Opening Day - MLB games on average, 26 minutes shorter

[Dr Naysay]

Analytics aren't some sort of religion ffs, these are quantifiable stats that have evolved since the late 1800s when the first attempt at creating a slugging metric was made and evolved over time. It's such a bizarre rant to make, like where do you want to draw the line on what stats are used and do you seriously expect teams to just pretend these stats don't exist.

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by Dr Naysay

Analytics aren't some sort of religion ffs, these are quantifiable stats that have evolved since the late 1800s when the first attempt at creating a slugging metric was made and evolved over time. It's such a bizarre rant to make, like where do you want to draw the line on what stats are used and do you seriously expect teams to just pretend these stats don't exist.

The use of the word "nerd" as an insult really says all it needs to. Comes from a generation who grew up thinking it was 'cool' to make fun of the smart people in school and that if you paid attention and learned you were someone to be mocked and ridiculed.

To someone who grew up in the 90s, seeing nerd used that way is hilarious to me, since calling someone a nerd is one of the biggest compliments you could give them as far as I'm concerned. Thank God some of those smart people who paid attention in school and went on to become among the best analytical minds in the world have now been accepted and even welcomed into baseball; it's a very refreshing change from the way it used to be where everyone just did what's always been done because that's how it's always been done.

[Reed]

I imagine the players on defense (except maybe the pitchers) like the faster innings. Who wants to stand in the outfield in Atlanta for a 4 hour game when it’s 95 degrees.

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by rodgerdavies

Agreed, that was what made me think "this is exactly what I used to spend ages 'watching' that they're getting rid of".

Obviously a small adjustment period whilst players push those rules, but better for watching along.

However, I would like to hear more from people who are lucky enough to go to games and their feelings about it.

When I have been in the US (worked in Florida a bit) I much preferred the stadium experience of college games than the pro sports, because of the quicker pace (watching the Miami Dolphins killing time in the stadium between plays whilst waiting for ad breaks to end sticks with me).

As a Brit, most of my stadium-going is sports that only have a half time break (rugby, football), so I'm not the sort to go fetch concessions between innings or plays or anything, but the new pace means there really isn't any sort of obvious break at any point (like half time is in football/soccer), so intrigued to hear from more regular goers about their MLB experiences.

Plenty of time still for concessions in Spring Training games between half-innings. MLB has not messed with the time for commercial adverts on radio and TV and in the ballpark. Hypocritical to adopt the pitch clock but still have the delays between half innings IMHO. If MLB cut the time to 90 seconds, or even 60 seconds, that’s 16 or 17 intervals that would be shorter. A painless way to save half an hour over the course of a game. That’s why they have vendors in the stands; although the visit to the loo would be problematical.

[r0nster]

Originally Posted by progen

Some good news from opening day! I watched the Phillies of course, and certainly enjoyed the pace of the game. Watched some of the Yankees/Giants game earlier, and things seemed to go smoothly.

Late game between the Padres and Rockies where you had Blake Snell moving at his usual turtle pace, throwing 70 pitches through three innings, eventually a 7-2 win by the Rockies, game took 2 hours, 56 minutes, still 10 minutes shorter than the average game last year.

Quickest game was Mariners beating the Guardians, 3-0, game took 2 hours, 14 minutes.

Dont worry the games will get longer again. Once they get new MLB contract again you can bet on it and i know how they will do it AGAIN. The answer is too obvious as its happened TWICE before and they did the same thing and the game got longer because of it and will do so again, You can be happy they put a clock on a game that was meant not to have a clock for the last 120 years.

[Syd Thrift]

Originally Posted by r0nster

Dont worry the games will get longer again. Once they get new MLB contract again you can bet on it and i know how they will do it AGAIN. The answer is too obvious as its happened TWICE before and they did the same thing and the game got longer because of it and will do so again, You can be happy they put a clock on a game that was meant not to have a clock for the last 120 years.

You keep saying that last sentence as though it were true. Hint: it’s not.

[JasonC23]

"Baseball's poetic and lyrical celebrants are fond of pointing out that baseball is the only major team sport without a clock. What these people don't understand is that, until about 1945, baseball did have a clock. It was called the sun." -- Bill James