If Major League Baseball returns...

At this point if MLB baseball returns, are you in or out?

  • Yes, let's goooo!!!

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • I'll tune in, but only if I have nothing else going on.

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • They missed a big opportunity, should had been started by now.

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • I'm done with baseball, they broke my heart for the last time.

    Votes: 1 12.5%

  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .
The 10th inning base runner rule is a short-term thing. Given that this season is a sprint instead of a marathon, every game will matter. But the last thing baseball needs is a game still tied after 15 innings, running into curfew, and needing to be finished at a later date. Rescheduling options will be very limited. Just trying to get to a winner faster, just like they do in hockey.
Why not end it in a tie then? Putting a man on second is a stupid gimmick just like the shootout in hockey.
 
I disagree. Manfred realizes baseball needs more action to attract younger fans.
If Manfred really wanted to attract younger fans he'd relax MLB's insane social media policy and get rid of the blackout rules all over the country, similar to what the NBA does, so people could actually watch the games. MLB teams cannot post any in game highlights on social media, they just post a generic gif or something of the player involved. Baseball has plenty of fans, just make the game accessible ffs.

So instead of that we get a couple rules to shorten the game by five minutes and he calls it a day.
 
I agree with the social media aspect. MLB has done a horrible job of marketing the brand. And to take steps even further...if you were to post video from a game. They try to get your account suspended. I honestly don't know how they sit back and watch all the other leagues succeed with it and they can't figure it out.

Ending with ties in a shortened season is the worst thing they could do. Imagine getting all the way to the end of the season then we have to make up games because they affect standings.
 
This is weird bc Baseball is the one major sport where you see a lot of the more talented teams start slow and finish strong.
 
I agree with the social media aspect. MLB has done a horrible job of marketing the brand. And to take steps even further...if you were to post video from a game. They try to get your account suspended. I honestly don't know how they sit back and watch all the other leagues succeed with it and they can't figure it out.

Ending with ties in a shortened season is the worst thing they could do. Imagine getting all the way to the end of the season then we have to make up games because they affect standings.

Are you talking about individual games ending in a tie or at the end of the season there is ties in the standing? If the latter just set tie-breakers in place if you do not want to play extra games such as head to head or least runs against per 9 innings during the head to head matchups if it remains tied.
 
This is weird bc Baseball is the one major sport where you see a lot of the more talented teams start slow and finish strong.
The short season is going to change everything with regards to how managers deal with players who are going through slumps and stuff. Normally a good player would get a couple weeks to work themselves out if it; that ain't happening this year. Should be interesting
 
The short season is going to change everything with regards to how managers deal with players who are going through slumps and stuff. Normally a good player would get a couple weeks to work themselves out if it; that ain't happening this year. Should be interesting
I think I brought this up already, but the Nats were 10 games under .500 at the game mark. It would be funny seeing a no talent team like the Pirates win 40 games and make the playoffs while a loaded team like the Dodgers miss out bc they started cold for the first 15-20 games.
 
Are you talking about individual games ending in a tie or at the end of the season there is ties in the standing? If the latter just set tie-breakers in place if you do not want to play extra games such as head to head or least runs against per 9 innings during the head to head matchups if it remains tied.

At the end of the season...though I do hate that soccer ends with ties so I'd expect to have the same feelings with baseball. If teams end the season with the same records...baseball's unique in that it rarely happens over 162 game season. I could see it happening this year though. And what happens when two teams that don't play tie? This year's going to be strange enough. Don't make me become an math whiz to figure out the Playoffs
 
I think I brought this up already, but the Nats were 10 games under .500 at the game mark. It would be funny seeing a no talent team like the Pirates win 40 games and make the playoffs while a loaded team like the Dodgers miss out bc they started cold for the first 15-20 games.

What happens if we really love this form of baseball? There's long been an argument to shorten the season but has been met by resistance due to player pay, endorsements, gate money and other reasons. If the fanbase grows by a substantial amount do we as "traditional fans" start agreeing that there needs to be some changes for the future of the sport?
 
What happens if we really love this form of baseball? There's long been an argument to shorten the season but has been met by resistance due to player pay, endorsements, gate money and other reasons. If the fanbase grows by a substantial amount do we as "traditional fans" start agreeing that there needs to be some changes for the future of the sport?
I think most traditional fans would agree that the regular season should be over September 1st. I'm also hugely in favor of a pitch clock. It's the only realistic way to speed up the game
 
Fair or unfair, you know if a team that’s not the Dodgers or Yankees win the WS, people will try to delegitimize the winner bc of the shortened season.
 
