Rule changes

[bloodbrother]

I actually can't handle your example. The NFL is actually starting to suck to me. It's pretty much what you described.

 

And the NFL is trending in the wrong direction with their game....by continuing to change/update rules which just leads to even MORE flags and more stoppage in play

 

 

MLB definitely needs to figure out a way to hasten their games. I'm all for having some sort of set time limit between pitches, etc. It shouldn't take half a minute, sometimes well over a minute between pitches

[Slegnaac]

Why did they stop using the golf carts to bring in the relief pitcher?

[Angel Oracle]

And they should stop the 7th inning stretch.

Is there any reason another song has to be played after Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the 7th inning stretch?

ONE catcher visit to the mound per inning limit

Shorten the time limit on a contested play ruling

[Inside Pitch]

Here's a great way to shorten the games..   Cut down on the commercial breaks.  All this talk about potentially hurting the way players will compete/play when in reality it's mostly about TV money.  Look no further than the playoffs and how a single 5 game series seems to go on 8-9 days compared to what it used to take.   They seemingly have put TV revenue above the paying customer, It would be really effing annoying if they alter how the game is played just for the sake of the almighty dollar.

[Brandon]

I disagree with players getting hurt. The games moved along faster and had less injuries than what we see now.

[Brandon]

And the NFL is trending in the wrong direction with their game....by continuing to change/update rules which just leads to even MORE flags and more stoppage in play

 

 

MLB definitely needs to figure out a way to hasten their games. I'm all for having some sort of set time limit between pitches, etc. It shouldn't take half a minute, sometimes well over a minute between pitches

 

And the NFL preseason so far is up 5 flags per game.

 

There is already only 11 minutes of actual play in NFL games, now throw in all the delays and it's pretty brutal. The whole thing is packaged perfectly though......almost always exactly 3 hours and flags at the end to control the outcome and have people on the edge of their seats with close games.

[Guest]

And the NFL preseason so far is up 5 flags per game.

 

There is already only 11 minutes of actual play in NFL games, now throw in all the delays and it's pretty brutal. The whole thing is packaged perfectly though......almost always exactly 3 hours and flags at the end to control the outcome and have people on the edge of their seats with close games.

 

Although I was never anywhere close to as serious about football as I am about baseball, the excessive delays is part of why I watch a lot less NFL than I used to. I enjoy college football a lot more nowadays.

[yk9001]

Please find a way to quicken the games.  I think one of the Freeway series games a couple weeks ago is the only full 9 inning game I've watched this year, and that includes two games I've gone to.

 

Just

 

Too

 

Slow

[yk9001]

Although I was never anywhere close to as serious about football as I am about baseball, the excessive delays is part of why I watch a lot less NFL than I used to. I enjoy college football a lot more nowadays.

 

25 minute half time.

 

Brutal

[TroutCron]

The between innings stuff is for television. The amount of money paid to MLB teams for TV rights would preclude any changes there.

Some things I would like to see:

The manager should make a pitching change from the dugout. No more slow walks out to the mound.

The catcher should only be allowed out to the mound for a pitching change.

Three warmup pitches for relievers is enough.

After a hitter enters the box he should have to stay there for the entire at bat.

Give the pitcher 15 seconds to throw the next pitch. A violation would be a ball. Three violations result in an ejection.

Maybe the umpires can use the same strike zone. This would Save a lot of time.

[maximus p]

Make the games 6 innings, reduce the rosters to 22.  Win/win.

[Brandon]

At the end of the day, 7 innings might be ideal. From a length and safety perspective.

Would never happen, but starters going only 5 would be great for everyone. I was reading an article about fans leaving games by the 8th and the article said "that's when games get good" like everyone was wasting time the other 6 innings. I think they are correct. The middle innings feel like filler.

[DW711]

You might as well just start another league if you wanted 6/7 inning games because mlb will never do it.

 

Vince McMahon?!

[Brandon]

Maybe that's why I inserted that it would never happen

[DW711]

Yeah, I tend to skim.

