Limit on mound visits per 9 inning game without prompting a pitching change...

[brooks_quichenick]

This whole focus on time of game is dumb. Baseball games are already shorter than NFL or NCAA football games, and shaving a couple minutes off a 3 hour event isn't significant.

 

If baseball really wanted to shorten games, they'd reduce the time spent in between innings. But god forbid anyone should lose advertising revenue.

 

Bingo. Cut out some of the ads if you want to shave time off of baseball games. Otherwise these little pitch clock/mound visit changes here and there are merely superficial and won't amount to much if any change.

[pacopete4]

Let's get real. Ads are not going anywhere.

[DocLuna7]

I don’t want baseball games to be shorter as I love going to baseball games and the longer I am there the better as far as I am concerned. If today’s “fans” aren’t able to summon the patience necessary to be there an extra five minutes I don’t think MLB needs to be catering to that demographic anyways.

[owbc]

This whole focus on time of game is dumb. Baseball games are already shorter than NFL or NCAA football games, and shaving a couple minutes off a 3 hour event isn't significant.

 

If baseball really wanted to shorten games, they'd reduce the time spent in between innings. But god forbid anyone should lose advertising revenue.

 

Bingo. Cut out some of the ads if you want to shave time off of baseball games. Otherwise these little pitch clock/mound visit changes here and there are merely superficial and won't amount to much if any change.

 

It irritates me how much this myth gets thrown around. The time between innings is EXACTLY the same as the 1970s. It's not the problem--and it's being strictly enforced now. And we're not talking "5 minutes". The games are 30 minutes longer than they used to be--again, for the same number of pitches and commercial breaks.

 

There might be unintended consequences but it's been made clear to the players that 2018 is their last chance to avoid a pitch clock. So I think they will likely follow the rules. I'm not sure how much it will affect regular season games but it will make a big difference in the playoffs.

[trwi7]

This whole focus on time of game is dumb. Baseball games are already shorter than NFL or NCAA football games, and shaving a couple minutes off a 3 hour event isn't significant.

 

If baseball really wanted to shorten games, they'd reduce the time spent in between innings. But god forbid anyone should lose advertising revenue.

 

The difference is we do *one hundred and sixty two* games, half of the year. I like acting like a vegetable as much as anyone on the couch but at some point things have to get done. People don't have time to sit 3 hours a day watching these guys stand around and occasionally run to a fly ball like we used to

 

But people have 2 hours and 50 minutes to do this?

[Thurston Fluff]

I think the idea of shaving time off games is a misplaced idea to attract the next generation of fans. They think millennials have too short an attention span to sit through a three hour game. I think the exact opposite. If baseball caters to people who spend as much time looking at their phone as they do their surroundings they'll find a day at the park is exactly the right pace to do both. The idea that you don't have to have your eyes glued to the action every second or risk missing something seems very compatible with baseball. MLB would be better served if they created apps to instantly watch something that just happened than trying to make everything happen at a faster pace.

[KeithStone53151]

I think the idea of shaving time off games is a misplaced idea to attract the next generation of fans. They think millennials have too short an attention span to sit through a three hour game. I think the exact opposite. If baseball caters to people who spend as much time looking at their phone as they do their surroundings they'll find a day at the park is exactly the right pace to do both. The idea that you don't have to have your eyes glued to the action every second or risk missing something seems very compatible with baseball. MLB would be better served if they created apps to instantly watch something that just happened than trying to make everything happen at a faster pace.

 

As others have noted, the pace of play has changed pretty drastically over the last 20-30 years. It would be more likely to get worse than better if MLB didn't step in and try to do something about it.

[DHonks]

I can't wait until a catcher steps 3 feet infront of the plate, shouts something to his pitcher, and then as he's returning to his crouch is told "that's 1 visit"

[Thurston Fluff]

I think the idea of shaving time off games is a misplaced idea to attract the next generation of fans. They think millennials have too short an attention span to sit through a three hour game. I think the exact opposite. If baseball caters to people who spend as much time looking at their phone as they do their surroundings they'll find a day at the park is exactly the right pace to do both. The idea that you don't have to have your eyes glued to the action every second or risk missing something seems very compatible with baseball. MLB would be better served if they created apps to instantly watch something that just happened than trying to make everything happen at a faster pace.

 

As others have noted, the pace of play has changed pretty drastically over the last 20-30 years. It would be more likely to get worse than better if MLB didn't step in and try to do something about it.