These players are opting out for the 2020 season https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports...0200629-255n5pattnbpndtwqjvmsg6kyy-story.html
I have had enough of these spoiled brats, hopefully baseball loses their shirts this year.

Um they're sitting out and not getting paid due to family medical concerns. I wouldn't exactly call that being a spoiled brat. Their reasons have nothing to do with the money issues the sides fought over.

I assume you think they owe it to you or anyone else to play?
 
Um they're sitting out and not getting paid due to family medical concerns. I wouldn't exactly call that being a spoiled brat. Their reasons have nothing to do with the money issues the sides fought over.

I assume you think they owe it to you or anyone else to play?
You forget and these spoiled brats have forgotten if it were not for the fans they would not have the resources to be able to sit out an entire season. So yes they owe it to the fans to play because without fans their are no professional sports. These players basically just gave the fans the finger.
 
You forget and these spoiled brats have forgotten if it were not for the fans they would not have the resources to be able to sit out an entire season. So yes they owe it to the fans to play because without fans their are no professional sports. These players basically just gave the fans the finger.

They're sitting out for their family's safety. Each has family members that make them high risk. They aren't trying to make a point. They're not asking for more money. They're not on strike. They aren't quitting on their teams. They're not asking for anything. They've made the difficult decision not to play so they can best assure their family's health....No, you're ignorant and they owe you nothing
 
You forget and these spoiled brats have forgotten if it were not for the fans they would not have the resources to be able to sit out an entire season. So yes they owe it to the fans to play because without fans their are no professional sports. These players basically just gave the fans the finger.
Let's turn this around. What if you worked at a grocery store? And you wanted to quit because you live with your parents who are elderly? Your grocery store would not exist without the paying customers. Do you owe it to your customers to keep working, in spite of your health concerns?

Your argument is stupid. It is just the scale of $$$ that are different. Each individual worker or player can decide for themselves to work or play. The MLB will continue on. As will Kroger.
 
The players and owners are the ultimate codependent relationship. They deserve each other.

The game I loved in my youth has been dying for 20 years. If it dies, I am not going to the funeral.
 
I think the game of baseball is still the best game. I'm still happy to watch youth, high school and college baseball. Just the business of professional baseball is messed up and dying.
 
I think the game of baseball is still the best game. I'm still happy to watch youth, high school and college baseball. Just the business of professional baseball is messed up and dying.
I think our expectations of pro baseball has changed. The game itself is the same weather it's youth, high school college or pro. The thing that bores people about baseball - long season, 162 games, pace of play, is why we like it. Now many DO find it boring, but why is it always necessary to placate to the group that doesn't like the game? If you don't like baseball, don't watch it. I do know one thing, you can shorten baseball games very easily by cutting 60-90 seconds off each 1/2 inning. Look at the game times of the games in the 70's, before television. Most were 2:30-3:30 tops.
 
Those 60-90 seconds between innings pay their bills. Those aren't going anywhere. And the reason to try and please people who aren't fans is to turn them into fans. If you haven't noticed...we're going in the wrong direction
 
The game is losing popularity because of the absurd amount of dead time between pitches. Fix that by installing a strictly enforced, 20-25 second pitch clock, OUT OF SIGHT OF THE MAIN TV CAMERAS SO IT DOESN'T SHOW UP ONSCREEN, and the rest of the problems will sort themselves out.

Limited mound visits, the three batter minimum and putting a guy on second base in extra innings are all stupid and have little effect on the length of the game. They're nothing more than gimmicks
 
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I think our expectations of pro baseball has changed. The game itself is the same weather it's youth, high school college or pro. The thing that bores people about baseball - long season, 162 games, pace of play, is why we like it. Now many DO find it boring, but why is it always necessary to placate to the group that doesn't like the game? If you don't like baseball, don't watch it. I do know one thing, you can shorten baseball games very easily by cutting 60-90 seconds off each 1/2 inning. Look at the game times of the games in the 70's, before television. Most were 2:30-3:30 tops.
Seriously? The entire point of every business is to attract more customers. Turn non-customers into customers. You think baseball should not do that?
 
Rob Manfred confirms that the last month was an unnecessary p!$$!ng contest. What a freaking goof.

Right? Let's agitate the players association and alienate our fans over a negotiation that was pre-determined anyway.

And why does he keep talking about it. Anyone with a brain would try to put the negative PR in the past and talk about the upcoming games, and how they will deal with COVID issues, etc. Nope. He keeps talking about the negotiation process. Keep bringing up the bad stuff. Not a smart move.
 
Agree, there's a lot of interesting details he could be selling for the shortened season. Why not talk about the excitement of 60 games rushed into a short time frame. Heck NASCAR has been able to produce huge numbers on their weekday broadcast.
 
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