MLB Off-Topic

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm against all of this nonsense because I don't think pace of play or game length is the reason "young people don't watch baseball."

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It's not just younger fans though, even older fans I'm sure would prefer a game with quicker pace and shorter game lengths, without really impacting the game as a whole.

It's not like people are calling for unnecessary changes like less innings or changing amount of balls/strikes for a walk/strikeout, it's stuff like cutting out blatant timewasting parts of the games that even players themselves admit are pointless(former catcher Gregg Zaun mentioned that visits to the mound are real pointless and pitchers often hate them, yet we see it happening multiple times every single game)

[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Last night's game between Venezuela and the DR was great...Venezuela winning via walk-off triple. What was great to watch was the winning team console the losing pitcher that was crying after playing so well. I loved to see that, more than the game almost.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Only way to cut time is to cut innings

Please, don't give the man any ideas!

I can see Manfred now, saying: "Look everyone, the LLWS is exciting as ever! Kids are playing it and kids are watching it. What do they have that we don't? It's actually what they don'i have. They only play six innings; we play nine.

"I motion that MLB regulation play is only six innings long, effective 2018!"

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's not just younger fans though, even older fans I'm sure would prefer a game with quicker pace and shorter game lengths, without really impacting the game as a whole.

It's not preference that is important, though. Even if I preferred shorter games (which I do not), it won't stop me from watching the sport. Older fans are still fans. The younger folk aren't necessarily big fans of the sport yet. Manfred is obviously not concerned about maintaining the current fan base, he is more interested in attracting a younger fan base while they can still have their minds molded toward certain sports.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's not preference that is important, though. Even if I preferred shorter games (which I do not), it won't stop me from watching the sport. Older fans are still fans. The younger folk aren't necessarily big fans of the sport yet. Manfred is obviously not concerned about maintaining the current fan base, he is more interested in attracting a younger fan base while they can still have their minds molded toward certain sports.

While the current fans won't stop watching it, you still want to put on a better game for the current fans. Can't just forget about the current fans when trying to attract new ones. And even then, the more the current fans are into the games, the more likely they will be to try and get their kids interested too.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

While the current fans won't stop watching it, you still want to put on a better game for the current fans. Can't just forget about the current fans when trying to attract new ones. And even then, the more the current fans are into the games, the more likely they will be to try and get their kids interested too.

I'm not disagreeing with you. It's Manfred that doesn't care about alienating us.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm not disagreeing with you. It's Manfred that doesn't care about alienating us.

Which sucks about that because current older fans are what you need to get younger fans.

I'm sure most people who started liking sports did so because someone like a sibling,parent or someone else did as well and they probably watched together at some point growing up. Sports isn't like a TV show where you might not care about it at first, but then start getting interested because people at school are talking about it. Younger kids will watch it with an older family member at home and develop an interest based off that.

[ShowTyme15]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

10 years ago today the Rangers scored 30 runs against the Orioles.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

10 years ago today the Rangers scored 30 runs against the Orioles.

On Game 1 of a double-header and on the road, no less.

That game is engraved in my mind. I can't believe that would be fathomable.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

On Game 1 of a double-header and on the road, no less.

That game is engraved in my mind. I can't believe that would be fathomable.

That's like the worst thing that could happen. Opponents score 30 runs in game 1 of doubleheader. Any other situation and fans would leave by the 5th inning lol. Instead, they have to stay there for like 5 hours more AND the O's ended up losing game 2 as well.

[CMH]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's not just younger fans though, even older fans I'm sure would prefer a game with quicker pace and shorter game lengths, without really impacting the game as a whole.

It's not like people are calling for unnecessary changes like less innings or changing amount of balls/strikes for a walk/strikeout, it's stuff like cutting out blatant timewasting parts of the games that even players themselves admit are pointless(former catcher Gregg Zaun mentioned that visits to the mound are real pointless and pitchers often hate them, yet we see it happening multiple times every single game)

If they are current fans, why would you need to change anything? They are already fans.

That's my point why I don't care for any of these changes. I love baseball just the way it is. Is the game long? Sure. But I knew that as a kid and kept watching. I still watch. I'll have my daughter sit next to me and watch. Maybe she won't like the length and lose interest. I can't do anything about that. But I guarantee these silly minute changes won't change length. Already games are running longer than last year despite non pitch intentional walks.

As for catchers and mound visits...it has to be the dumbest argument I've ever heard by a player.

If catchers don't think they accomplish anything and pitchers hate them, I have a very simple solution. Don't have them!

The fact it's a catcher complaining about it is even more asinine.

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[BigOscar]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I think what that catcher said has been misinterpreted to be honest. It's not that catchers visits don't do anything, it's that the actual talking to the catcher isn't of any huge value, he's not giving them any particularly useful information. The value is in giving the pitcher a timeout to compose himself and calm down.

I think there is very much an argument that these unofficial timeouts should be limited, much like the pitching coach ones are as some catchers are taking real liberties with it. But generally I don't think it does a whole lot to pace of play and making the game shorter, you're talking about maybe cutting maybe a minute, if that, it's just more visually frustrating than genuinely time consuming to see a catcher go out to the mound 5 times in an inning.

I don't think there is a real way of significantly shortening games as most of the time being added is from all the bullpen moves and all the warmup pitches that generates. (along with people having longer at bats, again nothing you can do about that) That's never going to change, if anything baseball is trending even further in that direction, the only way you could change that is allowing less players on the roster and that is never going to happen.

Yeah you could cut lots of tiny little bits of time off with a pitch clock, making hitters stay in the box, cutting down on mound visits, quickening replays etc, but it wouldn't add up to that much and doesn't do a whole lot to change the spectacle.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm siding heavy with the non fans here. During the Red Sox series, someone got a walk, which obviously takes a little while, no worries. Then a visit from the pitching coach. Then the commentator says "We'll probably see some throw overs here to buy the guy in the pen some time". Two pick off attempts and minutes later, the coach takes him out of the game.

I was sitting there with my mouth open lol. I had never realized how embedded into the game the simple act of wasting time was for some reason. If I was showing a friend that, and they asked me to change the channel, I wouldn't even blame them.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I know they do test out things, but not sure if pitch clock is one of them, but having a minor league testing out certain rule changes and seeing how the flow of the games go as well as seeing fan reaction would obviously give people an indication on if it'd actually make a difference in MLB.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm siding heavy with the non fans here. During the Red Sox series, someone got a walk, which obviously takes a little while, no worries. Then a visit from the pitching coach. Then the commentator says "We'll probably see some throw overs here to buy the guy in the pen some time". Two pick off attempts and minutes later, the coach takes him out of the game.

I was sitting there with my mouth open lol. I had never realized how embedded into the game the simple act of wasting time was for some reason. If I was showing a friend that, and they asked me to change the channel, I wouldn't even blame them.

The problem is that you can't limit pickoffs. Mound visits? Sure. Number of pitchers entering an inning? Maybe. But pickoffs cannot be taken away for a very large reason, and I'm sure we all understand that.

I do hate the stalling tactics in these kinds of games though.