Taking A Moment To Smile About MLB Hypocrisy

by Lord Duggan on Mar 19, 2010 7:03 PM EDT

I was reading an article on Yahoo Sports about the "pace of the game." The Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers have all been chastised by the league for having "slow" games, in that they led the league in game length.

The average Yankee game was 3 hours 8 minutes, the average Red Sox game was 3 hours 4 minutes, and the average Dodger game was 3 hours 2 minutes. Boy, are these monstrosities really killing MLB ratings.

Now I realize that baseball is a business, and that ratings and money are always going to drive the sport, but really? Let's use common sense for just a minute.

Why are Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers games long? Umm.....cuz all three teams have a bunch of guys who don't make outs, making the game last longer. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers were 1st, 2nd, and 4th in MLB in team OBP last year.

Girardi is quoted in the article with this small shred of common sense: "We have hitters that see a lot of pitches. The Red Sox have hitters that see a lot of pitches. We haven’t played the Dodgers so I don’t really know. But that’s going to be a part of it." How astounding.

Also, they're talking to the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers! Teams that draw huge ratings because they have huge fan bases! If maximum ratings are indeed the goal, shouldn't Selig and his lackeys tell teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers "hey, do whatever it is that helps you win?"

Maybe it's time MLB forgets about this ridiculousness and looks at some more serious issues that have easy solutions. Things like.....gee, I don't know.....instant replay, the all-star game giving home field advantage in the world series, having 300 days off in the playoffs, and getting a DH in the NL.

But no, the problem is the Yankees taking too many mound visits. Nice.

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MLB at Yayho.com

Plus the fans from these cities want to actually watch their teams, not just glance across up at the game to act suave in the bar while some chick is talking to them. (well maybe sometimes…) Could you imagine 3 1/2 hours of Pirates-Nationals every night? The whole national pastime would be in the toilet. I think they should give teams like those a lesser count, like a couple strikes or balls less to get it over with. That would be a huge boost.

Global domination, bizarre experiments on youth, our best player squatting in buildings drinking Bacardi, what you call the Evil Empire, I CALL HOME!!!!

by SteveBalboniHOF on Mar 19, 2010 8:38 PM EDT reply actions

You know why they complain?

You would to if you were forced to watch a lousy team get kicked around for 90 some games a year.Kick our butts faster please I have to go home and complain on Yahoo about a salary cap because im delusional and in denial about what they do with my money for tickets. I don’t know about you but i’m sad when the game ends,I wish it was 18 innings of Yankee dominance. But that would envoke twice the unintelligent enlightenment of how a cap would make it fair and the Yanks would never win.Funny how most titles came in a time when free agents and big salaries were non existent.But hey Tom down at the unemployment line said thats what we need and how could he be wrong? Screw it this sucks,Girardi is a tool,he has been taking out the starters after two innings,what is he thinking?

Oh boy I can't wait,there is going to be a Ho Park in the bullpen.I wonder if we can use the bullpen phone to order condoms with our pizza that will sit next to the keg?I already bought my spurs and chaps.Nevermind my wife found out about the bullpen,who's the Judas?

by cashman bashman on Mar 19, 2010 11:01 PM EDT reply actions

I'll tell you what it is

Selig doesn’t want to make changes like adding instant replay on the strike zone, fair/foul balls or anything that would make the game, well, fairer and more objective. So he wants to look like he’s doing something and “revolutionizing” games by speeding them up in hopes of drawing more fans. But what he’s doing is going to drive player’s tempers up and making a baseball game a very hectic environment. A-Rod can’t step out of the strike zone? CC can’t step of the mound? 14 seconds until he has to throw a pitch? That’s going to kill baseball, not make it better.

I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.

Vince Lombardi

by moose35 on Mar 20, 2010 5:52 AM EDT reply actions

I meant A-Rod stepping out of the box

Vince Lombardi

by moose35 on Mar 20, 2010 5:52 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree

I just find the pretense, empty words, and posturing annoying.

I realize this isn’t going to lead to any actual change, it’s just MLB wanting to appear as if it’s doing something.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Mar 20, 2010 6:07 AM EDT up reply actions

Plus

Longer games mean better revenue. He should be happy about all the commercials when Girardi pulls a reliever after one batter, not telling him to speed up. I have no idea what actual change this can bring, or what he’s going to say his reasoning behind it is.

Vince Lombardi

by moose35 on Mar 20, 2010 7:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe Yankee, BoSock and Dogger games are so long because they make the other team keep changing pitchers.

by designatedquitter on Mar 23, 2010 11:50 AM EDT reply actions

Apologies to Lord Duggan

I started a post “MLB asking Yanks, Red Sox and Dodgers to speed up games” and did not realize this post was here. I will add my info to his post.

Just using the average time for a game is being blind. There are many reasons beyond taking extra time to pitch or bat.

Here are a few that I posted in comment in the linked article.

1) OBP – If you have more people on base, the game takes longer. Yanks, Sox and Dodgers rank 1,2 and 4 in OBP.
2) Pitches per AB – These teams see more pitches and therefore take longer – all part of the game (not sure of data)
3) Pitchers Ks – If your staff is a strikeout staff, more pitches tend to be thrown. Rankings – Dodgers 3, Yanks 4, Sox 7.
OBP is probably the biggest factor. If you get a guy on, you have to pitch to another batter, more time.

Here are the top 10 for OBP and Pitching Ks. Notice those 3 clubs are the only ones near the top in both top 10s. The Marlins and Braves make the bottom of both top 10s. I would be intersted in seeing where they rank in avg game time. I bet they are in the top 10.
OBP – Yanks, Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Twins, Rays, Rockies, Brewers, Marlins, Braves.
Pitching Ks – Giants, Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees, Marlins, Braves, Red Sox, Padres, Blue Jays, Dbacks.

Take these factors into account and I bet there is a significant correlation. Nothing that “hurrying up” would fix. To hurry up these factors, MLB would essentially be saying, Yanks, Red Sox and Dodgers, “swing at more pitches, use less discipline at the plate and when pitching let the other team hit it.”

by seeknayog on Mar 24, 2010 5:10 PM EDT reply actions