The Pace of the Postseason Drives Me Nuts

[Emory Eagle]

18 minutes. Extra 60 seconds per break.

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

We could save time by simply spotting KC a runner on first base each inning, as their lead-off hitter seemed to get on every inning of the last two games.

The length of the games has been excruciating, which just matches the whole TBS MLB playoff experience generally. Really not a fan of their baseball programming.

[PeteU]

We could save time by simply spotting KC a runner on first base each inning, as their lead-off hitter seemed to get on every inning of the last two games.

The length of the games has been excruciating, which just matches the whole TBS MLB playoff experience generally. Really not a fan of their baseball programming.

Fox isn't a whole lot better, other than having more camera angles. Joe Buck is so bland.

[Emory Eagle]

Fox isn't a whole lot better, other than having more camera angles. Joe Buck is so bland.

Rock and a rockier place. Or whatever the expression is.

[jcroemer]

Not a fan of either's coverage and 4 hours is just too long for a game. Seems to me they should charge more for their 30-second spots and let the game be played.

But it's this way in every sport now - all about ad revenues, so on and so forth.

[beantownrefugee]

Not a fan of either's coverage and 4 hours is just too long for a game. Seems to me they should charge more for their 30-second spots and let the game be played.

But it's this way in every sport now - all about ad revenues, so on and so forth.

I agree. The NFL in particular: after most scoring plays, there are 2-3 minutes of commercials, a kick-off resulting in a touchback, then 2-3 more minutes of commercials. That's almost one half of the amount of time allocated to halftime!

The post above re: 1966 World Series game lengths says it all. I think they could speed play up by penalizing batters for stepping out of the box, and pitcher's off the rubber. No reason for that. Once you step in the box, or on the rubber, play is on. If you step out or off, it's a strike / ball.

[jcroemer]

Bill James published a series of 4 recommendations in his Baseball Abstract. I'll have to grab my copy sometime later to rattle off all 4, but they were little changes that hardly anyone would really notice and would speed things up considerably.

The 1966 Series featured great pitching on both sides. They didn't have all the on-base and run-scoring that the 2014 ALCS has featured thus far.

All things being equal, a lot of factors are contributing to these 4+ hour games. I'd feel a lot better about it if our guys could get some 3-up, 3-down innings under their belts. Then I could blame TBS 100%. And I like blaming TBS because I find their coverage subpar, to be kind about it.

In any case, it doesn't look good for getting a game in tonight. Hopefully, it's enough to disrupt the KC momentum.

[Frobby]

Bill James published a series of 4 recommendations in his Baseball Abstract. I'll have to grab my copy sometime later to rattle off all 4, but they were little changes that hardly anyone would really notice and would speed things up considerably.

The 1966 Series featured great pitching on both sides. They didn't have all the on-base and run-scoring that the 2014 ALCS has featured thus far.

All things being equal, a lot of factors are contributing to these 4+ hour games. I'd feel a lot better about it if our guys could get some 3-up, 3-down innings under their belts. Then I could blame TBS 100%. And I like blaming TBS because I find their coverage subpar, to be kind about it.

ALDS Game 3 was a 2-1 game and it still took 3:41 to complete.

[Nigel Tufnel]

I saw a tweet the other day that said baseball could shorten games by 30 minutes if they just outlawed velcro.

[jcroemer]

If you took the 18 extra minutes of commercials out then 3:23 isn't too bad for a close post-season games.

If I remember my history correctly, teams used to use far less relievers also. I'm not sure if TBS built in extra ads for pitching changes as well.

It's funny, when you are winning the games don't seem so long!

[Barnfather]

Fox isn't a whole lot better, other than having more camera angles. Joe Buck is so bland.

I've been watching the TBS coverage on MLB.TV, but realised in the last game that if I watch the game live as broadcast on British TV, I get some other broadcaster with none other than Mr Gary Thorne commentating.....I know what I want to stay with now...

[PeteU]

I've been watching the TBS coverage on MLB.TV, but realised in the last game that if I watch the game live as broadcast on British TV, I get some other broadcaster with none other than Mr Gary Thorne commentating.....I know what I want to stay with now...

Does he broadcast in a British accent? Because that would be just about the coolest thing ever.

[Barnfather]

Does he broadcast in a British accent? Because that would be just about the coolest thing ever.

Alas, no

[SeaBird]

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.

MLB.TV for the postseason is very affordable.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/subscriptions/index_streaming.jsp?c_id=mlb&affiliateId=DC-9417994-44609510674-10132114-364275754

[InsideCoroner]

I think extended breaks between innings (and for pitching changes, of which there are many?) is as ludicrous as it is lucrative.

You throw a good inning, your hitters score a run, and now your timing is disrupted because Geico wants their CGI lizard to sell us more insurance? Just play ball, already. Like jcroemer says above, just charge more for the breaks, rather than extending them.

[BarclaySouthway]

I saw a tweet the other day that said baseball could shorten games by 30 minutes if they just outlawed velcro.

Yes everybody is a mini-Mike Hargrove now. Make em keep one foot in the box.