MLBs plan to reduce baseball games ~10 minutes

[GwinnettNole]

Pitch clock and stricter rules on mound visitations.... As a baseball fan I think its good that MLB is looking to make the game shorter. It doesn't sound like a done deal yet as the Players Assoc. and MLB has to come to an agreement.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mlbs-p...games-least-10-minutes-shorter-224752035.html

 

[DFSNOLE]

Aren't most of the changes already in effect in the minor leagues?

 

[Urban Cryer]

The NFL should do it by an hour.

 

[GwinnettNole]

Aren't most of the changes already in effect in the minor leagues?

Yes. MLB saw benefits (in the minors) that should carryover to the big leagues.

This another thing that will drive purists nuts but as a lifelong baseball fan I think it’s the right thing to do.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

"The clock will start when a pitcher has the ball on the mound and stop when the pitcher begins his windup or comes set. If the pitcher steps off the rubber, the clock resets. Batters must be in the box five seconds after the clock starts."

Won't pitchers just stand off the mound with the ball until they're ready?

 

[1batman]

Pitch clock and stricter rules on mound visitations.... As a baseball fan I think its good that MLB is looking to make the game shorter. It doesn't sound like a done deal yet as the Players Assoc. and MLB has to come to an agreement.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mlbs-p...games-least-10-minutes-shorter-224752035.html

That’s a start...batters should be able to step out of the box once, no warmup pitches for relief pitchers and get rid of the intentional pass...just assign the batter to first base if you wish...

 

[ggmike1992]

That’s a start...batters should be able to step out of the box once, no warmup pitches for relief pitchers and get rid of the intentional pass...just assign the batter to first base if you wish...

Most definitely agree about the batters. Not so sure about the other 2 points. I think relief pitchers need the tosses even if it’s just to “get in the game”. Also, there is a chance for error with the intentional pass (even if it’s slim) which could impact a base runner. So personally, I’d leave them in the game. Maybe give them the free pass if nobody is on base.

 

[squiffynole]

Hurray for professional baseball.

At the FSU level its maddening when pitchers take 30 seconds to deliver the ball in a tight situation. But what really gets me is the time wasting percusers to a pitching change.

A beauty of basketball and softball is 2 hours and game over, baseball is 3 and sometimes 3.5 hours it gets hard to take.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

Peoples’ behavior is changing. There is also talk of shortening golf courses to 15-ish holes, shortening NASCAR races, and doing other things to make sports activities shorter. The reality is that people today live harried lives, and are less willing to devote huge chunks of time to sports events. It is real.

 

[LesClaypool]

Pitch clock and stricter rules on mound visitations.... As a baseball fan I think its good that MLB is looking to make the game shorter. It doesn't sound like a done deal yet as the Players Assoc. and MLB has to come to an agreement.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mlbs-p...games-least-10-minutes-shorter-224752035.html

Article I read says Manfred can unilaterally impose the pitch clock. Doesn't need MLB Players' agreement.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Pitch clock and stricter rules on mound visitations.... As a baseball fan I think its good that MLB is looking to make the game shorter. It doesn't sound like a done deal yet as the Players Assoc. and MLB has to come to an agreement.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mlbs-p...games-least-10-minutes-shorter-224752035.html

The Player's Union has rejected the proposal. It will be interesting to see how hardline Manfred goes now.

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlbpa-rejects-proposed-pace-of-play-rules/c-264903586

 

[SoddyNole]

Baseball is meant to be seen live. The focus of the camera slows the action down in sports which has never transitioned well to TV as it has with Football and other sports. I don't know what chopping 10 minutes off the total time will do to solve this issue.

 

[321Nole]

Peoples’ behavior is changing. There is also talk of shortening golf courses to 15-ish holes, shortening NASCAR races, and doing other things to make sports activities shorter. The reality is that people today live harried lives, and are less willing to devote huge chunks of time to sports events. It is real.

Pissing in the wind until they reduce the commercial breaks.

Seems like in game advertising will be bigger in the future.

