We all need a break from Topic A around here. On that vein, I noticed that each of the two games last night lasted more than 4 hours. Pretty much unwatchable for me at least.
I'm guessing MLB has pretty much given up trying to get games under 3 hours. With extra commercials, each team using 7+ pitchers, etc., might as well adopt the George Costanza mantra of "Let's get nuts" and aim for the first 5+ hour, 9 inning game.
2. Ban batting gloves and pine tar or give the spidertac back to pitchers. If pitchers aren't allowed a "better" grip, why are batters?
3. Ban the shift.
4. Force all batters to have one foot inside the batter's box unless he's forced out by an inside pitch or over swing. Call a strike on anyone leaving the box entirely for no apparent reason.
5. Get rid of the 3 batter minimum. Make it two at most.
6. Get rid of the insane baserunner at 2nd to start extra innings.
7. No more than 2 minutes between half innings, commercials be damned. Batter required to be in the box at 1:45.
8. No more than 25 seconds between pitches, or a ball is called. (Of course, mound visit or pick off attempt restarts the clock)
9. Limit mound visits from all sources to 3 per half inning.
10. Teams have 2.5 minutes to complete a pitching change.
Make it so.
Last night I watched two episodes of the Dirty Money series on Netflix with my wife and had the Dodgers game on a tablet. When that was over I flipped around for a bit and checked in on Astros/Red Sox until the 8th.
It lasted 4 hours and 7 minutes. That's entirely too long.
I played baseball in college, coach a summer collegiate team now.
I barely watch baseball, except for the playoffs and even then I tune in for a few innings, then go else where.
It's too slow (unless your team is playing).
I know that time slot is allotted for the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.
And this is a year with four teams that represent fairly large markets?! Obviously having Chicago and/or NY represented would be a bit better for the networks...