long fans.

And not necessarily attract the "new" ones they want either.

Granted, I don't understand the time thing. I mean if they shave 10-15 minutes off a game...A game might take 3:15 instead of 3:30? Yay?

What was I going to do with those 15 minutes (that would be broken up between periodic pauses...not like there's this 15-minute block of time they could take out) that a) I couldn't have done anyway, or b) if it's that important, I'm probably not devoting 3 hr block to watch a game?

# 73 Caulfield @ 10/17/16 03:43 AM

Aren't the in-between innings of MiLB thirty seconds shorter than MLB because of lack commercials ? I think I have heard that before but now I'm not sure .

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