Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for March 30, 2023

Mil-lenn-ial

I don’t like the new rules. I didn’t like the rule where they place a runner on 2nd base in extra innings. That actually makes it possible for a pitcher to pitch a perfect game and still lose.

It’s true. the people that don’t like the game don’t understand it. Brush him back high inside fastball to set up the curve. Keep them guessing.

On the other hand, the rules change may bring back the fans who are old enough to remember when a game took just two and a half hours.

I’ll watch one. When do the Twins play?

Arlo’s old enough where he ought to remember when the average game ran around 2:25-2:40, which was the case until the mid 80’s.

It is September and there are exciting pennant races underway. At one critical game, it is the 9th inning, bases loaded, 3 and 2 count on the batter. Game on the line. Two things could conceivably happen under the new pitch clock rules:

The pitcher fails to deliver the pitch before time expires. The umpire cites a time violation and calls a “Ball”. The batter Walks and a run scores. Winning run? Depends on the score.

Or, the batter fails to prepare for the pitch under the “8 second” rule and strike out. Side retired. Game Over? Depends on the score.

Either way, this is NOT Baseball!

Base’a’ ball is velly velly good to me!

What about the old fans who don’t understand the new rules?

Well, why not? They tried ‘brighter cricket’ here in the UK years ago. There are still plenty of teams playing the proper game; i will blow over in the end.

Rudeness?

All sports want younger fans, they spend money foolishly, just tell them it’s the place to be, include gambling and just rake it in…

I’ve never understood how a game of baseball can seem to take longer than a Test match in cricket, in defiance of both logic and the calendar.

Nobody younger is actually interested in sports, it’s the gambling that brings them in…

Actually I like the pitch clock. Arlo ought to be old enough to remember that games in the 60s and early 70s were usually less than two and a half hours. It’s the players themselves who are to blame for the constant interruptions that led to the pitch clock. And I have no problem with banning the extreme shift.On the other hand, I could do without the larger bases and newer extra-inning rule

How about we just clone Greg Maddux instead?

I love and understand the game. The clock is sorely needed. All it takes to not have either of those scenarios happen is to get in the box and pitch the ball.

You’re taking a rare, highly avoidable scenario and using it to argue against eliminating the most annoying aspect of the game; unnecessary delay.

Both Football and Baseball take around three hours to play. Yet, Baseball is too slow too long.

The big difference, Football fans can see many more games on TV for free. I remember seeing either a Cards or Cubs game on a Saturday, over the air on TV, with my Dad. Now you have to have cable, plus the sport package. If you live in the teams home town, MLB streaming blackouts the local game.

If you want new fans, get some games back on free TV, weekly. That will rebuild the fan base. Also, stop paying the stupid salaries and lower ticket prices.

The owners are doing it to themselves, if they lose it all, so be it.

I started watching baseball on TV in Joe DiMaggio’s last season. Games usually came in at about 2 hr. or a little less . Some pitchers pitched 9 full innings (gasp). Managers managed mostly from the dugout, pow wows on the mound might be 2 per game. Then through the mid 60s came “strategy.” And also all those long commercials that pay the salaries. Back then NFL games took about 2 hrs. with halftime.

Ah, yes, the time of year when the perpetually 10 year old mind (even if it’s in a 60 year old, overweight, body) switches their couch potato obsession and lives vicariously through other 10 year old minds in adult bodies

Someone mentioned something regarding the pitch clock. It may reduce wear and tear on catchers knees. Flip side maybe more pitchers with elbow issues. I actually like the idea.

The last MLB game I saw, and had also attended, was soooo boringly long until after the seventh inning stretch. That’s when both teams seemed to figure out that they were there to “play ball.” I told my companions then that all MLB games should be shortened to those three innings. (Side note—after the 1985 strike I pretty much washed my hands of pro baseball.)

I just have one question…

Who’s on first. ?

I’ll bet some pitchers overrun the clock on purpose on an 0-2 count.

If they want to speed up the game, limit pitching changes and go back to pitching a complete game. The fact is that a complete game used to take about 100 pitches. If a pitcher knows he’ll be taken out in the 6th, he empties the tank in 6, and goes 3-2 on almost every batter. They used to throw more strikes because they were expected to go 9.

Cubs home opener is today at good old Wrigley Field. Great news. Spring must be here, right? Not yet. Snow expected Saturday. The season is too long and starts too early for the northern states.

March 8, 1930 — Babe Ruth signs a two-year contract with the New York Yankees for $160,000. At $80,000 per year, he becomes the highest-paid player of all time.

Baseball must have the same opinion as those who own science fiction/ fantasy intellectual properties….

Part of it is advertisers. They pay to get their ads broadcast…again and again and again. Therefore, the game can be a specific time limit, no more. or they run over the total broadcast time. You are paying to watch never ending ads..not baseball.

Now they just have to make it so you don’t need to take out a loan to afford to take your family to an MLB game. I love our local minor league team.

Keep in mind, you have to watch the “Thrillology” car commercial twenty times in every program you watch. I have seem it so often, I mute the TV.

Longer games mean the fans get more for their money.

Couldn’t agree MORE, Arlo!

They could apply it to basketball: Give each team 100 points and play for three minutes. Fill in the rest of the time with commercials, commentary by washed-up jocks, and cheerleaders.

Like all things in America, finance is driving this decision. And it will filter down into the college and high school and then elementary school level.

We have forgotten with adulteration that every sport is a game which is for the enjoyment of the players.

@Jimmy Johnson – Right on!

I love umpiring women’s softball. They get the ball and throw. Batters get in the box and are ready.

