Manfred looking at relief pitcher limits in game

[L54]

I would vote no to all of these. The game is fine the way it is.

[BTS]

One of the only things I'd like to see is the end of expanded rosters in September. For 5 months + playoffs it's a game played between 25-man rosters, and then in September you have 30-35 guys. At the very least, force teams to identify a 25-man roster before every game and make all others illegible.

[Spanky99]

I would vote no to all of these. The game is fine the way it is.

 

Exactly, let em play ball, mate!!

[Spanky99]

One of the only things I'd like to see is the end of expanded rosters in September. For 5 months + playoffs it's a game played between 25-man rosters, and then in September you have 30-35 guys. At the very least, force teams to identify a 25-man roster before every game and make all others illegible.

 

I've always loved this suggestion. There's nothing wrong with opening the roster, but a 25 man roster everygame is brilliant.

[Abomination]

One of the only things I'd like to see is the end of expanded rosters in September. For 5 months + playoffs it's a game played between 25-man rosters, and then in September you have 30-35 guys. At the very least, force teams to identify a 25-man roster before every game and make all others illegible.

 

Yeah, I like the idea of setting a 25 man before each game in September.

[King]

Here are the other things he addressed

 

Addressing the All-Star Game rules so that the starters stay in the game longer: "I am in favor of the idea that we make some changes so the game is played as close to a regular-season game as possible," Manfred said.

 

Bringing back scheduled doubleheaders: While Manfred said there is a "certain charm to the idea of spending an entire day at the ballpark," he noted that the economic issues of condensing two "gates" into one and the scheduling issues should a doubleheader be rained out are major difficulties. "We actually had conversations [about doubleheaders] in the last round of bargaining," he said, "and I suspect we will have them again in this round, because they are a way of tightening the schedule and producing more off-days."

 

Increasing performance-enhancing drug penalties: "We would generally be in favor of it," he said, "but I will tell you, the MLBPA has not taken the position at the table. In other words, they have not been in favor of increased penalties."

 

Reducing games from nine to seven innings: A non-starter, in Manfred's mind. "Three outs, three strikes, four balls, nine innings," he said. "Kind of sacrosanct. But more important, I don't think people want less baseball. I think what people want is baseball that moves along a little bit better."

[baseballsss]

Here are the other things he addressed

 

Addressing the All-Star Game rules so that the starters stay in the game longer: "I am in favor of the idea that we make some changes so the game is played as close to a regular-season game as possible," Manfred said.

 

Bringing back scheduled doubleheaders: While Manfred said there is a "certain charm to the idea of spending an entire day at the ballpark," he noted that the economic issues of condensing two "gates" into one and the scheduling issues should a doubleheader be rained out are major difficulties. "We actually had conversations [about doubleheaders] in the last round of bargaining," he said, "and I suspect we will have them again in this round, because they are a way of tightening the schedule and producing more off-days."

 

Increasing performance-enhancing drug penalties: "We would generally be in favor of it," he said, "but I will tell you, the MLBPA has not taken the position at the table. In other words, they have not been in favor of increased penalties."

 

Reducing games from nine to seven innings: A non-starter, in Manfred's mind. "Three outs, three strikes, four balls, nine innings," he said. "Kind of sacrosanct. But more important, I don't think people want less baseball. I think what people want is baseball that moves along a little bit better."

 

All in all I gotta say I'm impressed with Manfred. I don't agree with everything but atleast he is trying to change the game for the best. If there are going to be some sort of changes with umps and their calls it will be coming soon I would assume.

[intentional wok]

If you're limiting RP changes then it's only fair to ban pinch hitters in an inning in which there is a pitching change. What about an offensive mercy rule for the reliever who can't come out?

 

Unbelievably terrible ideas. Completely compromises the game, and all because of a few pauses in the game? Because games are 10-15 minutes longer than they used to be? Just enforce the timing rules that are in place. Use roboumps to get calls right.

