Could Baseball Games Be Shorter in Duration?

As with any other professional sport on television these days, baseball games seem to be getting longer and longer. Just recently one of the the World Series games involving the Dodgers and the Astros lasted more than five hours long (mostly in part to extra innings). However, baseball officials have begun to notice how long games get, and are talking about ways to change the pace of play so that games are shorter. If new rules were to go into effect, we could see shorter St. Louis Cardinal games. Do you think this is a good or bad idea? Learn more by reading the article below.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. • Baseball’s pace of play, tedious to the commissioner, a good portion of executives and probably fans, was discussed to a large extent at the general managers’ meetings which concluded Wednesday.

While there were no substantive decisions reached on that issue or any other, Dan Halem, Major League Baseball’s chief legal officer, reported that proposals have been exchanged with the players’ association regarding recommendations on how to speed up games, which now last more than three hours on the average.

Halem said such aspects as a pitch clock, visits to the mound and broadcast breaks between innings were among the items discussed relative to pace of play. He said that by mid-January there likely would need to be an agreement not only with the players but with the umpires’ association to implement changes for next season.

“We have a ways to go,” said Halem. “We’re going to be busy with that topic over the next few weeks. The focus really is on eliminating dead time in the game. Where we end up, I don’t know.”

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, a member of baseball’s competition committee, was involved in talks the last two days, much of it dealing with pace of play. “We’re trying to continue to keep our fan base engaged,” said Matheny.

With home runs smitten at a record pace, the composition of the baseballs also is being reviewed, said Halem. “Like the commissioner (Rob Manfred) said, the baseballs tested this season were within range,” said Halem. “That being said, it is an issue that has generated a lot of discussion so we are thoroughly reviewing the entire testing process to determine whether changes should be made.”

Source: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/baseball-has-mid-january-deadline-for-pace-of-play-change/article_4a582642-1985-58db-8c6a-9ada05402952.html