How Long Has This Been Going On?

[Frayed Knot]

[YOUTUBE]Vo_GMMLULXw[/YOUTUBE]





No, I haven't given up obsessing over the length and pace of games. Was just giving you folks a break for a while.

But while games in 2018 were quicker than in 2017, that trend lasted for exactly one year as they're back up again in 2019, nearly to 2017 levels.



15 of the 16 games played on Saturday (there was one DH) took over 3 hours [KCR 4 - DET 1 = 2:23] Eight of them lasted longer than 3:20

And even if you want to remove the two extra inning games from the data, that's still 13 of 14 >3:00 w/six over 3:20, a total which includes two different 2-1

games and six that needed only 8-1/2 innings. The two extra inning games both took over four hours despite one being just 10 innings and the other 11



btw, the 2019 Mets played more 9-inning games by the midpoint of the season that lasted over 3:20 than did the 1984, 1985, and 1986 Mets combined.



And you tell me that attendance and TV ratings are both down.

You don't say?

Edited July 14, 2019 by Guest

[smg58]

Too many slow jogs around the bases.



I think it's funny that they say they want to shorten games, when all the big suggestions (universal DH, outlawing or limiting the shift, pitchers can't be removed after one batter) will help offense, and helping offense prolongs games. The Yankees and Red Sox combined for 30 runs in one of their London games. Was that supposed to get people home in three hours?



Have they considered giving pitchers a chance?

[Frayed Knot]

And then there was the Dodgers @ Boston SNB game.

OK it went 12 innings but you figure, at the 'normal' three innings/per hour pace, that should take the game up to right around four hours even.

Yeah, no. Try 5:40

Five Freakin' Forty!! for a game which actually was a bit below average scoring (4-4) at the end of 9 and totaled an unremarkable 11 runs/21 hits

combined by the time it ended which, even with the new pushed-up starting time, was well after midnight.

[nymr83]

Too many slow jogs around the bases. I think it's funny that they say they want to shorten games, when all the big suggestions (universal DH, outlawing or limiting the shift, pitchers can't be removed after one batter) will help offense, and helping offense prolongs games. The Yankees and Red Sox combined for 30 runs in one of their London games. Was that supposed to get people home in three hours? Have they considered giving pitchers a chance?

"pitchers cant be removed" so quickly would shorten games, even if it led to a small increase in offense. which i uess is an ideal outcome from MLB's perspective.