Can there ever be a boring baseball game?

[pavyracer]

1. If the pitchers throw meatballs and the score is 13-11 everyone likes it because is high scoring.
2. If the pitchers throw darts and the score is 1-0 with 25K and two men reach base (meaning 52 batters never got out of the box) is a great game.
3. If the game is going to 17 innings after 6 hours and a team wins 2-1 with a bases loaded walk it's a good game.

My question is: "Is there a scoreline or a situation in the game when it ever gets boring?"

[OverUnder]

No, it is called America's greatest past time for a reason.

[Chi_archie]

baseball games can definately be boring...MLB itself knows this, thats why there is sooo much emphasis on the umpires to speed games up...

plus in no other sport is there LESS significance to EACH game... with a 162 game sched

[rm18]

teams do not even care if they win that is why they bean people and worry about stats over wins

[Andy117]

teams do not even care if they win that is why they bean people and worry about stats over wins

That's a nonsense comment.

[rm18]

Guys swing at ball 4 to extend hitting streaks, go for RBI when they should walk, try to steal bases down 7 runs to be 40/40, managers leave pitchers in to try to get wins and shutouts even though it hurts their chance to win. Nolan Ryan use to walk guys to try to get no hitters, he would of won probably 10 more games in his career if he worried about winning and not no hitters.

[Chi_archie]

just about any game of any sport can be interesting to a true real fan of the sport, that understands and appreciates all the nuances and details....

[mtneer1212]

Yes, and as a Pirate fan, i know this one well:

When the score is 8-1 after three innings -- the rest of the game is usually awful. Your only hope for excitement at this point is that a position player will get to come out and pitch the 9th.

At least in hockey they start fights when it gets out of hand.

[jayc88]

baseball games are all boring

[Andy117]

Guys swing at ball 4 to extend hitting streaks, go for RBI when they should walk, try to steal bases down 7 runs to be 40/40, managers leave pitchers in to try to get wins and shutouts even though it hurts their chance to win. Nolan Ryan use to walk guys to try to get no hitters, he would of won probably 10 more games in his career if he worried about winning and not no hitters.

You really don't know what you're talking about when it comes to baseball.

[rm18]

Also what about when they have a stand up triple but stop at 2nd to get the cycle. Or when a closer throws changeups to keep his ERA down when up by 3 runs with 2 outs. Or when they do not run out balls because the defender probably makes the play, most do not try to win.

[Andy117]

Also what about when they have a stand up triple but stop at 2nd to get the cycle. Or when a closer throws changeups to keep his ERA and WhIp down when up by 3 runs with 2 outs. Or when they do not run out balls because the defender probably makes the play, most do not try to win.

Seriously you're making yourself look stupid. You should stop now.

[rm18]

not WHIP just ERA my mistake, but I mean they do not do what gives them the best chance to get the batter out

[Carseller4]

Nice try! Let's degrade another sport to make soccer seem tolerable.

Sorry it's not working.

[sundin4prez]

baseball is fun to play at times but to actually watch it on tv it is never a exciting.. baseball is boring to me...

[BigdaddyQH]

Baseball is terribly boring. The game is designed to be boring. Taking a minute between ptiches is ridiculous. You can have a situation where some team is behind by 6 runs in the 9th inning and has a runner on first base. The opposing pitcher takes 59 seconds to get his sign, and then lobs a throw over to first base to "keep the runner close". This happens 4 or 5 times in the sequence. Then the batter runs the count full. He fouls off several pitches. He finally pops up, and the runner goes back to first. 15-20 waisted minutes for absolutely nothing. Baseball is inherently boring. Because it is the only sport that does not involve a clock, it can drag on forever. Seasons are way too long. The Baltimore Orioles have 100 games left in their season, and they are hopelessly out of the AL East Pennant race. 100 games to go and they have no chance. Months of bordom staring their fans in the face. That is Baseball for you. Games where teams can not draw 10,000 fans. BORING!!!

[Capybara]

Baseball is terribly boring. The game is designed to be boring. Taking a minute between ptiches is ridiculous. You can have a situation where some team is behind by 6 runs in the 9th inning and has a runner on first base. The opposing pitcher takes 59 seconds to get his sign, and then lobs a throw over to first base to "keep the runner close". This happens 4 or 5 times in the sequence. Then the batter runs the count full. He fouls off several pitches. He finally pops up, and the runner goes back to first. 15-20 waisted minutes for absolutely nothing. Baseball is inherently boring. Because it is the only sport that does not involve a clock, it can drag on forever. Seasons are way too long. The Baltimore Orioles have 100 games left in their season, and they are hopelessly out of the AL East Pennant race. 100 games to go and they have no chance. Months of bordom staring their fans in the face. That is Baseball for you. Games where teams can not draw 10,000 fans. BORING!!!

This.

[as99]

Out the major American sports baseball is the most boring.

[pavyracer]

Some interesting ideas. I find it very exciting myself. Just wanted to know how others feel. There is always something exciting to do when I go to Braves games. You can't really complain for not watching a great event. I wish more guys appreciated it.

[stealthyburrito]

just about any game of any sport can be interesting to a true real fan of the sport, that understands and appreciates all the nuances and details....

this about sums it up right here.

