MLB Off-Topic

[Jolly Roger]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Do the commercials really bother you people that much?

Would you rather have grotesque endorsements all over jerseys and fields and helmets and such?

No thank you.

Well I mostly just watch finished games on MLB TV so I fast forward through the commercials. Yes, 3+ hour baseball games with less balls in play than ever bother me. We're not getting "more" baseball, we're getting more dead time.

[KSUowls]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Well I mostly just watch finished games on MLB TV so I fast forward through the commercials. Yes, 3+ hour baseball games with less balls in play than ever bother me. We're not getting "more" baseball, we're getting more dead time.

This is exactly the problem to me too, and I would guess most others as well.

I remember in the late 90s/early 2000's, ESPN had a running commentary on Red Sox-Yankees games. The theme was that they would always talk about how patient the batters were, ie: pitch counts.

Well, today we average 0.16 more pitches per at bat than where we were at in 2000, and 0.24 more pitches than in 1991. That may not seem like a lot, but you multiply that over the 70+ at bats in a game and it's several extra minutes of dead time in a sport that already has a lot of it. We also see almost a full pitcher more per game than we did 20 years ago. A lot of these changes do happen to start innings which mitigates the extra time, but that's still an extra minute or two where nothing is happening whenever there is a mid inning switch.

All of these things do add up together, but we're still only talking about an extra 10 minutes in total game length. What really hurts is the lack of on field action that we get with that extra 10 minutes (as well as everything before it) because of the way the game is played now. Pitches per at bat are up because batters are more patient and the are more interested in hitting a homerun than making contact. Pitchers more concerned with MPH and spin rate than command.

All of this leads to a game where it's not uncommon to go 5 minutes without any action that isn't just between the pitcher and batter. If you think about it, a walk and 2 strikeouts will get you there pretty quickly, and strikeouts are way up nearly 40% from where they were 20 years ago.

It's not an easy problem to fix because gimmicky rules like runner on 2nd in extras or shorter games for double headers all force total game length down, but they don't do anything to create more action on the field.

[Jolly Roger]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's not an easy problem to fix because gimmicky rules like runner on 2nd in extras or shorter games for double headers all force total game length down, but they don't do anything to create more action on the field.

Agreed; this is why I think they should at least consider doing something with the ball to make pitches more hittable, at least in terms of contact. They could also increase the bat diameter slightly. They've changed the balls before, and of course they lowered the mound in 1969; I'm sure there were people back then complaining it was a gimmick.

If they could get the time down through improving the flow of play, then they could go back to 9 inning doubleheaders, unlimited extra innings, and unfettered pitching changes.

I personally would like games tied after 9 to finish as ties, but I know that's baseball sacrilege. I blame my soccer viewing over the years.

[KSUowls]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Lol ya that's sacrilege.

I'll always remember a 14 inning game against the dodgers that I attended as a kid in the 90s that is the longest game that I ever attended. And watching the 19 inning game against the pirates on a random Tuesday in july a decade ago where some young pirates fan at Turner Field could be heard on the broadcast screaming "let's go pirates" long into the night. I will forever miss those epic length games.

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[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Voting open for the MLB ASG.

My picks as of now

AL:
C-Perez
1B-Vlad
2B-Semien
3B-Devers
SS-Bogaerts
OF-Buxton
OF-Judge
OF-Trout
DH-Martinez

NL:
C-Posey
1B-Muncy
2B-Frazier
3B-Bryant
SS-Tatis Jr
OF-Acuna
OF-Winker
OF-Castellanos

[canes21]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Tie games should never ever be a part of baseball. I hate them in the NFL and I'd hate them even more in the MLB. I'd rather keep the dumb extra innings rule we have now than ever go to tie games.

Sometimes the 18 inning games become hard to watch, but your favorite team might have 2 or 3 games that get close to that length in a single season if they have any at all. It wasn't a big issue.

In the accounting world, at least in my firm, we live by a rule called the 80/20 rule. You can't fix every issue and satisfy every demand, so the focus is on the 80% and fixing the issues there and meeting the demands there and living with the fact that the other 20% will have issues.

I feel like the MLB could learn from this rule. The extra innings rule is one that they clearly focused on the 20% and tried to fix it and not the 80%. They put too much thought into a small problem and overlooked other issues.

If baseball really wants to shorten games, then the solution is really simple, speed up the players. There's zero reason to have 30 seconds between pitches. I'd argue there's nearly zero reason for even 20 seconds to pass between pitches.

There's zero reason hitters should be stepping out and redoing their gloves every single pitch. There's zero need to adjust your armband or sleeve every single pitch. There should only be 10 to 15 seconds max between pitches if it wasn't fouled off or a passed ball.

When between half innings, when ignoring ads completely, there's zero reason for the teams to slowly walk off and on the field and take 2 minutes to get ready. 60 seconds is easily enough time to get into or out of the dugout and throw a couple warmup tosses.

We don't need 90 second commercial breaks every single pitching change that's not due to injury. The guy coming out of the pen is already warm. Let him get 5 tosses in on the actual mound to get his feel for it and then continue the game.

Do not let managers take their time thinking about a review. The second a play is over start a 10 second clock allowing the manager to either say yay or nay on a review. Don't stare at him as he stares at the guy on the phone.