 

I don't think the pace is the problem. What there is to do when there is no action is. If I have my phone and am in a good atmosphere I really don't care if I am there for three vs three and a half hours. The key for me is providing a good atmosphere that caters to casual viewing.

[AdvantageSchneider]

I was just going to ask how this is enforced. If a catcher runs out to the mound after 6 visits ... is the catcher thrown out? Does a pitching change have to be made?

 

From what I read it will be fines only. Not sure if that's on the individual players or on the team. I can see the Red Sox and Yankees just telling their players to go ahead and make as many visits as they want. They'll cover the fines. So Yank-Sox games will still go 4 hours.

[markedman5]

This whole focus on time of game is dumb. Baseball games are already shorter than NFL or NCAA football games, and shaving a couple minutes off a 3 hour event isn't significant.

 

If baseball really wanted to shorten games, they'd reduce the time spent in between innings. But god forbid anyone should lose advertising revenue.

 

The difference is we do *one hundred and sixty two* games, half of the year. I like acting like a vegetable as much as anyone on the couch but at some point things have to get done. People don't have time to sit 3 hours a day watching these guys stand around and occasionally run to a fly ball like we used to, so anything to shorten the game helps. IMO

 

Granted, that's not taking into account the radio broadcasts which are quite useful in passing time at work and all, but still.

 

Plus most baseball games are at night not Sunday at noon.

 

Work and school the next day.....west coast games.....etc

[Fear The Chorizo]

I can't wait until a catcher steps 3 feet infront of the plate, shouts something to his pitcher, and then as he's returning to his crouch is told "that's 1 visit"

 

Pretty sure that's not the intent, but that would actually be kinda funny...channeling Bull Durham right now - "Curveball!" turns to batter, "And when you speak of me, speak well!"

[owbc]

I was just going to ask how this is enforced. If a catcher runs out to the mound after 6 visits ... is the catcher thrown out? Does a pitching change have to be made?

 

From what I read it will be fines only. Not sure if that's on the individual players or on the team. I can see the Red Sox and Yankees just telling their players to go ahead and make as many visits as they want. They'll cover the fines. So Yank-Sox games will still go 4 hours.

 

The enforcement is the threat that if they don't get the game times down, the pitch clock is coming next season.

 

Attendance in the 8th inning or later of most MLB games suggests that about 60-70% of MLB fans would prefer a shorter game. I'm sure MLB is working with TV ratings data as well and knows what percentage of fans turn off the TV before the game is over.

[Bombers]

I am in favor of this as to me there is a pace of play problem not a length of play problem. NHL and NBA are basically fast tempo as the play is non stop. The NFL has built a product that has 11 guys play another 11 guys with a mass amount of stuff going on that you can watch 3 replays of the same play and see something different each time. Baseball has had 10+ minute ABs. It’s annoying and the data side has nudged so far into the game to me it has affected the pace of play. So I am in favor of changes that help speed up the tempo.

[brewcrewdue80]

I'm not sure it will affect teams as much as we think. Was there anything posted about what the average visits to the mound by teams were last season? I'm for a limit though. It'll be played out like the replays where coaches hold out in the early goings to save the visits later in the game. But when working on ways to cut down the time to play a game and it's risen 10mins in last two years? So maybe this is the biggest culprit.

The Righty/Lefty/Righty matchup is where I see this being a problem. I had the idea that a RP when used must be used for 2 batters unless his 1 batter pitched to leads to end of the inning.

Maybe MLB can come up with if a 2nd pitching change occurs within the same inning(not due to injury) the RP is not given any warmup throws. Or a plan where if you are going to use the R/L 1 batter switch, the 2nd pitcher has to leave the bullpen and go in to the dugout for the change of pitchers. So when the Pitching change is about to occur that pitcher is walking out to the mound with the Coach/manager. Gets 30secs to warmup and go.

 

The one pitch outings just kill me. So and so comes in 1 pitch gets his man out and now is being replaced with a Lefty for...

 

I'm also for a pitch clock. Screen above the umpires head counting down. Quit shaking off the catcher, stepping off the mound and resetting yourself. I know to some 10-15min longer games isn't a problem, but this was a reduction process 2 years ago on batters and games have increased 10mins. Say 25k fans per game attendance and it's 375,000 people on a night. Games are broadcast on tv/internet with the advertising for a slotted amount of time. Next show has it's advertising or another game is supposed to be broadcast and the 1st game goes 9 innings and takes 1-2 innings from the 2nd game.

 

The NFL gets away with it as their after 1st game coverage/analysis will just be shortened. We have 2mins for highlights and go to are 2nd game coverage. Or if the game was quick, they give bonus coverage to an on-going game or spend 2-3 minutes talking about a game or incident as filler.

I'd just like to see the average be 2:50. It's not. Implementing the intentional walk, didn't make games quicker apparently last year.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'm not sure on average mound visits per game, but something needs to be done to rein it in. It does seem more pronounced in postseason games, but playoffs are often precursors to what happens in regular season action - I remember game 1 of the 2016 NLCS saw the Dodgers make NINE mound visits in the bottom of the 8th inning alone, one during every Cub plate appearance that half inning.

[MadScientist]

Should it be per game, or per inning. I.E. one catcher or PC visit is ok, the next can't be a catcher visit and must be a pitching change.

 

Also should there be an exception for the ump taking a foul? It is standard practice for the catcher to call time and go to the mound to give the ump a minute.

 

I still think pitchers coming in to face only one batter is a worse problem. That disrupts the flow and enjoyment of the game more than a mound visit.

[folly412]

I can't wait until a catcher steps 3 feet infront of the plate, shouts something to his pitcher, and then as he's returning to his crouch is told "that's 1 visit"

 

God, I hope so. There's plenty of stall going on there. Count it anytime the catcher makes it onto the grass when there's no live ball.

[MrTPlush]

What if the pitcher visits the plate instead?

[Fear The Chorizo]

Contreras of the cubs already stating he'd rather pay the fines than follow the new rule...he's probably the biggest culprit of them all when it comes to this.

 

Will be interesting to see if he follows through and mlb tells umps that pitchers start getting automatically yanked every time he strays over 6 visits - which at his rate would be by inning number 3...

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

I think this is a really dumb rule that's going to have a nominal effect on game time, we're talking maybe 10 minutes in the most extreme cases??? I also don't see how this brings in new or keeps any viewers/fans. Mound visits are part of the strategy and serve a purpose to make sure guys are on the same page on top of making sure there's no pitch tipping/sign stealing/etc.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Since one of my most lasting memories of the last two postseasons is the ridiculous frequency of mound visits by catchers, not the cubs winning a title or the last two great 7 game world series, it's a problem that needed to be addressed before it carried even further into regular season games. It will be a time saver, but even more importantly it will benefit pace of play - there are already plenty of stoppages built into the game.

 

Get on the same page in the dugout pregame or between innings. Have 3-4 sets of pitching signs/indicators to use and rotate them by inning depending on how frequently runners are on 2nd to even try to steal them and relay info back to the dugou or hitter. You know what's worse than a catcher getting crossed up? A hitter looking for a curveball based on an incorrect stolen sign by a runner at 2nd, and instead getting an inside fastball that he's forcing himself not to react to because it will break over the plate instead of drilling him in the hands or head. That will be the last time they ever look towards a runner at 2nd for help.

 

And they aren't taking it down to 0...there are 6 opportunities for coaches and players to still run out there. If a guy is tipping his pitches, to me that's worth 1 trip to tell him. If it takes 7 trips to keep telling him he's tipping pitches he's probably coming out of the game because he can't get anyone out.

[FVBrewerFan]

I think this is a really dumb rule that's going to have a nominal effect on game time, we're talking maybe 10 minutes in the most extreme cases??? I also don't see how this brings in new or keeps any viewers/fans. Mound visits are part of the strategy and serve a purpose to make sure guys are on the same page on top of making sure there's no pitch tipping/sign stealing/etc.

 

Yes! Baseball is not the NBA or NFL. It is not a non-stop action sport designed to be over in a specified time. If casual fans don't like it, speeding it up 10-15 is going to make no difference whatsoever. And that's IF these rule changes worked. As others have said, plenty of ways for a team to stall for a reliever to get ready, etc.

 

You also make a good point about strategy. Pitcher/catcher need to talk at times. Manger/PC needs to go out to talk about setting up the infield, how to pitch a guy at a crucial point, etc. Just because one Cubs catcher is over the top doesn't mean rules need to be changed for everyone.

[jerichoholicninja]

I couldn't care less about ending a game sooner but the constant mound visits are annoying. Just play the damn game and keep it moving.

[JosephC]

Only thing that bugs me about the new rule is that broadcasters will likely go on and on about it and we'll get such gems as "they've already used two visits in the first three innings, which could become a big factor later in the game" and nonsense like that. Hopefully they won't throw another graphic on the TV screen so fans can monitor mound visits because they will be such a key strategy element of the game .