 

[nynole1]

Yes. MLB saw benefits (in the minors) that should carryover to the big leagues.

This another thing that will drive purists nuts but as a lifelong baseball fan I think it’s the right thing to do.

I am a baseball purist, but I'm not against some of this stuff as others. I like the intentional walk rule instituted last year, that's a positive. Replay has helped get some calls right, but the umpires have gotten lazy/unfocused as a result, so that's a change I could do without.
Here is the thing: if I thought any of this would add a tangible amount of viewers, I'd be all for it. But I don't know one person who does or does not watch the game based on any of these changes. If anything, longer is better, built in excuse to hang with the boys for three hours

 

[DFSNOLE]

Peoples’ behavior is changing. There is also talk of shortening golf courses to 15-ish holes, shortening NASCAR races, and doing other things to make sports activities shorter. The reality is that people today live harried lives, and are less willing to devote huge chunks of time to sports events. It is real.

I've never heard anything about shortening golf courses. You always have the option to play nine if you would like.

 

[cmanole]

They need to shorten the season and get rid of home plate umpires calling balls and strikes. There is no need for them. There is enough technology to know what the pitch is and the bias of them umps in the games leaves too many questions of integrity...

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

I've never heard anything about shortening golf courses. You always have the option to play nine if you would like.

Tons of articles on this. Google it. There is also a desire by the course owners to lessen their maintenance expenses, etc.

 

[nynole1]

They need to shorten the season and get rid of home plate umpires calling balls and strikes. There is no need for them. There is enough technology to know what the pitch is and the bias of them umps in the games leaves too many questions of integrity...

I'm going to assume you are trolling

 

[QuaZ2002]

I really think two things would speed baseball up drastically. No stepping out of the box between pitches unless you swing or someone is on base (to get signs). Half of MLB hitters step out readjust their gloves, spit, and then step back in. It’s 3-4 seconds for every pitch that’s completely unnecessary. Second, each pitcher that comes into the game must face a minimum of two batters. This eliminates the absurdity of late game situations where you have 2-3 pitching changes in an inning. I think those two changes along with the pitching clock cuts games down to 2:40 or so which would be a huge improvement in my mind.

 

[cfbfan23]

I'm going to assume you are trolling

Maybe he is, but I agree.

 

[NJDoak]

I believe simply enforcing the strike zone as its stated in the rules would speed up the game. Bigger zone, theoretically more strikes, which leads to more pitchers counts, which will force the hitter to put the ball in play more.

But alas, its turned into a hitters league, so why would we want to give the pitcher any advantage...

 

[DFSNOLE]

Tons of articles on this. Google it. There is also a desire by the course owners to lessen their maintenance expenses, etc.

I just googled "shortening golf courses". The only article even remotely close to what you said on the first three pages being proposed was shortening the length of individual holes not eliminating any.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I believe simply enforcing the strike zone as its stated in the rules would speed up the game. Bigger zone, theoretically more strikes, which leads to more pitchers counts, which will force the hitter to put the ball in play more.

But alas, its turned into a hitters league, so why would we want to give the pitcher any advantage...

Pitchers already have the advantage. When a hitter can become a hall of famer for only failing 65% of the time, it is quite evident.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

I just googled "shortening golf courses". The only article even remotely close to what you said on the first three pages being proposed was shortening the length of individual holes not eliminating any.

LOL. Try “shortening golf courses to less than 18 holes.” When I start lying to you it won’t be over this momentous topic.

 

[ncnole1975]

They should reduce them by about an hour and a half

 

[FSUdawg]

They need to shorten the season and get rid of home plate umpires calling balls and strikes. There is no need for them.

