The real reasons why baseball games take forever...

[Rock Strongo]

it aint pace of pitching
it aint mound visits (well, it may be part of it)
it aint guys loafing in the batters box...


in 1978, the average pitchers used PER GAME was 4.2, for both teams. so in a game we would see about 4 pitchers total.

this year, we are up to 8.2 per game, or about double what it was, in 1978.

add to that the inflated strikeout totals, and here we are. there was a time when guys were petrified of fanning 100 times. now guys do that casually by the break.

more pitchers and longer AB's...there are your 3+ hour games.

 

[Rock Strongo]

discuss

 

[Fountain City Blues]

A couple rule changes and I bet we see more multi-inning relievers be a thing again.

 

[soxfan1468927]

It's a combination of everything. Last night's game for the Red Sox had 21 total strikeouts, 3 mid-inning pitching changes, and was 2:55. Saturday's game had 19 total strikeouts, 2 mid-inning pitching changes, and was 3:34.

 

[Rock Strongo]

A couple rule changes and I bet we see more multi-inning relievers be a thing again.

i remember as a kid, guys being at 99 k's and sitting out the final few games to avoid 100.
maybe if incentives were put into contracts as a standard clause?

 

[RobToxin]

I didn't see two games just mentioned so I don't know for sure but...

was the longer game perhaps on ESPN? And thus had more and longer commercial breaks?

There's your real answer. More prime time televised games = more sponsor revenue attracted = longer commercial breaks = longer games.

 

[soxfan1468927]

I didn't see two games just mentioned so I don't know for sure but...

was the longer game perhaps on ESPN? And thus had more and longer commercial breaks?

There's your real answer. More prime time televised games = more sponsor revenue attracted = longer commercial breaks = longer games.

We're talking average length of game, not just comparing two games. And the average length of game has gone up even from just 10 years ago. For example, the average Red Sox game this year is 3:19 and they are using 3.99 pitchers per game. In 2007, they averaged 3:09 per game and used 3.78 pitchers per game.

I don't know where the numbers from the OP are exactly, I'm getting 4.8 pitchers per game back in 1978 and 8.2 now. Still a huge difference.

 

[Rock Strongo]

We're talking average length of game, not just comparing two games. And the average length of game has gone up even from just 10 years ago. For example, the average Red Sox game this year is 3:19 and they are using 3.99 pitchers per game. In 2007, they averaged 3:09 per game and used 3.78 pitchers per game.

I don't know where the numbers from the OP are exactly, I'm getting 4.8 pitchers per game back in 1978 and 8.2 now. Still a huge difference.

in 2010 the average was 3.92. its now up to 4.8.

i heard it on the radio, so i may have goofed trying to remember it. 4.8 and 8.2. my bad.

 

[soxfan1468927]

in 2010 the average was 3.92. its now up to 4.8.

i heard it on the radio, so i may have goofed trying to remember it. 4.8 and 8.2. my bad.

I got 4.8 back in 1978, not now. For 2010 I got 7.7 pitchers per game.

 

[Rock Strongo]

I got 4.8 back in 1978, not now. For 2010 I got 7.7 pitchers per game.

yeah, thats roughly 3.92 x 2. i think my 3.92 was per team.

 

[soxfan1468927]

The question is, what can you do? Do you limit the amount of mid-inning pitching changes a manager can make in a game? I would still like to see a pitch clock, automatic strike zone, and limit mound visits (treat it like a timeout, you get 3 a game).

 

[soxfan1468927]

yeah, thats roughly 3.92 x 2. i think my 3.92 was per team.

I gotcha, we were switching between "per game" and "per team per game"

 

[Rock Strongo]

I gotcha, we were switching between "per game" and "per team per game"

yip

 

[Rock Strongo]

The question is, what can you do? Do you limit the amount of mid-inning pitching changes a manager can make in a game? I would still like to see a pitch clock, automatic strike zone, and limit mound visits (treat it like a timeout, you get 3 a game).

put a limit on relievers used in a 9 inning game. make the managers actually work harder.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Dirt posted this the other day

That guy is awesome

 

[Rock Strongo]

Dirt posted this the other day

That guy is awesome

he did? i havent been around.

 

[soxfan1468927]

put a limit on relievers used in a 9 inning game. make the managers actually work harder.

Not bad. I don't care if a manager makes a switch in between innings though. As long as it doesn't expand the commercial break.

 

[Center Ice]

it aint pace of pitching
it aint mound visits (well, it may be part of it)
it aint guys loafing in the batters box...


in 1978, the average pitchers used PER GAME was 4.2, for both teams. so in a game we would see about 4 pitchers total.

this year, we are up to 8.2 per game, or about double what it was, in 1978.

add to that the inflated strikeout totals, and here we are. there was a time when guys were petrified of fanning 100 times. now guys do that casually by the break.

more pitchers and longer AB's...there are your 3+ hour games.

18 minutes of actual action in a 3.5 hour game. Stick to hockey.

 

[Rock Strongo]

18 minutes of actual action in a 3.5 hour game. Stick to hockey.

i dont like hockey in vegas. i hate unnatural hockey.

 

[soxfan1468927]

18 minutes of actual action in a 3.5 hour game. Stick to hockey.

Hey, if you want the highest Action to Time ratio, go with soccer.