Guys on a Diet (GoaD)

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OT: Foul Balls and the Pace of Play in Baseball

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misterhub
misterhub Posts: 6,301 Member
in Social Groups
As a big fan of baseball, I found this to be a very interesting article.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/foul-balls-are-the-pace-of-play-problem-nobodys-talking-about/

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  • Al_Howard
    Al_Howard Posts: 8,124 Member
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    Interesting. I like the pitch clock, and the Minors have been using it for a few years. Perhaps the old "foul ball on a third strike is an out" might work.
  • myallforjcbill
    myallforjcbill Posts: 5,586 Member
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    I think a lot can be improved with a pitch clock and keeping batters in the batters box and not stepping out all the time. A big issue is TV timeouts, but those are not manageable.
  • Jerdtrmndone
    Jerdtrmndone Posts: 5,712 Member
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    I go to minor league games and I think the pitch clock works well. They should follow through with batters stepping out of the box. I feel they screw around to much doing that.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,490 Member
    edited February 2019
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    Thank analytics. Remember when we were playing little league, our batter would get to ball 3 and we’d start saying with no conviction - “C’mon, a walk’s as good as a hit”?

    Turns out it was true.

    Bring on the shot clock. Throw a flag on the batter for preening. Well, call a strike.
  • podkey
    podkey Posts: 5,103 Member
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    Baseball has never been about time. If you have to ask you don't really enjoy the game in my view.
  • Flintwinch
    Flintwinch Posts: 854 Member
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    podkey wrote: »
    Baseball has never been about time. If you have to ask you don't really enjoy the game in my view.

    Precisely!
  • cakeman21k
    cakeman21k Posts: 5,999 Member
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    yup! How many more weeks till opening day?
  • Al_Howard
    Al_Howard Posts: 8,124 Member
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    podkey wrote: »
    Baseball has never been about time. If you have to ask you don't really enjoy the game in my view.

    Well, when a 2 1/2 hour game drags to 5 hours, I'm pretty done.
  • cakeman21k
    cakeman21k Posts: 5,999 Member
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    an extra inning game on a mid week evening can be the best way I know of falling asleep!
  • misterhub
    misterhub Posts: 6,301 Member
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    I enjoy baseball. Don't mind extra innings. Don't mind the batters. Don't mind the foul balls. Have a minor issue with slow pitchers.

    But, on the whole, I am with podkey. I go to the game to relax and be somewhere else for a while. If I have to be somewhere right after the game, I can set an alarm on my phone, and leave the game when it is appropriate. That way, I don't stress about it when I am in the game.

    I have never sat through more than 12 innings; so, my resolve might falter with more innings. Don't know.
  • myallforjcbill
    myallforjcbill Posts: 5,586 Member
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    A lot of this comes from MLB's determination to appeal to a younger generation with a limited ability to sit, relax and just enjoy and a need for continual entertainment, change or "improvements". I don't mind some minor tinkering but the heart of the game needs to be left alone.
  • cakeman21k
    cakeman21k Posts: 5,999 Member
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    in some respects the minor leagues do a better job of providing an enjoyable experience for the fans with between innings contests and special "nights" at the ball park, IE pup night, yoga night, etc. There is also the deal about the cost of the tiks, how close you can get to the field, better parking, and less in the way of over paid ego's on the field. It may not be the same caliber of play but as a fan its a more enjoyable experience.
  • Al_Howard
    Al_Howard Posts: 8,124 Member
    edited February 2019
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    cakeman21k wrote: »
    in some respects the minor leagues do a better job of providing an enjoyable experience for the fans with between innings contests and special "nights" at the ball park, IE pup night, yoga night, etc. There is also the deal about the cost of the tiks, how close you can get to the field, better parking, and less in the way of over paid ego's on the field. It may not be the same caliber of play but as a fan its a more enjoyable experience.

    We have a AA Toronto affilliate about 10 miles up the road. Great take! And, when the Portland(ME) Sea Dogs, a Red Sox affilliate, come to town, it's a tough ticket. This IS Red Sox Nation territory.

    And I love the pitch clock. I swear, it cuts about 1/8th to 1/4 the time off a game.

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