Baseball games are too long

doug.goodman · #1 02-24-2018, 10:24 PM

The same people who complain about baseball being "boring" point to basketball and football as examples of "exciting".

My definitions of "boring" and "exciting" are different than those used by such people.

Football plays to a 60 minute clock, basketball to a 48 minute clock, and the both games takes multiple hours to play.

At the moment that a game has become "too long" you should stop watching. Go home. Change the channel. Whatever fits the situation.

I once had a conversation with a woman sitting in front of me in the upper deck of Dodger Stadium that went something like this:

Doug - catches beach ball, stabs it with game scoring pen, rips it in half, throws it over the railing.

Woman - "why did you stab that beach ball and throw it over the railing?"

Doug - "because I hate f'g beach balls at baseball games"

Woman - "but baseball is boring"

Doug - "then go to the f'n beach"

Doug's mortified wife - buries face in hands

Later in the game I caused the wave to stop, but that's a different story.

Doug "my dream day involves a 28 inning game that lasts for as long as it lasts, preferably with no beach balls, or the people who would bring them" Goodman

bbcard1 · #2 02-24-2018, 10:42 PM

The most boring thing in sports is the last two minutes of a basketball game when one team is about 10 points down and resort to fouling hoping to trade 3s for 1s or 2s. It almost never works, but it does occassionally which is why they do it.

ValKehl · #3 02-24-2018, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbcard1

The most boring thing in sports is the last two minutes of a basketball game when one team is about 10 points down and resort to fouling hoping to trade 3s for 1s or 2s. It almost never works, but it does occassionally which is why they do it.

Not only boring, but this is very frustrating when it causes a game to run longer than the time scheduled for it by the TV station, the result being that the next scheduled game has been in progress for several minutes by the time the TV station finally switches over to it. This happened to me this afternoon, as I was not able to watch the first several minutes of my #1 UVA Cavaliers vs. Pittsburg. Ugh!

doug.goodman · #4 03-04-2018, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbcard1

The most boring thing in sports is the last two minutes of a basketball game when one team is about 10 points down and resort to fouling hoping to trade 3s for 1s or 2s. It almost never works, but it does occasionally which is why they do it.

That's why I hate sports with clocks.

Fred · #5 02-24-2018, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

I once had a conversation with a woman sitting in front of me in the upper deck of Dodger Stadium that went something like this:

Doug - catches beach ball, stabs it with game scoring pen, rips it in half, throws it over the railing.

Woman - "why did you stab that beach ball and throw it over the railing?"

Doug - "because I hate f'g beach balls at baseball games"

Woman - "but baseball is boring"

Doug - "then go to the f'n beach"

Doug's mortified wife - buries face in hands

hahahahahahahaha.....

ls7plus · #6 02-25-2018, 04:10 AM

My solution is to record any game I want to watch on my DVR, wait at least an hour, then fast forward through the commercials, pitching changes and a lot of the mound visits. These are the 3 things that have made the games so much longer, with virtually every game being televised. Commercials, of course, aren't going anywhere, nor are all the pitching changes. But if you fast forward through them, you can cut 40-50 minutes off the time of the game. Let those who like commercials watch them--my wife actually does, primarily because she used to be in marketing--but I do not.

Just the way I do it,

Larry

jerrys · #7 02-25-2018, 09:03 AM

I directly related the term "too long" to �too much dead time� (no action). Some suggest watching the game from the third inning or leave the game early to avoid traffic or don't watch or not my sport or watch it recorded to fast forward, etc. These "suggestions" have nothing whatever to do with the time wasted on the field by the players during the game. These instances are additive and significantly increase the time of the game. If the game is continuous action the time is not important.

These players have played the game most of lives and are the best at what they do. All I suggested are simple rules that should break players of time wasting habits and ways to generate quicker batter action.

I thought "between innings" as being more extreme was obvious - no commercials - no televised games.

CollectingAmericasPastime · #8 02-25-2018, 03:13 PM

Those whom don't like baseball aren't going to become baseball fans because a game is 5-20 minutes shorter.

The MLB needs to quite trying to cower to the non-baseball fans, or they're going to have problems losing current baseball fans.

Rhetorical side question...

Will the lost ad revenue from shorter time in between innings/half innings be put on the fans in the form of higher ticket prices? Or they will start paying the players less?

TheNightmanCometh · #9 02-25-2018, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

The same people who complain about baseball being "boring" point to basketball and football as examples of "exciting".

My definitions of "boring" and "exciting" are different than those used by such people.

Football plays to a 60 minute clock, basketball to a 48 minute clock, and the both games takes multiple hours to play.

At the moment that a game has become "too long" you should stop watching. Go home. Change the channel. Whatever fits the situation.

I once had a conversation with a woman sitting in front of me in the upper deck of Dodger Stadium that went something like this:

Doug - catches beach ball, stabs it with game scoring pen, rips it in half, throws it over the railing.

Woman - "why did you stab that beach ball and throw it over the railing?"

Doug - "because I hate f'g beach balls at baseball games"

Woman - "but baseball is boring"

Doug - "then go to the f'n beach"

Doug's mortified wife - buries face in hands

Later in the game I caused the wave to stop, but that's a different story.

Doug "my dream day involves a 28 inning game that lasts for as long as it lasts, preferably with no beach balls, or the people who would bring them" Goodman

You sir, are my hero.

bmattioli · #10 02-25-2018, 03:50 PM

Why can't people just leave Baseball alone.. It's OK just the way it is..

Mark · #11 02-25-2018, 08:03 PM

sure fire ways to make baseball fast again

1. limit roster to 22. fewer pitchers, fewer pitching changes.
2. start the games in the late afternoon and don't turn on the lights: this will encourage the teams to get it done sooner instead of later
3. enforce the official strike zone.

drcy · #12 02-25-2018, 10:39 PM

If you want to talk about torture: Woody Allen - Insurance Salesman scene

Gnep31 · #13 02-27-2018, 11:00 AM

The sport should be left alone.

I drive several hrs to attend MLB games and I want my $'s worth of baseball. Tickets, gas, traffic, parking etc...if a game goes under 3 hrs I'm disappointed. I am thrilled when games go to extra innings.

As another stated, when watching on TV, I also fast forward through all commercials. I can only see the same law firm commercials on Fox Sports Detroit so many times

Wildfireschulte · #14 02-27-2018, 03:51 PM

I'm cool with some of the ideas that MLB is pushing: limit mound visits, shorten breaks, speed up replay reviews... My solution is to watch 3 games at the same time - 2 split screen on TV plus one on my IPad - then its impossible to keep up with the pace. Combine that with managing 5 or 6 fantasy teams and its baseball heaven.

When watching a game live, I simply pound beer with a group of friends and the time flies by.

Leon · #15 03-04-2018, 06:47 PM

I rarely watch games although I will watch a world series game or two just for old times sake. Usually I won't watch a whole one, just a part of one, when I do watch.

doug.goodman · #16 03-04-2018, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNightmanCometh

You sir, are my hero.

Thank you. I will continue to try to live up to that status.

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