 

People are willing to sit through the drudgery of NFL games but a challenge call or a visit to the mound in a baseball game is unendurable?

[KevinGregg]

Baseball TV contracts aew in the billions of $$$. No way they cut commercial time. No anthems makes a f*** of a lot of sense too but that will never happen either

 

Reducing the number of pitching changes by forcing relievers to stay in longer would also cut commercial time.

[baseballsss]

If you're limiting RP changes then it's only fair to ban pinch hitters in an inning in which there is a pitching change. What about an offensive mercy rule for the reliever who can't come out?

 

Unbelievably terrible ideas. Completely compromises the game, and all because of a few pauses in the game? Because games are 10-15 minutes longer than they used to be? Just enforce the timing rules that are in place. Use roboumps to get calls right.

 

It's a rule that almost certainly won't go through. Their just tossing ideas out there but obviously something like that there is to many stuff that wouldn't fit.

[intentional wok]

It's a rule that almost certainly won't go through. Their just tossing ideas out there but obviously something like that there is to many stuff that wouldn't fit.

 

Manfred said he liked some of these. Why toss ideas like this out that almost surely turn the game on its side? Not inspiring, tbh. This is all over a net of 15 minutes of downtime through the game, which other solutions fix.

[Jonn]

Why are they in such a rush to play a great game? No clock in this sport for a reason. You aren't going to gain more fans by making the game less appealing but perhaps slightly shorter. It's getting embarrassing.

[gruber92]

I'm sure the league then would make a rule that if pitchers are taken out because their arm is sore, then they have to be placed on the DL right after or can't pitch in a game for like 5 days or something to that extent.

 

It will never happen. The league can't put a cap on pitching changes without at least expanding rosters to 26 or 27 players. Sometimes relievers come in and just don't have it, look at Cecil yesterday. So if Cecil wasn't allowed to be replaced, would he just have to continue getting rocked while piling up his pitch count? He would eventually in that case be serving up 80 mph meatballs due to fatigue. The integrity of the game would be pissed on.

[wamco]

Holy f***. Why?

 

 

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/17118662/mlb-commissioner-rob-manfred-says-looking-possible-limits-use-relief-pitchers-games

 

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged that MLB is looking at possibly limiting the use of relief pitchers in games.

 

Manfred was a guest Thursday on ESPN's Mike & Mike where he was presented nine suggestions from fans for improving baseball. One suggestion was some sort of restriction on the use of relief pitching in an inning or game.

 

"I am in favor of something like that," Manfred said. "We (MLB) spend a ton of time on this issue in the last few months."

 

"You know the problem with relief pitchers is that they're so good. I've got nothing against relief pitchers but they do two things to the game; the pitching changes themselves slow the game down and our relief pitchers have become so dominate at the back end that they actually rob action out of the end of the game, the last few innings of the game. So relief pitchers is a topic that is under active consideration. We're talking about that a lot internally."

 

This year, the average time of a game is 3 hours, 4 minutes. By comparison, in 2005 games averaged 2 hours, 49 minutes.

 

How bout the average nfl game time, 3 hr 15min or so? How is that not an issue. You could make a mlb game avg of 2.5 hours and gain literally 0 fans as a result. You like baseball or you don't .

[gruber92]

How bout the average nfl game time, 3 hr 15min or so? How is that not an issue. You could make a mlb game avg of 2.5 hours and gain literally 0 fans as a result. You like baseball or you don't .

 

$$$$$$$

[wamco]

Does slow the game down though. I really don't care about managers playing the matchups and stuff. It is dumb reasoning that they are too good, but I wouldn't hate the idea of only one pitching change per inning.[/quote

 

 

You gonna make a pitcher pitch through an injury though? Suck it up dravecky!!!

[glory]

Manfred is a moron.

 

Baseball is what it is. Cutting the time of games is not going to suddenly increase ratings or fan interest. Baseball is making money and fans are going to games. Stop f***ing the game up to get TV ratings when ratings across the board are down.

