MLB 2022

[buldog5151bass]

That's not what takes much time - it's the batters stepping out after every pitch, adjusting their batting gloves, adjusting their crotches, etc.

Next time you watch a game, use a stopwatch and check how much time there is every inning with the batters outside the box.

 

[the harp unstrung]

^^^I think that a great idea!

I blame Nomar Garciapara for the whole playing with glovesandsweatbandsandhelmetandsunglassesandcup between Every freakin' pitch thing.

It might have been going on in 1888, but Nomaah turned it into a THING…
and I was always a fan of Nomar-the-shortstop, the Nomar-the -batter thing he did was a pure waste of Everyone's time.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Interesting article - Average Time of 9-Inning MLB Game Hits a New All-Time High

key quote:

Forty years ago, the average MLB game had an average time of just 2:33. A decade after that it was 2:48. Then in 2001 the average time jumped to 2:58 before increasing to 2:51 in 2011. And now here we are.

 

[the harp unstrung]

^^^Cain't hit Like…

 

[Stewie26]

The average NFL football game broadcast last 3:23 minutes with only 23 minutes or less of the ball in actual play. I definitely prefer watching MLB even with the time between pitches.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-much-football-is-even-in-a-football-broadcast/

 

[Camaro69]

I'd like to cut down on the time it takes the pitchers to get the sign with men on base. Some kind of electronic setup maybe? I hate pitchers staring into their caps to figure out the sign sequence.

You know the Astros had a method for this a few years ago...

 

[buldog5151bass]

The average NFL football game broadcast last 3:23 minutes with only 23 minutes or less of the ball in actual play. I definitely prefer watching MLB even with the time between pitches.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-much-football-is-even-in-a-football-broadcast/

But football has more of a rhythm - a play is run, then the announcers have just enough time to talk about that play.

Especially today, where hitters often wait 2 or 3 pitches before they even consider swinging, and step out after almost every pitch, there is too much dead space. And this is coming from someone who has played, coached, umpired, and announced baseball for over 40 years.

 

[Camaro69]

The constant step out is the problem
Eliminate that and challenge/reviews, I'd bet the games shorten by 30-45 minutes

 

[buldog5151bass]

The constant step out is the problem
Eliminate that and challenge/reviews, I'd bet the games shorten by 30-45 minutes

Challenges are stupid. Most people (and certainly most players) don't care if the runner's toe come off the base by 1/4 inch on a slide. It's only the obvious blown calls that should be fixed.

Simple. Have a fifth ump (good spot for the older veteran umps, who are slower physically, but still know the rules). Have them sitting in the booth watching the game on television. If they notice a definite blown call (not balls and strikes), they buzz the home plate ump and have the mistake fixed.

 

[Camaro69]

And realistically, they can use a video for training and show the guys later we're some adjustments can be made in the future. I don't know what the stats are on reviews, challenges, etc. But I would have to think that there's not that many blown calls, and other than the stupid toe coming off the bag rule that they've decided to finally enforce, nobody cares just like you said. I'd rather watch them play ball instead of them watch a TV screen

 

[buldog5151bass]

And that's part of the problem. Challenges take too much time, and only see to be fixing minor errors no one cares about (and I absolutely hate seeing the manager looking at the screen deciding whether to challenge).

 

[the harp unstrung]

I'm just gonna leave this here for your consideration.

It's called
"Anticipating The Bunt".

It's probably the most Artistic thing I've ever done.

That's me,
sitting on the Catcher.

 

[dangnewt]

"That's me,
sitting on the Catcher."

Cool installation.
I'm hearing the line above to the tune of REM's Losing My Religion.

 

[two fingers]

That was a good video for historical background. Thanks

The universal DH is about two things for the owners - protecting their assets, and making re-alignment easier.

I'm not in favor of a pitch clock. It's a lot simpler. Unless a batter has a legitimate need, don't give them the time out after every pitch to step out.

Look at the videos of games from the 70s and earlier - the batter rarely stepped out of the box (and even if he did, it was just one foot). Things moved quicker, and there was better flow.

Even more extreme - go back to the 19th century rules - no such thing as an illegal quick pitch.

That goes both ways. I swear these pitchers are trying to "ice" batters by taking so long to pitch. Most of the times when I see a batter ask for a timeout it's because they pitcher has been standing there forever not pitching.

MLB batters are often INCREDIBLY superstitious. They do EXACTLY the same routine before every pitch. It only takes a couple of seconds. But they enter the box the exact same way and adjust a glove, or kiss a cross necklace, or tap the barrel of the bat..... whatever. And then they set up and stare down the pitcher. I think pitchers are trying to throw them off by hesitating for several seconds after their routine. As such, batters will sometimes call time and do it all over again.

I've seen at-bats go on for ten minutes because the pitchers is just standing there so the batter calls time between every pitch. And my personal theory is that the umps are granting them so many timeouts because they know what the pitchers are up to.

So, yeah, it goes both ways. Pitchers are just standing there longer and longer between pitches. Honestly, I've been meaning to ask the pitching coach at our local college about it. There MUST be stats driving it. Stats drive EVERYTHING in baseball these days. And somebody figured out that strikeout percentages go up when pitchers make batter wait or something.

Either way, I would love to see it solved. Games are too long these days. And I LOVE baseball. So for me to complain about long games is saying something.

Short version: If I'm an MLB batter and you're a pitcher just standing there for ten seconds hoping to throw me off or get in my head, I'm calling timeout.

 

[dangnewt]

Start calling balls for pitchers that hold the ball too long, even with guys on base, the ball holding time is getting ridiculous. Same for the batters, call a few strikes if they are holding up a pitcher who is ready to throw. That could be another job for Buldog's 5th ump - press the green button for ball, red for strike and that will knock 15 minutes minimum off of games. I don't need the 2:15 like in the 70's, but I wouldn't mind consistently <2:45 with the 1 or 2 a week going 2:30 when the pitchers are dealing. I'm to the point where I dread Sox-Yanks because that is a minimum 3:15 for an 8 1/2 low scoring game and it goes up from there.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Watch a game, and see how often batter steps out immediately after a pitch. It's almost always first. Usually it's AFTER they've steps back in where the pitcher delays..

 

[two fingers]

Watch a game, and see how often batter steps out immediately after a pitch. It's almost always first. Usually it's AFTER they've steps back in where the pitcher delays..

The point is, it comes from both sides. You won't fix it by simply denying batter timeouts. There will have to be a pitcher solution as well. Pitchers are holding balls forever.

 

[two fingers]

Watch a game, and see how often batter steps out immediately after a pitch. It's almost always first. Usually it's AFTER they've steps back in where the pitcher delays..

The point is, it comes from both sides. You won't fix it by simply denying batter timeouts. There will have to be a pitcher solution as well. Pitchers are holding balls forever.

 

[dangnewt]

I wouldn't be surprised if the teams have this data on every pitcher and batter and they work it into the pregame scouting reports. The league probably has it as well. As a lifelong bureaucrat, the league could introduce rules that appear neutral on their face to minimize up-front complaints. If it ends up burdening the hitters more, too bad for them, the fan support for shorter games will be so huge there will be no chance of change.

 

[the harp unstrung]

If it ends up burdening the hitters more, too bad for them,

I agree with the Whole post, but I seem to remember that "Folks dig the Long Ball."