The Pace of the Postseason Drives Me Nuts

[Frobby]

Honesty, we've played five games in the last 14 days, and tonight looks like a wash-out. Way too much down time for me.

Also, the pace of the games themselves is hideous.

3:42

3:41

3:41

4:37

4:17

Pretty mind-numbing stuff if you ask me.

[PaulFolk]

I wonder how much of that extra time is a result of the extra-long commercial breaks in the postseason. That certainly isn't helping matters.

[Orioles4Life21]

All the pickoff attempts have reeeaaaaallly slowed down these last two games. I hope that the new Pace of Game Committee that was formed recently can make some changes for next season.

[Oriolesfan4life]

No doubt... especially when you factor in the late start times. MLB is not doing themselves any favors trying to draw in young kids as fans. Most of them are probably in bed and asleep by the 5th or 6th inning. The NFL doesn't have this problem.

Weekend playoff games need to be during the day and the advertisement times need to be cut back.

[brooks1083]

I was just thinking this morning how TBS must be having to recoup a lot of contract money with all these commercials.

[LoyalBirdFan]

No doubt... especially when you factor in the late start times. MLB is not doing themselves any favors trying to draw in young kids as fans. Most of them are probably in bed and asleep by the 5th or 6th inning. The NFL doesn't have this problem.

Weekend playoff games need to be during the day and the advertisement times need to be cut back.

This is a good point. A few years ago the question of favorite sport was split between football/baseball 25/24 respectively. The last I saw it's 34/14 in favor of football.

I asked a friend at work if he was watching the playoffs and I found out he has little to no access. The only games he can see are on TBS. He isn't paying extra to get any of the sports channels. He says is just isn't worth it. He makes great money, but has two kids in college. Since he doesn't even get MLB TV, he has no way of even following baseball. Why would he even watch at all if he can't even follow it?

Why MLB TV doesn't come with the most basic package is beyond me. In fact, it's just stupid. The NFL is different, it's all over the place on weekends. Even if you just watch over the air, you can follow football.

[Can_of_corn]

I was hoping that a series between two teams that don't walk would be somewhat briskly paced.

Can you imagine if it was the Rays/Yanks playing? They might break five hours.

[Gofannon]

I have been ranting about this for days now. There should be no such thing as a 4 hr 20 minute 9 inning baseball game. People have always talked about how it's nice that baseball "has no clock" like the other major sports, but it's coming back to bite them now.

There are automatically 18 extra minutes every game because of the extra minute of commercials between innings, and that doesn't include pitching changes. It doesn't add interest, it drags.

When you combine 8:00 start times with this, it shows they have no interest in the east coast market in general and younger fans in particular. My son is 12, loves baseball and the O's. He also goes to school. He will see 3 innings of these night games and go to bed.

[Uli2001]

All the pickoff attempts have reeeaaaaallly slowed down these last two games. I hope that the new Pace of Game Committee that was formed recently can make some changes for next season.

Make pickoff attempts count as balls. Just like pitchouts. It makes no sense to give pitchers unlimited throws to first.

[Dipper9]

I actually like a long, 3 hour game, and don't agree with those who complain about the pace of play, but Frobby is right, these playoffs games are a whole other animal.

Timetables:

Friday didn't have a parking pass, so left work at 330, got to the FGH lot at 4 when it opened. We spent 2 hours in Dempsey's until they opened the Yard, then spend another 2 walking around inside the Park. Game finally started at 8:07ish. It was cold and rainy all night, and I think the game ended sometime in the 1230am timeframe. Getting out of the parking lot was "fun" and I finally got home (20 miles home to FGH lot) at 2am.

Woke up around 10 Saturday, left the house at 1245PM for the game. Did some Pickles pre-gaming, etc etc. Game started at 4pm. I walked in my house at 10PM Saturday night.

So in two days, I was down there for a loooooooooooong time.

[Tx Oriole]

No doubt... especially when you factor in the late start times. MLB is not doing themselves any favors trying to draw in young kids as fans. Most of them are probably in bed and asleep by the 5th or 6th inning. The NFL doesn't have this problem.

Weekend playoff games need to be during the day and the advertisement times need to be cut back.

Now that I agree with. Except the west coast would throw a monkey wrench into

that.

[Orioles4Life21]

I actually like a long, 3 hour game, and don't agree with those who complain about the pace of play, but Frobby is right, these playoffs games are a whole other animal..

I enjoy a 3 hour game as well, but I think it would be better for the game if they could pick up the pace. Better for the casual fan.

[jcroemer]

I wonder how much of that extra time is a result of the extra-long commercial breaks in the postseason. That certainly isn't helping matters.

18 minutes. Extra 60 seconds per break.

Also with this series, both teams are putting a lot of runners on base.

[Uli2001]

I have been ranting about this for days now. There should be no such thing as a 4 hr 20 minute 9 inning baseball game. People have always talked about how it's nice that baseball "has no clock" like the other major sports, but it's coming back to bite them now.

There are automatically 18 extra minutes every game because of the extra minute of commercials between innings, and that doesn't include pitching changes. It doesn't add interest, it drags.

When you combine 8:00 start times with this, it shows they have no interest in the east coast market in general and younger fans in particular. My son is 12, loves baseball and the O's. He also goes to school. He will see 3 innings of these night games and go to bed.

This baseball fan thinks that there should be a clock in baseball. It would make the game more exciting and interesting, not less. Imagine odd would it be if in football each team got a fixed number of possessions and there was no clock. That's what baseball does.

[ExileAngelos]

Honesty, we've played five games in the last 14 days, and tonight looks like a wash-out. Way too much down time for me.

Also, the pace of the games themselves is hideous.

3:42

3:41

3:41

4:37

4:17

Pretty mind-numbing stuff if you ask me.

1966 World Series time of games:

2:56

2:26

1:55

1:45

:scratchchinhmm: