The Length of MLB Baseball Games

I read that we now have a new baseball commissioner.  That’s a good thing.  His name is Robert Manfred and I don’t really know anything about him other than he’s not Bud Selig.  What a relief to have that dud gone.  And yes, I meant dud, not dude.

The main order of business for the new commish needs to be some method of shortening game times.  Here’s a thought--

MLB Rule 8.04--

“When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.””

Just about as likely to be enforced as the “phantom” second base tag or a rule book strike zone.

Currently, the average game time is 3 hours, 8 minutes.  As recently as 2010, the average game time was 2 hours, 55 minutes.  In 1981, the average game time was 2 hours, 33 minutes.  1963?  2 hours, 25 minutes.

Here’s what I suggest--shorten the game to seven innings instead of the current nine.  That way, the pitchers can continue to fiddle about on the mound forever, the OCD batters can fix their gloves and draw in the dirt with their bats in between pitches all they want, and there will be plenty of time for all those necessary commercial breaks--you know, ads for medical insurance, medical lawsuits, catheters, hospitals, erectile dysfunction medicines, and auto repairs.  Not only will the games be properly shortened, the fans in El Lay won’t even know it happened, because they already leave Chavez Ravine in the 6th inning to beat the traffic.

There you have it--the games are too long and I have given MLB a reasonable solution.

You’re welcome.


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