[MaltedHopsFrenzy]

I always thought the season was waaaaay to long anyways, maybe this is a good thing. Make it 81, spread them out, and make the games more meaningful.

[carolinakid]

yes imo it has always been way to long, but it all about the money that why most all sports want to add games

[MaltedHopsFrenzy]

yes imo it has always been way to long, but it all about the money that why most all sports want to add games

Yep, but with declining attendance every year, it’s probably inevitable anyways. Lot easier, cheaper, & better to just watch the game on my massive TV or in a sports bar than fight with crowds, parking, etc. I live like 10 minutes from a local minor league team - games are a lot more fun (and cheaper).....

[gojetsgomoxies]

i don't disagree with the general idea. NBA and NHL too.

BUT.......... baseball fills up alot of hours on TV....... players/owners need all that revenue or they both take a big $$$$ hit.

[jjgold]

No

Bases a dead game anyway

Make it 80

[pimike]

Shorten season is ok.

Just kill this virus!! We need to pray for warmer weather fast!

[danrubin12]

baseball gets a higher % of their revenue from in-stadium than the other sports leagues.

[pokernight1991]

Happy Opening Day. Delayed to July 4 if we are lucky.

[TheLock]

162 games is too many but shortening it will mess with the record books.

One thing that MLB has over other sports is stats/record books etc.

[MaltedHopsFrenzy]

162 games is too many but shortening it will mess with the record books.

One thing that MLB has over other sports is stats/record books etc.

Steroids, PED’s, gambling scandals, cheating scandals, stealing signs, etc. - nobody cares about “stats & records”. Look, NFL is expanding the season & the playoffs, I’m sure that’s going to mess with the “record books”.
Get with the times, it would make the games that much more meaningful and bring out the best of the best and maybe every game would sell out instead of now with teams like the Rays & Marlins who can’t even give tickets away.....

[oilcountry99]

i don't disagree with the general idea. NBA and NHL too.

BUT.......... baseball fills up alot of hours on TV....... players/owners need all that revenue or they both take a big $$$$ hit.

At least the NBA and NHL isn't like watching paint dry. MLB season is way to long, especially for the poor teams that know on day 1 they aren't making the playoffs.... It does pass time in the summer, good for betting on, but forget trying to watch it.

[MinnesotaFats]

Double headers every Sat and Sun

[TheLock]

Steroids, PED’s, gambling scandals, cheating scandals, stealing signs, etc. - nobody cares about “stats & records”. Look, NFL is expanding the season & the playoffs, I’m sure that’s going to mess with the “record books”.
Get with the times, it would make the games that much more meaningful and bring out the best of the best and maybe every game would sell out instead of now with teams like the Rays & Marlins who can’t even give tickets away.....

Every game would sell out in a 125 game season? You’re dreaming.

Only reason NFL stadiums are packed is because teams have less than 10 home games a year.

No one cares about baseball record books and stats? Where do you live? Canada?

The Marlins can’t give tickets away because of DECADES of incompetent owners making baseball decisions instead of just opening their fat wallets.

[DOM-Ganador]

Every professional league short be shorter.
Owners are not billionaires because they don`t put maximum profits ahead of all else.

I fukkin live for the NFL and hate the fact that they are increasing games.
Concussions?? Fukk it. 3.5 year career life span? Fukk it.

Soooo many ways to fix some of these problems, but all will have an affect on the bottom line.
Never gonna happen.

[MaltedHopsFrenzy]

Every game would sell out in a 125 game season? You’re dreaming.

Only reason NFL stadiums are packed is because teams have less than 10 home games a year.

No one cares about baseball record books and stats? Where do you live? Canada?

The Marlins can’t give tickets away because of DECADES of incompetent owners making baseball decisions instead of just opening their fat wallets.

81, not 125.
In reality, only 40 home games.
Vegas ain't building that mega-stadium right off the 15 freeway for concerts - Las Vegas Raiders.....
There may have been a time, but nobody cares about stats anymore. If we did, would we be changing/adding/removing teams every year? Players going "LeBron" and just signing with whoever to win championships? How many Yankees have gone Red Sox & vice versa? Favre signing with the hated rival Vikings? Tom Brady to the Fu##aneers?!?!!
The only stat anyone cares about anymore is the $$$$$ stat.....

I agree with you on the Marlins, though.....

[cooperman]

A radical change that could work on many levels is to make a game 7 innings. A shorter game would bring a faster pace, a creative style change, & more meaningful batter/pitcher matchups, making the game more star driven. Fans love to identify with stars.

