Baseball pace of play tweet....

[57stratdawg]

[TWEET]1118576598666448896[/TWEET]

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

It’s even worse with relief pitchers. I enjoyed it when Chris Carpenter would pitch for the cardinals because his pace was pretty fast.

 

[The Maroon Pug]

This questions probably has multiple answers, but what changed in baseball to cause this slower pace?

 

[8dog]

I know this is blasphemy but get rid of stealing second and put a clock out there. Teams attempt stealing second 8% of the time they are on first so its basically gone anyway

 

[philduckworth]

I know this is blasphemy but get rid of stealing second and put a clock out there. Teams attempt stealing second 8% of the time they are on first so its basically gone anyway

Keep the batter in the box, and add a pitch clock. That should take care of it without eliminating a part of the game.

 

[Len2003]

I love baseball but find it hard to make it through an entire game. I usually have to get up at some point.

 

[8dog]

But you can only have a pitch clock with the bases empty.

 

[philduckworth]

I don't see holding runners on in MLB as a big issue.

 

[8dog]

So they actually used a clock in spring training. It appears to reset with a throw over which seems to defeat the purpose to me

they need to do something. The games are so boring

 

[Crazy Cotton]

Don't have data, but the college game seems worse than the pros at this point. Why the hell batters need to step out and adjust their 17n gloves after watching a high and outside ball come in is beyond me. Give the umps the green light to ring somebody up if they step put of the box after every 17n pitch would do wonders.

 

[llmsudawg]

let me solve this...

UMPIRES... they RUN THE GAME. No clocks, no rule changes. They can already signal 'ready for play' with the batter not set and the pitcher can throw. Pitcher taking too long? They can also call a ball for that already too. They can also have anyone removed from the stadium for anything. Steve McMichael anyone?

Put in on the umps. They allow the players to slow the game. No rules tweaks, no gimmicks. It's all on the umpires. Years ago they changed the minor league rules that batters had to keep one foot in the box during an at bat, sans a foul ball. This was done as an attempt to develop a mindset in the minors of staying in the box and as players were promoted, would become 'habit'.

Hold the umpires accountable and groom 'better' umpires in the farm leagues.

 

[kired]

This is what drives me crazy and is probably the biggest problem. Practically every batter now steps out and re-adjusts everything after every pitch. 25 years ago we made fun of a few players that would do this. Now they all do it, like they all have OCD.

 

[mount lefroy]

[TWEET]1118576598666448896[/TWEET]

While I see some unnecessary delays (pitchers needing 5-8 warmups on the field after warming up and batters backing out) I don’t think the game is too slow. I think it’s fine.

 

[ll Martain ll]

I’m not sure how baseball does it, but the real thing they need to fix is that balls in play is going way down. Few people want to watch a 3 1/2 hour game with 300 pitches thrown and 30-40 total Ks.

I don’t know how you fix it without some drastic rule changes. In my slow pitch softball league we have a big strike zone, foul ball limits, and start with a 1-1 count to keep pace fast—too radical for MLB.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Sabermetrics and the latest analytics have created this trend. GM's want many players swinging for the fence and striking out rather than choke-up, adjust, or swing against the shift, etc. because the data shows that leads to more W's.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

The biggest problem is that micro managing at every level has gotten out of control. Almost every pitch and adjustment comes from the dugout. In the old days we were taught to play baseball and then played it. There were very few times we looked to get some signs on defensive adjustment or even batting. The catcher's job was to go over the hitters and it was just him and the pitcher that generally called the game.

Now they are taught to look to the dugout to check if they should adjust their jockstrap or not. It is in all sports at all levels. It drives me insane. To watch a hitter look down to the coach with no one on base and no outs it NUTS.

 

[dickiedawg]

Honestly eliminating taking a lead off of first would do wonders without impacting the game *that* much. Maybe it feels like little league rules or softball rules, but it would help. Especially when coupled with a pitch clock.

 

[Old Fart Dawg]

I’m not sure how baseball does it, but the real thing they need to fix is that balls in play is going way down. Few people want to watch a 3 1/2 hour game with 300 pitches thrown and 30-40 total Ks.

I don’t know how you fix it without some drastic rule changes. In my slow pitch softball league we have a big strike zone, foul ball limits, and start with a 1-1 count to keep pace fast—too radical for MLB.

LOWER the pitchers mound from 10 inches to 6 inches

 

[CochiseCowbell]

I don't know how I got a down vote, & frankly my dear I don't give a damn, but this isn't my opinion. MLB players themselves have talked about this. Their worth is tied to what clubs want. It's why the amount of balls in play has dropped. However, we all were recently reminded that the ball is almost always in play. Thanks, Blue.

I'm not some old codger decrying the middle reliever, pitch counts, batting gloves, etc.†

Using data to your advantage is wise in all professions & daily life. A good many on this board bemoaned Cohen's tinkering & numerous mid-count pitching changes. Yet, he knows more about the game than any of us.

† I do however abhor the DH at the pro level as well as the one batter specialist out of the pen.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

Well, while we are tweaking baseball to make it more exciting, let’s fix Soccer too. Either eliminate the Goalie position or eliminate off sides. If you are fast enough to out run your defender and have a defender or midfielder who can lead you, I say let it fly. And while we are eliminating offsides, keep the Goalie inside the box. Do not allow him to come out and take away a long lead pass to a streaking forward.

Now back to our regularly schedule baseball bashing (along with the Bulldogs getting bashed by the Hogs) program.

 

[patdog]

Can't eliminate offside. That would allow the defense to play back and actually reduce the number of goal scoring chances. Biggest thing that's needed in soccer is to have a harsher penalty than just a yellow card for all the tactical fouls when an offensive player is driving towards the goal in an advantage situation, similar to a basketball fast break. This could be the most exciting play in soccer, but a defensive player routinely deliberately fouls him and allows the defense to set up for a free kick.

 

[dickiedawg]

The thing is, soccer is the most popular sport in the world. It doesn't struggle with viewership or pace of play.
A lot of people who really love the game of baseball recognize that pace of play and length of games are problems- no one who matters thinks soccer needs major changes like that.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

Soccer Sucks!

 

[Maroonthirteen]

Both sports need more scoring.

Baseball..... fastballs only.

Soccer make the goal bigger. 10x10 instead of 8x8.

Both easy fixes. Done.

 

[FlotownDawg]

I’ve never understood why people who don’t like soccer have to trumpet the fact that they don’t like soccer as if it’s a point of pride. I don’t really like baseball that much, but I’m not going to come on a thread and talk about how boring it is or how it sucks.

 

[Len2003]

Fast pitch softball is a good product as a game. Only 7 innings, you can't lead off of bases, and a run rule. The pace is a lot faster.

 

[8dog]

Because play almost never stops in soccer.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

I like Soccer, but based on the theme of the OP’s thread, the fact is Soccer sucks as the rules and landscape of the game currently stand, in the same manner Baseball sucks to some people. The good thing is “actions have consequences, opinions don’t.