Reviews should be limited to 60 seconds max. If no decision can be made in 60 seconds then the call automatically stands. Have a feed showing what New York is looking at and take 60 seconds. They either see evidence in 60 seconds or if not, then oh well, it's obviously too close to call if it takes any longer.

Someone alluded to basically 1 extra pitch is being thrown over every 4 batters in today's game. That's around 20 additional pitches we have in today's game we didn't have 20 years ago. Those 20 extra pitches are extending games an additional 10-15 minutes. If we implement a 15 second clock between pitches that the batter and pitcher must abide by, then those additional pitches are not extending the game by nearly as much.

I guarantee games get back to be closer to 2.5 hours instead of being 3+ hours if you force the batter and pitcher to be ready within 10 or 15 seconds and you cut the time between half innings by 30 seconds. Limit the time for.each pitching change to 60 seconds tops and implement the time limited to the review decision and process and your games are going to be shorter and no rule changes are there that change the product like a 7-inning game or free runner on 2nd have.

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[Master Live 013]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

That sounds like a call for a pitch clock (in part). The umpires aren't doing it, we have been down the "umpires will emphasize on the time a pitcher takes between pitches this season" road one too many times to go that route again. I don't think I have ever seen in my life an umpire make any real effort to get a pitcher to speed up (not saying it has never happened, I'm saying I haven't seen it).

[Master Live 013]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I mean a pitch clock as a physical one like the shot clock in the NBA.

[canes21]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm 100% for a pitch clock. It's the type of change that I don't personally feel changes the sport much, especially compared to having 7-inning games or giving out free baserunners.

I still have about zero issue with the games being 3 hours. I'd watch baseball all day if I could, but I get the idea that games should be shorter and I'm okay with a pitch clock that the batter and pitcher both have to follow. I'm okay with a review clock, I'm okay with an in-between innings clock that gives you 75 seconds to transition once the 3rd out is made. In 75 seconds the next AB must be starting in the next half inning.

I think the time between the action in baseball is part of its charm, but there are times where it's too long. The time between half innings is one that's always bothered me, especially when I'm at the ballpark watching these pros lazily walk around and taking 2 minutes to get to their position.

Obviously this isn't little league or even high school, but there's no reason the pros can't be out of the dugout and ready to go within 1 minute of the 3rd out being made. That's still enough time for a catcher to make the out and get back and put his gear on. That can be the exception, too, if needed at times.

Speed up the players and you cut down the game times more doing that than any other silly rule change could. Have an actual clock that the umps can see, the players can see, and get it going. Don't leave it to judgement. The second a catcher catches a pitch, boom 13 seconds to get the ball back the pitcher, a sign to be deployed, and a new pitch to be thrown. If a ball is fouled off, the second the ump tosses the pitcher the ball the clock starts. If a passed ball occurs, the clock starts the second time is called and the ump gets the pitcher or catcher a new ball.

13 or 15 seconds is long enough to do all that is needed between pitches. When an AB is over, the next hitter gets 20 seconds to get ready. This gives the defense time to shift and the batter to get settled into the box.

I think the last number I saw was that the average time between pitches 3 or 4 years ago was 24 seconds and that time had been increasing annually. I know Sonny Gray was averaging 30 seconds between pitches which is ridiculous.

Let's say the average pitches per half inning is 15, I think it slightly more, but we'll use 15.

24-13=11

11 seconds is gained between each pitch with the new pitch clock.

15x11=165

165 seconds are gained each half inning now.

165/60=2.75

2 minutes and 45 seconds is gained each half inning.

2.75x18=49.5

Each game has shaved off 49.5 minutes on average immediately with a 13 second pitch clock.

A 3 hour 10 minute game is now 2 hours and 20 minutes simply because you eliminated unnecessary time pitchers and hitters were taken between pitches. These guys are big boys, they are pros. They can handle only having 13-15 seconds between each pitch. It will not kill Ronald Acuna Jr. to not undo his batting gloves every single pitch. He won't become a .185 hitter because of the change.

If the MLB wants to shorten games, implement a hard clock the players must follow. It's simple math. It'll work. The players will live.

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[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I mean a pitch clock as a physical one like the shot clock in the NBA.

That would be good.

And the obvious fact too, they'll sell sponsorships for the pitch clock.

Have one right behind home plate, but also have the clock on the jumbotron.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

So MLB is cracking down on foreign substances from pitchers on the baseball. It's no secret that some guys do it, but they might finally crack down on it?

Gerrit Cole is one guy who does it, and instantly struggled in his start today.

[Master Live 013]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Arizona Diamondbacks analyst Bob Brenly taking voluntary leave of absence, to undergo sensitivity training after comment

[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

So MLB is cracking down on foreign substances from pitchers on the baseball. It's no secret that some guys do it, but they might finally crack down on it?

Gerrit Cole is one guy who does it, and instantly struggled in his start today.

Man you're reaching now lol I know you hate the Yankees. But that's a stretch.

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[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Arizona Diamondbacks analyst Bob Brenly taking voluntary leave of absence, to undergo sensitivity training after comment

I hate everything 2019 and onward in the sociosphere.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Man you're reaching now lol I know you hate the Yankees. But that's a stretch.

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That wasn't my take, I read it somewhere online in the same piece. It mentioned Cole struggling and at the same time mentioned this new crackdown.