[David Watts]

Originally Posted by chucksabr

I obviously said what I said for its comic value, but in all seriousness, I just don't get why people who claim to love baseball want less of it. And that you specified the number 154, which is invariably the number the majority of season-shortening advocates cite as their ideal alternative schedule length, tells me that this desire is based mainly on nostalgia—because it was that way when they were kids, or because it's "old school"—rather than based on any practical and thoughtful consideration of what the optimum number should be.

I also don't see how baseball would benefit from a shorter season. I don't see how it would be advantageous to them from a business standpoint, and more to the point, how people would love the game any more. It's not as though baseball fans make it to game 155 and say, ah, the season's gone on too damn long, so **** it, I'm out of here. Or do they? Maybe they do and I'm just missing that. Perhaps I'm just watching baseball so intently at that point that I'm simply not hearing other fans checking out of the season because it's gone on too long for them.

Personally, I would love for there to be more baseball. I wish the season were 168 games, or 176 or 184 games. I wish that it lasted into Thanksgiving day weekend. I would be ecstatic. I love baseball so much I want more of it. It just baffles me when people who claim to love baseball say they want to see less of it. To them I say, if you don't like baseball in October, you can always change to channel and watch "The Amazing Race" or "The Vampire Diaries" or "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." instead.

And if your team is actually playing in October, then you don't have to go the ballpark watch them. You can go ... I don't know ... go ice fishing or dancing or bowling instead. I'll take your ticket for the game.

Ah, I think you may have misunderstood my intentions when it comes to a shortened season. You see I may want a shorter season, but I'm 100% in favor of longer games. This year with the addition of replay the league took a step in the right direction with games averaging 3+ hours league wide. I see no reason that can't be stretched to 4 or maybe even 4 1/2.