MLB speeding up games

[SoCal Lurker]

These are experiments.  Some are going to fail and some may succeed.  We can hypothesize the results, but not all results on things like this are the same as expected when the real world meets the idea.  There's a reason they are trying them out instead of simply implementing them in MLB.

 

TV is the golden goose.  More commercials are more revenue for TV equals higher bids each time the TV contracts come up -- that isn't going to change.  But keeping the TV bidders happy by not having games the TV bidders think are too long is critical to long term finances.  (And keeping TV viewers happy so they watch is what creates ratings and creates TV bidders.)  And perhaps just talking about trying to solve it makes the bidders more happy, too.

[lawump]

15-20 years ago the argument was that game times had gotten so long because umpires were calling too few strikes (the strike zone had shrunk).  Ignoring the merits (or lack there of) of the "strike zone had shrunk argument", the fact is that the strike zone from one umpire to the next was greatly standardized through the use of Ques-Tec and its successors in the early 2000's.  According to a Wall Street Journal story this past week, the actual MLB strike zone called by umpires in 2014 is an astounding 33% larger than 10-years ago.  But, guess what? Game times have not decreased.  Guess Sandy Alderson's (and his cohorts') theory that the increased game times were mostly the umpires' fault was wrong.  

 

Then, when theory #1 failed, theory #2 was introduced: game times were increasing because offense was exploding and offense was exploding because of PED's/steroids.  This theory held that once the game was "cleaned up," game times would shorten.  Now the game has been greatly cleaned up as there is tough drug testing.  However, game times still have not shrunk.  Another theory sunk.

 

The truth is, is that there have been all kind of theories put forth by MLB to explain the increase length of game times.  MLB just won't put forth the one that is the actual cause: they sold their soul to television.  Hey, this is America.  I don't begrudge them one minute for attempting to maximize their revenues and profits.  However, everything one does has at least one side effect.  The direct result of selling out to television was a dramatic increase in revenues for MLB; a side effect was that game times increased significantly as MLB's broadcasting partners demanded more and more commercial time to justify the amount of money they were paying MLB for the rights fees to broadcast the games.  The only issue I have is that MLB just won't admit to the existence of this side effect; they won't admit to the true cause of increased game times.  They will attempt to blame everything for causing increased game times except the actual cause: television.

 

Personally, I don't care that game times are longer.  So, this is all moot in my (very) little brain.

[FleasOf1000Camels]

Swapping out baseballs does NOT waste time.

Keep the batter in the box and restrict number of conferences...fine with that.

Not sure I like the no-pitch IBB...saw a MLB game a couple of weeks ago where a run scored from 3rd on a WP during IBB.

[Richvee]

Maybe they want to think about putting some kind of tie-breaker "hit-off" rule in so we don't have any of these horrible 6+ hour playoff games.

[CentralOhioUmp30]

Batter in the batter's box has been needed for sometime.  Even as a Reds fan I can't stand Jay Bruce taking 30 seconds in between pitches to take 15 steps backwards and 15 steps forward to get back into the box.

 

How much time will that shave off of the game?  Maybe 10 minutes.  That's worth it though.

 

Like the idea of a clock with no runners on base.  Maybe that could shave 5-10 minutes.

 

That's 15-20 minutes right there.  Don't know how much more you could shave off.  Ideally, these games wouldn't last more than 2:30 for a nine inning game.

[Thunderheads]

No pitch IBB ??  No way!

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/63817564/v36772745

[Richvee]

No pitch IBB ??  No way!

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/63817564/v36772745

I'm sure the "speed up rules committee " let out a collective groan on that play