Baseball is in the news this week, not for stuff pertaining to spring training or possible roster moves, but rather for changes being considered to speed up the game.
Although we agree that there are things that can be done to move along the pace of the game, the idea of starting a runner at second base to start an inning once the game in tied after nine is blatantly stupid.
Ideas like this shows us that Commissioner Rob Manfred is chasing casual fans in favor of the hardcore fans who love the game and everything that surrounds it.
We know the average game takes about three hours to play, and really cutting ten minutes off of that time would be great. But that can be done in a series of ways.
The first thing would be to eliminate the constant stepping out by hitters between pitches. Hitters need to stay in the box and umpires should allow pitchers to throw to the plate if they are ready.
Batters have to ask for time out, the umpires don’t have to give it to them.
The second thing is to call a strike a strike. How many times in the course of a game do you say to yourself, “where was that pitch?” We understand that there is an art to drawing walks, we have one of the best in the game in doing that in Carlos Santana.
We have no problem watching a game where there is a pitcher’s zone, as long as the umpire is consistent. The game moves much faster.
In terms of the extra inning rule, which will take effect in the low minors this year, there wasn’t a more riveting game last year for the Tribe than the 19 inning victory over Toronto on July 1st.
Yes, the fact the Indians had a 13 game winning streak helped, without a doubt. We were at one of the local casinos while the game was going on, and crowds were gathered around the televisions that are at the bars. They weren’t moving either.
And when Cleveland won, a huge roar went up throughout the building. No one was bored by the length of the game, except for a few young members of the media here. Of course, they don’t understand the game.
Why pick on baseball? The length of an NFL game continues to grow every year because no one runs the ball anymore and every time a pass is not completed the clock stops. Granted, it has become so easy to complete passes, there aren’t many stoppages of play.
We understand baseball is played everyday, while pro football is just once a week. But no one is complaining that NFL games that used to fit in a three hour window, now take 3:30 or 3:45 to play.
Remember, it takes that long to play 60 minutes of football.
The NBA games are also lengthening. Again, no one is complaining.
The people who are complaining about baseball are people who aren’t going to games. Do you ever hear someone who was at a 9-7 game that took three and a half hours, complain about the game being too long?
Of course not, the complaint usually comes from people who don’t like or understand the game.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 