[Andy117]

Baseball is terribly boring. The game is designed to be boring. Taking a minute between ptiches is ridiculous. You can have a situation where some team is behind by 6 runs in the 9th inning and has a runner on first base. The opposing pitcher takes 59 seconds to get his sign, and then lobs a throw over to first base to "keep the runner close". This happens 4 or 5 times in the sequence. Then the batter runs the count full. He fouls off several pitches. He finally pops up, and the runner goes back to first. 15-20 waisted minutes for absolutely nothing. Baseball is inherently boring. Because it is the only sport that does not involve a clock, it can drag on forever. Seasons are way too long. The Baltimore Orioles have 100 games left in their season, and they are hopelessly out of the AL East Pennant race. 100 games to go and they have no chance. Months of bordom staring their fans in the face. That is Baseball for you. Games where teams can not draw 10,000 fans. BORING!!!

Baltimore averages 23K per game. Stunned to see Bigdaddy wrong about something.

[stealthyburrito]

Baltimore averages 23K per game. Stunned to see Bigdaddy wrong about something.

to be fair on that point, they have played the sox and yanks a lot at camden (12 of their 31 home games thus far were against the yanks/zox). And this series against the mets has had two sellouts thus far already. nearly all of those games have been sellouts because those fans travel very well (basically home games for them).

that number will decline rapidly. Camden sorely needs those big market teams to come and generate revenue for them, which is very sad for that franchise.

[Andy117]

to be fair on that point, they have played the sox and yanks a lot at camden (12 of their 31 home games thus far were against the yanks/zox). And this series against the mets has had two sellouts thus far already. nearly all of those games have been sellouts because those fans travel very well (basically home games for them).

that number will decline rapidly. Camden sorely needs those big market teams to come and generate revenue for them, which is very sad for that franchise.

They won't draw under 10K all that often though.

[Andy117]

My question is: "Is there a scoreline or a situation in the game when it ever gets boring?"

To answer the original question. A game where 5 or 6 runs is scored early and with no additional action can be dull.

[milwaukee mike]

i find almost any baseball game i don't have a bet on rather boring (and i love baseball)

[bbenson011]

To answer the original question. A game where 5 or 6 runs is scored early and with no additional action can be dull.

definitely agreed with you andy games that have no runs late and are a blowout are very boring

[stealthyburrito]

They won't draw under 10K all that often though.

cartainly not, but they will not upkeep a 23K avg. either. baltimore tix are cheap enough they can draw a crowd of at least 16k-18k.

[JohnGalt2341]

"The most exciting part of a Baseball game is still more boring than the most boring part of an MMA fight." --Joe Rogan

[ThaTopMoron]

guy singles who has speed

wait.... pitcher throws to first

wait.... pitcher again throws to first

wait.... pitcher steps off

wait.... batter calls for time

wait.... fuk this boring sht (changes channel)

[Masu485]

You listed the 3 most exciting scenarios. Like 80% of games are just a team gets a couple of runs early... then gets more later on. and that's the game.

I still find baseball to be the most exciting game if you have a wager on it, because you have to watch the whole game until the last out.

[blackf1re]

One thing I have never quite understood about US sports: Why are there ~487 games in the MLB and NBA but 17 (I think that's the right number) in the NFL? Are there even season tickets in the MLB because it seems impossible to attend every game. Let alone supporting your team away. Why not just play each team home and away like it's done in most leagues around the world?

[Masu485]

guy singles who has speed

wait.... pitcher throws to first

wait.... pitcher again throws to first

wait.... pitcher steps off

wait.... batter calls for time

wait.... fuk this boring sht (changes channel)

i was just thinking that today when watching the royals/reds game. i'm waiting for this guy to pitch and it took forever to get one in, he checked the guy at first like 6 times. in my head i'm like 'this isn't a spectator sport'

[pavyracer]

One thing I have never quite understood about US sports: Why are there ~487 games in the MLB and NBA but 17 (I think that's the right number) in the NFL? Are there even season tickets in the MLB because it seems impossible to attend every game. Let alone supporting your team away. Why not just play each team home and away like it's done in most leagues around the world?

Maybe someone else can answer this for baseball but it is my understanding that you can't be playing baseball twice a week like NBA and take breaks. First of all they use a different starter every game. You don't want them to be pitching just twice a month. Then the players need to be playing regularly to get on a groove with their timing when they hit. They play every day and still only put the ball in play 1 out of 4 times on average (there is a 75% failure ratio). The big teams like the Yankees, Redsox, Cubs, Dodgers sell out all their games so it makes sense to play as many games as possible (80 home games). As far as stamina only the pitchers need 4-5 days of rest. Every one else is chewing food or tobacco between innings or taking a nap in the clubhouse. So you can play everyday without abusing the body as long as you don't pitch. Catchers also need rest once every 5 days because they squat and catch balls the whole game.

[vitalogist]

When you get two pitchers working extremely slowly, and missing the strike zone.... ouch. A couple weeks ago Ian Snell of the Mariners and Joe Saunders of the Angels about bored me to tears (the Kendry Morales injury game). Shit took like 4 hours to play....