Picture Garrett Cole going for his 5th straight complete game up against Mike Trout in a 2-1 game in the bottom of the 7th. Sherzer vs Acuna, Buehler vs Harper, ETC... That's excitement

Pitchers can't seem to go more than 100 pitches. With a 7 inn game you can have a starting pitcher complete more games, or have a situation with a starter going 5, a set up guy in the 6th, and a closer in the 7th. You would end up with only the best pitchers in the game leading to quicker, more quality games. Some well pitched games might even be under 2 hrs. Certainly you will be eliminating those playoff games that end at 1AM on the east coast

Every team now tries to work the count in order to get to middle relievers who often don't belong in the bigs to begin with. eliminating 2 inn will cut down the need for these AAA pitchers in the game. The ripple effect of this is with only the strongest pitchers in the game there will be less walks & pitching changes which lead to a faster paced game that keeps the interest of the casual fan. With only stronger pitchers in the game batting averages & runs will drop in theory. This could lead to more interesting offensive strategy(SB & Hit and runs) which is more exciting for the fans

Does it also lead to more competitive balance? Less overall pitchers lead to more competitive overall staffs. At least in theory it does.

The players union would never go for because it would mean a loss of jobs. That could always be worked out with a bump in player salary minimums. I would think TV would be all for it with potentially higher ratings if the game is more exciting. TV would no longer have to plan for potential 4 hr games.

[MaltedHopsFrenzy]

A radical change that could work on many levels is to make a game 7 innings. A shorter game would bring a faster pace, a creative style change, & more meaningful batter/pitcher matchups, making the game more star driven. Fans love to identify with stars.

Picture Garrett Cole going for his 5th straight complete game up against Mike Trout in a 2-1 game in the bottom of the 7th. Sherzer vs Acuna, Buehler vs Harper, ETC... That's excitement

Pitchers can't seem to go more than 100 pitches. With a 7 inn game you can have a starting pitcher complete more games, or have a situation with a starter going 5, a set up guy in the 6th, and a closer in the 7th. You would end up with only the best pitchers in the game leading to quicker, more quality games. Some well pitched games might even be under 2 hrs. Certainly you will be eliminating those playoff games that end at 1AM on the east coast

Every team now tries to work the count in order to get to middle relievers who often don't belong in the bigs to begin with. eliminating 2 inn will cut down the need for these AAA pitchers in the game. The ripple effect of this is with only the strongest pitchers in the game there will be less walks & pitching changes which lead to a faster paced game that keeps the interest of the casual fan. With only stronger pitchers in the game batting averages & runs will drop in theory. This could lead to more interesting offensive strategy(SB & Hit and runs) which is more exciting for the fans

Does it also lead to more competitive balance? Less overall pitchers lead to more competitive overall staffs. At least in theory it does.

The players union would never go for because it would mean a loss of jobs. That could always be worked out with a bump in player salary minimums. I would think TV would be all for it with potentially higher ratings if the game is more exciting. TV would no longer have to plan for potential 4 hr games.

I’m all for that, I’m also for something like the basketball 24 second shot clock, or the NFL’s 40 seconds to run a play after a down. Maybe pitchers have a 20 second pitch clock over the umpire’s head against the backstop. Once the catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher, clock starts, he’s got 20 seconds - or else it counts as a “Ball”. I’m for that! Anything to pick up the pace.....

[BuckyOne]

No reason baseball should be played after September 1-that is football season.
No reason football should be played after December 1 - that is basketball season.
No reason basketball should be played after April 1 - that is baseball season.

[mngambler]

of course it's waaaay to long, everyone knows it but it won't change cause the owners aren't going to wake up one day and say 'hey lets chop our revenue in half' but for real 80 games MAX is all that's needed

[BuckyOne]

The morons are going to burn up the market with their greed. Very Possible fans will take a while to come back? The overlapping seasons will create burnout eventually.

[mjsuax13]

Vegas Dave needs all 162 for his scam to run efficient.

[Waterstpub87]

I don't know why anyone who bets would be complaining the season is too long. Baseball is great, 12+ games a day for six months, then playoffs. Its my favorite, all around. Plus all the props, I'm able to get down like 20 bets a day.

I mean there are much bigger things going to worry about, but I miss baseball.

[ThaTopMoron]

who cares, they know about teams cheating and don't do anything about it till it's public knowledge and outcry

same with NFL and the pats video taping in the early 2000s to propel that defense and game manager Brady to super bowls after engineering the first one for the "patriots" to WIN FOR THE COUNTRY after 9/11