[wamco]

People at the game don't complain and the home viewers can dvr the game and skip the slow action. I see no reason to alter anything besides adding a salary cap, say 200m which affects like a few teams

[TheHurl]

How bout the average nfl game time, 3 hr 15min or so? How is that not an issue. You could make a mlb game avg of 2.5 hours and gain literally 0 fans as a result. You like baseball or you don't .

 

Because the NFL is once a week and helps support the bar industry. There is zero doubt that the length of baseball games affects the number of fans it has. I think it was 2002 (when games were probably 10 minutes shorter than now) that something like 29% of baseball fans thought the games were too long, and about 45% thought that the delays (pitching changes, guys calling time, manager visits) were minor or major annoyances. Those are fans of the game (I think there was a number of games watched per year attached to the poll) non fans have often cited length of games as an issue. Basketball is on the rise right now, as is Soccer. MLB should have some concerns about it at least. Diehard fans that will sit through a 20 inning game completely sober are not the issue, it's the casual and non-fan that they need.

[Grant77]

Here are the other things he addressed

 

Addressing the All-Star Game rules so that the starters stay in the game longer: "I am in favor of the idea that we make some changes so the game is played as close to a regular-season game as possible," Manfred said.

 

Bringing back scheduled doubleheaders: While Manfred said there is a "certain charm to the idea of spending an entire day at the ballpark," he noted that the economic issues of condensing two "gates" into one and the scheduling issues should a doubleheader be rained out are major difficulties. "We actually had conversations [about doubleheaders] in the last round of bargaining," he said, "and I suspect we will have them again in this round, because they are a way of tightening the schedule and producing more off-days."

 

Increasing performance-enhancing drug penalties: "We would generally be in favor of it," he said, "but I will tell you, the MLBPA has not taken the position at the table. In other words, they have not been in favor of increased penalties."

 

Reducing games from nine to seven innings: A non-starter, in Manfred's mind. "Three outs, three strikes, four balls, nine innings," he said. "Kind of sacrosanct. But more important, I don't think people want less baseball. I think what people want is baseball that moves along a little bit better."

 

I fail to understand why using fewer players in the all-star game is attractive to fans, players, or executives. No team is going to let their pitcher go 6-7 innings and we'd never see guys like Sanchez get to pitch.

[Grant77]

I wonder if Beeston had an inkling of these asinine ideas when he was one of the few to vote against Manfred.

[wamco]

Because the NFL is once a week and helps support the bar industry. There is zero doubt that the length of baseball games affects the number of fans it has. I think it was 2002 (when games were probably 10 minutes shorter than now) that something like 29% of baseball fans thought the games were too long, and about 45% thought that the delays (pitching changes, guys calling time, manager visits) were minor or major annoyances. Those are fans of the game (I think there was a number of games watched per year attached to the poll) non fans have often cited length of games as an issue. Basketball is on the rise right now, as is Soccer. MLB should have some concerns about it at least. Diehard fans that will sit through a 20 inning game completely sober are not the issue, it's the casual and non-fan that they need.

 

I disagree. My friends either like baseball or they don't. If 20 min are shaved off , they still aren't watching. You could make wnba games or hockey 30 minutes long and I have less than zero interest. Take away the extra inning games and I'd be interested what the Time is. My young children love the jays and they have never said it was too long.

[Governator]

Because the NFL is once a week and helps support the bar industry. There is zero doubt that the length of baseball games affects the number of fans it has. I think it was 2002 (when games were probably 10 minutes shorter than now) that something like 29% of baseball fans thought the games were too long, and about 45% thought that the delays (pitching changes, guys calling time, manager visits) were minor or major annoyances. Those are fans of the game (I think there was a number of games watched per year attached to the poll) non fans have often cited length of games as an issue. Basketball is on the rise right now, as is Soccer. MLB should have some concerns about it at least. Diehard fans that will sit through a 20 inning game completely sober are not the issue, it's the casual and non-fan that they need.

