Baseball season is almost here, and many fans think the games are too damned slow. What suggestions do you have for speeding up the game? I'd like to see batters stay in the the batters box for the duration of the at bat: no tugging your glove, scratching your junk, etc. And cut way down on visits to the mound. And 3 warmup pitches for relievers, not 8. Let 'er rip, guys....
OT: how to speed up baseball games?
- Thread starter Frabjous
- Start date
Comcast will occasionally play some old Phillies games from the 80's. Biggest difference is batters not stepping out of the box and pitchers getting the ball, getting on the mound right away, getting the sign, and throwing the ball. I think they need to force batters to stay in the box barring some issue. And then need to force some of these ultra slow pitchers to speed up.
no commercials (or every 3 innings)...go to a spring training game, its fantastic. Plenty of alternate advertising options.
Reminds me of the days when Penn State games were not televised and the games were non-stop.
Reminds me of the days when Penn State games were not televised and the games were non-stop.
one thing they are experimenting with in extra innings....they are going to put a guy on second base to start the inning at some level in the minor leagues to see how it goes. At least it may eliminate the 18 inning games we've seen.
I have no problem with making the batter stay in the box, but you'd have to have some limit on the pitcher's time between pitches or it becomes an unfair advantage. Perhaps extend the "balk" to allow the batter to take a base if the pitcher makes a move without delivering a pitch. That may be too harsh; perhaps grant a "ball" if the pitcher steps off the rubber and doesn't deliver a pitch within ten seconds of the previous pitch.
I have no problem with making the batter stay in the box, but you'd have to have some limit on the pitcher's time between pitches or it becomes an unfair advantage. Perhaps extend the "balk" to allow the batter to take a base if the pitcher makes a move without delivering a pitch. That may be too harsh; perhaps grant a "ball" if the pitcher steps off the rubber and doesn't deliver a pitch within ten seconds of the previous pitch.
Bigger strike zone. That's how we did it in little league. Get hitters swinging the bats.
Put a clock on the pitcher once he receives the ball from the catcher 20 seconds, - put a clock on catcher for getting the ball back to the pitcher. 5 seconds
Wiffle ball rules....throw the ball at the runner to get him out. Might not speed up the game but would make it more fun to watch.
I may be one of the few, but I don't want faster baseball games. I like the leisurely pace. It gives you time to talk, enjoy a warm summer day, and forget about life's problems. Now, I would shorten the season, but that's for another thread.
Absolutely, yes. Watch a game from the 1980s and this is THE thing you notice that is most different vs. the present-day.
All the substitutions and defensive shifts and relief pitchers coming in to only throw to one batter? That's all fine. It's a part of the game, a part of the strategy.
But once the strategic decision have been made --- PITCH THE DAMN BALL (and batters be ready to hit that ball)!!!
No conferences at the mound. No manager/pitching coach visits to the mound to change pitchers. No warm up pitches for relief pitchers. These alone would save a lot of time without bothering the fabric of the game.
That was actually a rule in the very early days of baseball. It was called soaking the runner or plugging the runner. Either way it doesn't sound like much fun but I think I'd rather be soaked than plugged.
After a quick Google I learned it was outlawed after 1845. Base runners rejoiced!!!
The mound conferences are becoming ridiculous. As it is now the pitcher must be changed after the second mound visit of the inning from the dugout. Unfortunately there are no such rules which apply to the catcher going to the mound. There are times when it may be necessary if there's confusion regarding signals but those problems should have been solved in practice. How about one non-injury mound visit per inning for the catcher? Most late inning visits are just a stall tactic anyway and if there really is some miscommunication regarding signals that's too bad. They can figure it out between innings.
Edit: To clarify, the catcher rule would only apply during an at bat. Nothing would prevent the catcher from meeting with the pitcher during the timed break between hitters. And to prevent anyone from trying to work the loophole, the rule would apply to the catcher as well as all other fielders.
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Stop televising Yankees vs Red Sox every night. Those are among the longest games.
Cut down mound visits. One thing I saw was to allow electronic communications as in NFL with the QB. Use today's technology - that will not affect fabric of game - let the manager talk to everyone, but do not allow him to cross into the field of play.
My $.02 Limit mound visits, limit amount of replay challenges each team gets, shorter time in-between innings(30 seconds less).
One radical idea I have heard is 7 inning games. I think that will definitely make it more exciting but there is no way that will happen.
3 hour games are not that long IMO.
One radical idea I have heard is 7 inning games. I think that will definitely make it more exciting but there is no way that will happen.
3 hour games are not that long IMO.
If you really want to shorten the game start each inning with a man on first and only allow 2 outs instead of 3.
Bill James has two ideas:
- Put some limit on how often a pitcher could try to pick off a runner.
- Lose the balk rule.
I like some of the ideas:
1. Shot clock on the time from when the catcher catches the ball and the pitcher pitches it. If batter isn't in the box in that time, too bad.
2. Only allowed one player (catcher or infielder, doesn't matter) visit to mound per inning.
3. Shot clock on time allowed for either catcher/infielder meeting and coach meeting on mound. Be great to see the coaches have to actually jog to and from the mound.