Amen, Arlo!

I like triple-A games. Faster, more excitement, people actually the ball and catch and do all that other neat baseball stuff. I have gone to Major league games and slept through them; no action what so ever.

Does Jimmy know how to start a flame war, or does Jimmy know how to start a flame war?

Sorry, Jimmy, but sports leagues have to adapt to new generations of fans and their likes. Pro basketball in the ’70s and early ’80s was painfujl to watch much of the time; it was saved by the shot clock.

Wise beyond your years Grasshopper. I’d be glad to explain that to the younger ones out there.

Well, why not? After all, Hollywood has been replacing long-time fans of franchises with new fans who don’t understand or like those franchises for years now. Which is why they’ve been losing billions of dollars a year on those same franchises.

they need to do something, they;re losing fans as they age out. they aren’t gaining fans from younger people

EXACTLY

Well said, Arlo!!! Just about sums it up!

First time all teams play every team on both leagues at least once.

That must be an amazing computer to figure those schedules out.

And new rules, during a pitch, where 2 men must be to the right of second base and be within the sandy area and not on the grass (or is it on the grass and not the sandy area??)

and the out fielders also restricted where to stand.

I followed baseball when I was a kid. Average game was about 15 minutes per inning, 2:15 overall. A good pitchers’ duel might be 1:30 to 1:45 total. The time bloat over the ensuing decades made the games unwatchable. Someone posted that now fans get “more for their money”. Hopefully they were just speaking sarcastically. Why anyone would want to watch an extra 45 minutes of nothing happening is beyond me.

Well, since 8 2/3 innings went by with nothing at all happening on the field, it will give real sports fans something to talk about at the sports bar..

I wonder if those rules will be suspended in such specific situations?

Watch The Savannah Bananas! It’s not MLB, just crazy exhibition baseball that really puts the fun back into the game. They came up with a lot of rules to make the game much quicker like a two hour time limit, stepping out of the box is a strike and no mound visits. Also some fun rules like a walk becomes a sprint and every inning counts. Their tiebreaker is kind of like an NHL shootout. They do everything possible to keep the fan engaged, entertained and excited during a game. Most of the Bananaball games are on YouTube.

Well spoken JJ. I mean Arlo! It is just a bad rule all the way around.In my years, soccer has replace baseball and softball in a lot of youth sports.It seems for some it is very difficult to love or understand a game you have never played. Baseball has a load of nuance that it seems many folks just don’t get and this drives bad ideas like this in hopes of recruiting new fans as us old guys and gals drop off. Oh well, next will be AI calling the game from behind the plate.

I agree Arlo

Unfortunately, baseball is aware that not enough new fans are replacing old fans as they die, and of course younger fans are more valuable for advertisers. Don’t know if the rule changes will have much impact on attracting new younger fans but probably can’t hurt to try. Old fans are not likely to quit watching.

The thing I liked most about baseball was the being out in the warm day. Shortening it up seems sacreligious.

Though Mighty Casey can still be struck out…..

Go Astros!!

Those fans got old WAITING for the pitcher to throw the ball after WAITING for the batter to readjust every piece of equipment he was wearing!

Now let’s fix football by removing any and all option to ever stop the clock once it starts. No more programs getting preempted or delayed by overdrawn football games. (Okay, not that I really care anymore in the age of streaming. But that rule is one I would definitely have implemented had I had the power back in the 70s when football was delaying 60 minutes which in turn preempted All In The Family to beyond my bedtime every Sunday night! I’ve detested #$#!! football to this day).

Just like NASCAR.

Nonsense. I have been a major fan for over 60 years and I love the clock. It’s brought baseball back to where it was 40 years ago when players didn’t wear and didn’t have to adjust batting gloves, body armor etc. Back in the day (through the 70s and later) games used to be 2 1/2 hours. By the way MLB has had a 20 second pitch rule since 1901. They are finally enforcing it.

Can’t we at least go through the mechanical dial clock phase first, like they did in football? It would be a more thematic match for older ballparks.

Let’s do football next. The only time the clock stops is for time out. The game shouldn’t last the better part of 3 hours.

I’d been known to play an inning or two in my school daze, but anymore watching it (in person or on TV) is like watching paint dry or the grass grow.

And want speed above everything else.

I had no idea a clock was being introduced. Thanks for the TIL, Arlo & Janis!

Husband does not sit and watch sports on TV, but offer him a ticket to a major league game and he is ready to go. As a boy he dad was invited to a couple of World Series games by someone he was doing business with “bring your son and I’ll bring mine” the fellow offered. So husband has been to World series games in the later 1950s or 1960s. (I presume both were Yankees games.)

A group of his friends in college decided to go a Mets game at Shea. Husband, then only my boyfriend suggested I come along which I did, having never been to a baseball game of any sort. I should have known from the ticket prices where the seats would be – in the nosebleed section. I have a fear of heights. If not for a friend of ours who was tall and heavy and let me walk right behind him coming back down – I might be sitting there yet.

To me, baseball on TV is MUCH better than in person.

I’m not keen on the clock rules, but I can live with them. Two things bother me: 1. rules on where the fielders have to stand. As long as there are 9 of them, they should be able to stand wherever their manager wants. 2. What is with all the interleague games? They should be considered exhibition games, as they always were.

This is precisely when I stopped following MLB baseball. I watched lots of baseball on TV and I attended two to three games in person a year prior to this, but this was the final straw, The designated hitter, pitch clocks… This is not baseball, this is baseball trying to be more like football. Screw that! I quit.