How to make baseball more interesting

[Redskins Rick]

3 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I'm not understanding your point. Parity is a good thing I think. 

So everybody is 81-81?

[Can_of_corn]

20 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I'm not understanding your point. Parity is a good thing I think. 

It would be good for baseball if the Yankees and Rays made the playoffs at the same rate?

[Can_of_corn]

24 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I completely get the argument against change from the traditionalists, but they absolutely need to find a way to speed up the game if they want to attract a younger fan base. And if they don't, it's probably going to go they way of hockey and become more of a niche sport. I'm not sure I agree with all of the suggestions made by the original poster, but pitching changes take up a ridiculous amount of unnecessary time and they completely kill the pace of the game. Limiting the number of pitchers allowed on rosters and making them face more than one batter seems like it would help. 

How long is the average NFL game?  How long is a NBA playoff game?

[wildbillhiccup]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

It would be good for baseball if the Yankees and Rays made the playoffs at the same rate?

You went to the absolute extreme with your example. And there really shouldn't be a baseball team in Tampa. It should be moved to a City with potential bigger / better fan base. 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, wildbillhiccup said:

You went to the absolute extreme with your example. And there really shouldn't be a baseball team in Tampa. It should be moved to a City with potential bigger / better fan base. 

Of course I did.  It was the best way to illustrate the point.

Sports want parity with the large market teams being more equal.

[wildbillhiccup]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

How long is the average NFL game?  How long is a NBA playoff game?

I mean, I'm assuming you have access to Google. Look it up. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I mean, I'm assuming you have access to Google. Look it up. 

Rhetorical questions are rhetorical.

[wildbillhiccup]

25 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

So everybody is 81-81?

I'm just saying, there has to be some middle ground where the teams with the deepest pockets don't have such a competitive advantage. MLB actually acknowledged this when they implemented the luxury tax, but it hasn't worked. 

[wildbillhiccup]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

Rhetorical questions are rhetorical.

You're coming dangerously close to "trolling" territory so I'm tapping out. I'm not in the mind, nor do I have the time, to argue just for the sake of arguing. 

[Redskins Rick]

Just now, wildbillhiccup said:

I'm just saying, there has to be some middle ground where the teams with the deepest pockets don't have such a competitive advantage. MLB actually acknowledged this when they implemented the luxury tax, but it hasn't worked. 

I agree.

Luxury system didnt make any sense to begin with, IMO, and history has proven how worthless it is.

They would have been better off, to install a real salary cap system, and that would keep the big spenders from buying up the top players.

[weams]

6 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

I agree.

Luxury system didnt make any sense to begin with, IMO, and history has proven how worthless it is.

They would have been better off, to install a real salary cap system, and that would keep the big spenders from buying up the top players.

Salary caps only enrich ownership. There are other ways. But they have to be collectively bargained. Spending floors are more likely. 

[wildbillhiccup]

3 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

I agree.

Luxury system didnt make any sense to begin with, IMO, and history has proven how worthless it is.

They would have been better off, to install a real salary cap system, and that would keep the big spenders from buying up the top players.

Agreed, but I feel like we've steered off topic a bit. More parity would be nice, but the true problem is pace of play. In the information technology age baseball games offer too many opportunities to not pay attention. I personally love the slow pace of baseball. I find it somewhat relaxing...but I'm in my early 40s. To sustain the game they're going to need to find a way to tailor it a bit more to the smart phone/tablet generation. 

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, weams said:

Salary caps only enrich ownership. There are other ways. But they have to be collectively bargained. Spending floors are more likely. 

Spending money, doesn't mean you are buying quality.

If you dont cap things, then the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox will always field All-Star Teams.

[Redskins Rick]

2 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

Agreed, but I feel like we've steered off topic a bit. More parity would be nice, but the true problem is pace of play. In the information technology age baseball games offer too many opportunities to not pay attention. I personally love the slow pace of baseball. I find it somewhat relaxing...but I'm in my early 40s. To sustain the game they're going to need to find a way to tailor it a bit more to the smart phone/tablet generation. 

I agree totally, been saying that for a few years myself. Kids find baseball boring to play and even more boring to watch. Which I dont really understand, having grown up, playing my fair share of baseball.

[wildbillhiccup]

1 minute ago, Redskins Rick said:

I agree totally, been saying that for a few years myself. Kids find baseball boring to play and even more boring to watch. Which I dont really understand, having grown up, playing my fair share of baseball.

I think it boils down to pace of place. They either have to give them less opportunities to disengage from the game or find more ways to integrate technology into the game.Offer free WiFi at the park, create specific team apps that allow you to participate in the games, etc.