[101halo]

Nothing about the between innings is going to change, that's advertising time and it generates revenue. I would simply change it to where the batter can't step out of the box in between pitches. Also change it to where the pitcher has 10 seconds to deliver a pitch. The one thing that would speed up the game most would be to call the actual strike zone. Lastly I would consider any trip to the mound whether it was the pitching coach or the catcher as a trip to the mound. This last one is more radical but how bout only one pitching change an inning unless of course there's an injury. If you come out because of an "injury" you must sit out X number of games, to prevent phantom injuries.

I was listening to 710 espn on Tuesday or Wednesday this week and they had Nomar Garciaparra on. And asked him about stepping outside of the box.

He claimed he was never an offender and always stayed in the box and that batters doing that drives him nuts. Denial, much?

[Slegnaac]

Putting a clock on the pitcher is never going to be agreed to by Scioscia. That would impede his relaying signs to the catcher.

[Lou]

Although I was never anywhere close to as serious about football as I am about baseball, the excessive delays is part of why I watch a lot less NFL than I used to. I enjoy college football a lot more nowadays.

 

I agree.

 

And it's not even close

[Stradling]

Putting a clock on the pitcher is never going to be agreed to by Scioscia. That would impede his relaying signs to the catcher.

Cute

[Lou]

25 minute half time.

 

Brutal

 

20 minutes

[Docwaukee]

I am not sure that some of these potential rule changes would have the effect intended.  

 

I do agree that some of the purposeful farting around gets old.  Like the yankee catcher going to the mound every third pitch.  

 

I think the game is just different now.  The way it's played and the way we watch it.  

 

The fans that come to the game are now less important than the ones who watch it via whatever media source they are using.  

 

Even still, you bring your kids to a game and you are leaving early.  you get up early for work?  leave early.  You want to gut it out and stay the extra 1/2hr to watch the end?  go ahead.  

 

Attendance might be down a bit or it has leveled off, but to me it's not because the games are longer, it's that there isn't as much offense via the hr.  The instant gratification you get from the long ball is part of why a lot of people make the commitment in the first place.  Winning will always trump everything else, but when you go to a game, the general fan wants to see offense.  

 

Frankly, I think increasing the pace of the game actually favors the pitchers and run prevention.  So it will only get more boring but over a shorter period of time.  

[Bobster7587]

I don't watch the games live anymore. The pace is too slow, and I just don't have three hours (minimum) a night to sit in front of the TV. I wait until the game is half over, then start it on mlb.tv, and fast forward between each pitch, each out, and each inning / commercial. I don't think a "strict pitch clock" would work very well in baseball. But the games could be shortened considerably in other ways. Simply limiting when the pitcher can step off the mound, when the batter can leave the box, mound visits, etc. would cut off a lot of time. The ridiculous stall tactic for possible challenges is pretty bad as well.  

[eaterfan]

I don't care about have length when I'm home. I can do other things. But it does keep me from going to as many games. I used to factor in about 3 hours as the average game. Done at 10 home by 10:30. Now the games don't end until 10:30 pretty regularly.

One suggestion I saw was that a pitcher has to pitch to at least 3 batters or finish an inning (or an injury). Would cut down on mid inning pitching changes. Although who can manage with only 10 pitchers on a roster?

[Vegas Halo Fan]

They should just eliminate them all together. You should only be able to stop the game to substitute a player. If the baserunner calls time out, then he has to be pinch ran for, if the batter does, then you gotta pinch hit for him etc. 

 

I have often wondered what of any substance is ever said to a pitcher during a mound visit. I seriously doubt that it is usually about mechanics, meaning that it is more of a motivational speech. I remember an account of a mound visit involving the Atlanta Braves years ago, involving pitcher Rick Mahler, manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Bob Gibson. Gibson's account was that he walked to the mound, told Mahler "Joe told me to come out here and talk to you. I just did.", then he turned around and went back to the dugout.