4. Shot clock on reliever coming in until first pitch. No massive conferences with relief pitchers followed by too many practice pitches.
How do you stop 10 throws per inning over to first base? any good ideas
1. Shot clock on the time from when the catcher catches the ball and the pitcher pitches it. If batter isn't in the box in that time, too bad.
2. Only allowed one player (catcher or infielder, doesn't matter) visit to mound per inning.
3. Shot clock on time allowed for either catcher/infielder meeting and coach meeting on mound. Be great to see the coaches have to actually jog to and from the mound.
4. Shot clock on reliever coming in until first pitch. No massive conferences with relief pitchers followed by too many practice pitches.
How do you stop 10 throws per inning over to first base? any good ideas
Commercials take up 2 minutes each half inning, cut that to 1:30 and you save 8-9 minutes. Pitchers dont need 8 pitches between innings, 5 max, including relievers. Stop allowing Nomar Garciaparra to reset each glove 5 times per pitch would help too.
Yes.
Also, any and all body armor that a batter wears to the plate stays on until they return to the dugout. A lot of hitters look like freaking transformers peeling off all of this crap once they reach base. If you can't run the bases with it on, you shouldn't be allowed to wear it to the plate.
I like Bill James --- but those are 2 dumb ideas.
The balk rule gives the runner the advantage (if the pitcher doesn't like the runner being there - well it's his fault, don't allow him on base!!!) while pickoff throws keep the same runner honest. Good give and take.
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Say no more than two throws over per individual player on first. You better make them count.
None. No visits. It's unnecessary. Situations should be prepared for before a game. If you're not prepared for a situation that is on the managing/coaching. Play the game.
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...jes leave things as they are..
...if you wanna see a fast game just tape it and speed up what you think is slowing the game down for you...
...When I go to a game I don't keep track of how long it is taking ... I just enjoy the game...
...if you wanna speed up a sport, turn your attention to the last 3 minutes of a BB game - or the last 80 minutes of a futbol game......
...if you wanna see a fast game just tape it and speed up what you think is slowing the game down for you...
...When I go to a game I don't keep track of how long it is taking ... I just enjoy the game...
...if you wanna speed up a sport, turn your attention to the last 3 minutes of a BB game - or the last 80 minutes of a futbol game...
...
I like the shot clock idea...too many pitchers waste too much time between pitches. Get the ball, pick a pitch, and chuck it...whether the batter is ready or not.
And I couldn't agree more with gambit. The season is WAY too long. Even though it's been an extremely warm winter, watching (and playing) baseball in the north in a typical April, October, or November is generally unpleasant. Regular season should be May 1st - August 31st. Playoffs during the month of September with the WS being over by mid-October.
You do know that field players are communicated with from the dugout at least every time a new batter comes to the plate.
Mound visits don't slow the game down. Pitcher/batter routines between pitches is the major culprit. The size of the strike zone extends at bats and caused more pitches per batter, which, because of pitcher/batter routines between pitches, results in long games.
Immediate challenge for replay and limit of one challenge in regulation 9 innings and 1 challenge in extra innings
Relief pitchers must face minimum of 2 batters to eliminate situational relief pitchers who face one batter - biggest time saver would be that relief pitcher must start inning but that will never happen
Intentional walk immediate pass rather than 4 pitches thrown
One mound conference without removal of pitcher per game
Some resolution with batter step out and pitcher step off the rubber - limit with penalty imposition TBD
Relief pitchers must face minimum of 2 batters to eliminate situational relief pitchers who face one batter - biggest time saver would be that relief pitcher must start inning but that will never happen
Intentional walk immediate pass rather than 4 pitches thrown
One mound conference without removal of pitcher per game
Some resolution with batter step out and pitcher step off the rubber - limit with penalty imposition TBD
...jes leave things as they are..
...if you wanna see a fast game just tape it and speed up what you think is slowing the game down for you...
...When I go to a game I don't keep track of how long it is taking ... I just enjoy the game...
...if you wanna speed up a sport, turn your attention to the last 3 minutes of a BB game - or the last 80 minutes of a futbol game...
Yes!!!! Best answer today IMHO.
My baseball watching is limited to going to a few minor league games a year and I swear that I see a shot clock in use from when the pitcher receives the ball - do they not use it in the majors?
Yes, the minor leagues have had it the last few years. I saw it at a game in Louisville (AAA) last year.
You are kidding me - really - they do communicate from the dugout. Who would have thought.
Is that why the catcher looks into the dugout after pitches. Is that why the batter steps out to look at the third base coach after every pitch. I never realized those were signs from the dugout. That stuff all happens between each pitch - Wow!
Thinking outside of the box to stay in the box - why not stay right in the pitch ready position and let the manager communicate via technology to everyone. I do agree three and two counts and defensive shifts are killing the game. Pitchers try to get batters out on balls out of the strike zone - especially relief pitchers that do not have to worry about pitch counts.
I believe this is being implemented for this season. Given the number of intentional walks per game I don't see this as a massive time saver though.
You can't limit the number of throws or you give the baserunner a massive advantage. They could take a lead as far as they want, basically making a stolen base a guarantee, if the pitcher isn't allowed to throw to first.
