How long ... has this been goin' on?

[Frayed Knot]

I've been tracking the times of games for the last few weeks.

So as to not be totally nerdy by tracking the exact minute of every game, I put each into a 10 minute window; counting the number of games between 2:00 and 2:09 for instance; and between 2:10 & 2:19; between 2:20 & 2:29, etc.
My only real point here was that I was looking for whether or not there was a noticable difference in NL, AL & IL games. There is.
The results here are for all [u:2f22a97fd0]9 inning games[/u:2f22a97fd0] for the month of June.

Lg	# of games	< 2:30	< 2:40	< 2:50	< 3:00	< 3:10
AL	76	14%	24%	43%	55%	67%
NL	92	18%	37%	50%	65%	85%
IL	186	16%	31%	45%	65%	81%

[metsmarathon]

how do the interleague games compare when played at the NL and AL parks separately?

[Frayed Knot]

The Yanqui game tonight is 2-1/2 hours old ... they're in the 5th inning.
That league is unwatchable.

[Gwreck]

I don't think anybody actually prefers the American League rules, they just are fans of teams that happen to be in that league.

Well, maybe Red Sox fans (Ortiz playing the field? Ha.)

[Frayed Knot]

Last night:
Met Game; 8-4 final; 2:22
NYY Game; 9-4 final; 4:02

[bmfc1]

How long has this been goin' on ?
How long has this been goin' on ?

Well your freinds with their fancy persuasions
Can't admit that it's part of the scene
But I can't help but have my suspicions
'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem

And you said you were never intendin'
To break up our secret this way
But there ain't any use in pretendin'
It could happen to us any day

How long has this been goin' on ?

[Frayed Knot]

So I nerdily decided to continue this project into July in order to both eliminate the inter-legue games and get a better idea if the difference between AL & NL games was as big as I thought when seen through a larger sample size.

It's not, it's even bigger.

Lg	# of games	< 2:30	< 2:40	< 2:50	< 3:00	< 3:10
AL	173	17%	25%	36%	55%	68%
NL	183	19%	37%	59%	77%	88%

So while barely half the AL games (55%) come in under 3 hours, more than 3/4 of NL games do (77%).
Or if you go to an AL game you're almost twice as likely (32% of the time) to see as game lasting longer than 3hrs 10min than you are of seeing one under 2-1/2 hrs, while the NL ratio is more than 1.5/1 the other way around.


I knew there was a reason I hated watching AL games.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Well, Trachsel does pitch in the Al now.


Seriously, I would have expected that with the abomination known as the designated hitter being used in the AL that their games would move along a little faster. Their is more strategy and match up dcisions to be considered and implemented in NL games. I would have expected them to be more drawn out as a result.

[Elster88]

Frayed Knot wrote: Last night: Met Game; 8-4 final; 2:22 NYY Game; 9-4 final; 4:02

Makes me think the DH has nothing to do it.

Course, that's just two games. The DH probably has a lot to do with it.

[Frayed Knot]

No, it's not just your imagination. The games lately have been taking an eternity to finish.
All the extra-inning games aren't helping obviously, but you still have to go back 10 games to find one played in under 3-hours.

Working backwards from today:
Sun - 3:59
Sat - 3:15
Fri - 3:23
Thur - 3:52
Wed - 3:14
Tues - 3:14
Mon - 3:13
Sun - 3:50
Sat - 3:43
Fri - 2:47



But of course it could be worse ... you could be Yanqui fans.

[Benjamin Grimm]

This time of year, I would think that the expanded rosters would extend the games somewhat. More pitchers on the staff allow for more mid-inning pitching changes.

[Guest Edgy DC]

MULROONEY'S!