I agree with this and I have been saying it to friends for almost 5 years now. The home plate umpire needs to be relocated as he will still be needed for calls at home plate. However, with all the cameras & other technology, there is no reason balls & strikes can't be automated.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I really think two things would speed baseball up drastically. No stepping out of the box between pitches unless you swing or someone is on base (to get signs). Half of MLB hitters step out readjust their gloves, spit, and then step back in. It’s 3-4 seconds for every pitch that’s completely unnecessary. Second, each pitcher that comes into the game must face a minimum of two batters. This eliminates the absurdity of late game situations where you have 2-3 pitching changes in an inning. I think those two changes along with the pitching clock cuts games down to 2:40 or so which would be a huge improvement in my mind.

Exactly!

 

[SoddyNole]

When they first started showing the strike zone box and where the pitchers were going the one thing I got from that technology was how good most of the Umps were at calling balls and strikes. I am sorry but the Ump calling someone out on strikes can not and should not be replaced with a game show like light and buzzer.

 

[fsUTampa]

Pissing in the wind until they reduce the commercial breaks.

Seems like in game advertising will be bigger in the future.

Or split-screen, which we're starting to see in football recently.

 

[nynole1]

I believe simply enforcing the strike zone as its stated in the rules would speed up the game. Bigger zone, theoretically more strikes, which leads to more pitchers counts, which will force the hitter to put the ball in play more.

But alas, its turned into a hitters league, so why would we want to give the pitcher any advantage...

Just one more reason you can't compare stats from different eras.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Somewhat agreeing with cma on this one... if the umpires will not call the textbook definition of a strike zone, use the pitch tracker that's put up on telecasts. Put a damn buzzer in the umpires pocket. Pitchtracker shows strike, buzzer goes off. Pitchtracker shows ball, no buzzing.

I go to a handful of AA games here in Frisco every summer and can say that the pitch clock hasn't really shortened the game any. Could be that 20 seconds is still an eternity to pitch a ball. Loosely figuring that each team will through roughly 150 pitches a game at the full use of the 20 second pitch clock, you're spending an hour and forty minutes just with pitches thrown. Add in the minute and a half between innings and flipping from top to bottom, there's another 27 minutes. That gets us just over 2 hours. Then the time to change pitchers, the actual 6 minutes a game of ball in play action, the added bonus of God Bless American in the 7th inning stretch, etc... you're still at 3 hours.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I heard this morning that the average time between pitches last season was 22 seconds so going to 20 isn't going to make much of a change.
I think the mlbpa just doesn't want to start the precedence for introducing outside devices to regulate the game.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Maybe clip off an inning or two.

 

[seminole97]

and get rid of the intentional pass...just assign the batter to first base if you wish...

 

[FSUdawg]

Somewhat agreeing with cma on this one... if the umpires will not call the textbook definition of a strike zone, use the pitch tracker that's put up on telecasts. Put a damn buzzer in the umpires pocket. Pitchtracker shows strike, buzzer goes off. Pitchtracker shows ball, no buzzing.

This.

There is no need to have flashing lights or anything around the stadium, just have the umpire responsible for home plate have a buzzer or something build into a watch (they do it for soccer already, so that type of technology exists). You need the home plate umpire anyhow, he just doesn't need to be right behind home plate calling balls & strikes. Heck, umpires might like it as well because they won't need to get behind the plate and get hit by bad pitches and foul balls that game.

 

[cfbfan23]

 

[cmanole]

I agree with this and I have been saying it to friends for almost 5 years now. The home plate umpire needs to be relocated as he will still be needed for calls at home plate. However, with all the cameras & other technology, there is no reason balls & strikes can't be automated.

Why call the plays? We have replay with no chance of making the wrong call. 86 them all...

 

[cmanole]

I'm going to assume you are trolling

Good call generally, but not this time...

 

[FSUdawg]

Why call the plays? We have replay with no chance of making the wrong call. 86 them all...

Replay on regular plays should only be used in challenge situations. Balls & Strikes are a simple and quick call for technology. Other plays require looking at multiple angles and it will take too much time.

 

[wbnolefan2]

They need to shorten the season and get rid of home plate umpires calling balls and strikes. There is no need for them. There is enough technology to know what the pitch is and the bias of them umps in the games leaves too many questions of integrity...

it's all fun and games until someone hacks the virtual ump computer