 

Do you really think if games were 10 minutes shorter we'd see growth in attendance or TV viewers? How about forcing west coast games to start at 6pm local time instead of 7 when hosting east coast teams and cater to the global viewership. Also, they should never be allowed night games on weekends.

[Jimcanuck]

Need to find a way to reduce the time between pitches, that's all.

 

Get the pitchers pitching like Papa Beurhle

[glory]

Because the NFL is once a week and helps support the bar industry. There is zero doubt that the length of baseball games affects the number of fans it has. I think it was 2002 (when games were probably 10 minutes shorter than now) that something like 29% of baseball fans thought the games were too long, and about 45% thought that the delays (pitching changes, guys calling time, manager visits) were minor or major annoyances. Those are fans of the game (I think there was a number of games watched per year attached to the poll) non fans have often cited length of games as an issue. Basketball is on the rise right now, as is Soccer. MLB should have some concerns about it at least. Diehard fans that will sit through a 20 inning game completely sober are not the issue, it's the casual and non-fan that they need.

 

Baseball just has to accept what it is. It's not a mainstream game (anymore). It's a regional game. Fans of baseball will watch their team's games, but "casual fans" will not regardless of arbitrary changes. MLB is better off trying to better market their stars, and even then, it probably won't mean much.

 

It's f***ing stupid to think that shaving 8 games from the schedule, shortening each game by 20 minutes, limiting bullpen changes, etc, is going to mean a damn thing as far as getting more fans to watch. It's stupid and naive. How about replacing home plate umpires so that balls and strikes are called more accurately? How about putting the DH in the NL so we don't have to see .100 hitters batting in the 9th spot every game in one league, while the other league has an actual hitter in place of that? There are things that can make the quality of play better. That's what they should be focusing on. Not trying to make a intrinsically long/boring game shorter by a meaningless amount of minutes.

 

Baseball makes money the way they are now. TV ratings are down for everything. Just embrace what you are. It will be a concern many years from now when the older demo dies out and they'll need to get new fans, but I think that will happen regardless. It won't lead to monster TV ratings, but it doesn't have to.

[wamco]

Well said, last 2 posts. I got tix to the Aaa game tomorrow, it may go 2 hrs , it may go 4.

 

 

When fans complain it's too long, it's about the season . I've been for the 154 g schedule for years as a historian of the game

[closetjaysfan]

This is a really dumb idea for so many reasons. How is it going to speed up the game when you get a guy that has no control walking in runs?... Oh but I forgot how fun that would be to watch! And suppose you have a 15 inning game the night before... are you going to be forced to use your bullpen in a way that is going to damage arms instead of letting guys pitch to one batter?

 

If they want to cut down on game time, stop letting teams watch the replay from 10 different angles before challenging a play.

[John_Havok]

I think there's a mountain being made out a molehill with his comments.

 

I'm sure they discuss any number of ideas about speeding up gameplay, and half of them are probably laughed off the table, but they're still discussed. That doesn't mean any of them are going to be implemented immediately either.

 

Yes,limiting the use of your roster during the game would be stupid imo. That's what it's there for.

 

I would be in favour of having a limit on how many trips the catcher can make to the pitcher in one inning, and while still allowing expanded rosters in September onward, they should have to declare which 25 are eligible for any given game.

 

Girardi is probably the worsr offender I can recall making like 3 pitching changes every inning after the 6th, just to play matchups for every hitter because they have 14 relievers available

[Inklink]

Getting rid of FAT and SLOW umpires, managers, and coaches will definitely speed up the game. Umpires that take 2 seconds to make their stupid strike calls shall be fired. Also limit to one throw to check in on the runner at first. Catchers can only give one sign, and the pitcher can't take more than 3 seconds to get the sign and deliver the pitch. Manfred is onto something! Or on something.

[King]

Max one pickoff throw to 1st is kinda stupid.