Why don't we speed up the game of baseball?

Question

I was thinking we could change the rules and have the pitcher pitch nonstop and the batter could step in and hit. Then immediately, another batter would step up and hit because the pitcher never stops pitching. You could have something like a 20 minute halftime, then start up the action again.

Answer 1

thats the beauty of the game, BABY!!!!!

Answer 2

There are many ways that you could effectively speed up the game. The problem is---there is no will to do it in organized baseball today !
Remember--the object is to WIN the game, and if pitchers could win games by pitching faster, then the batter would slow down the game so that their team could win. If the pitcher could win more games by pitching slowly (between pitches), and taking his time, it would be even MORE SLOW than it is at present.

And remember, the game is intentionally a leisurely pace, except during the actual hitting and fielding of a hit, and running around the bases.

One problem is that the slowness of the game is now dictated by the number of television commercials between innings, and the continuous delays for relief pitchers to come in and get in their warmup pitches. Since this spells MONEY for the MLB and the teams, they will not speed up the time between innings. Today there are relief pitchers that will pitch to only one or two batters. You could speed up the game by requiring each relief pitcher to pitch to at least three batters, unless the side strikes out, or fields out. Would they do that? Hell no.

You could save at least 15 minutes in an average game by just having the umpires force the batters to remain in the box at the plate rather than calling time out as the batter backs out, wanders around, looks for signs from the coach and the bench, then tries to distract the pitcher, and ruin his pacing by backing out again and again. But the teams will not insist on this, and if one team doesn't ask it, the umpire will not do it.

And, of course, the concession stands want the delays so they can sell more food and drinks between innings. They don't want the game to speed up. That's how they make their living !

So, just relax, enjoy the game. Have some popcorn and a beer. Talk with your friends, analyze the game, speculate on the tactics of the batter or the pitcher, or the fielders. And enjoy the great American pastime. Remember...you are there to relax and enjoy the whole experience,...which includes the delays.

Answer 3

The only thing I think MLB could adopt to speed up the game is eliminating warm-up throws for a reliever entering the game unless it is for an injury to the previous pitcher.
They have already warmed up in the bullpen. So what if the mound is different than the ones in the bullpen.
I'd associate this with the way the NHL would actually stop the game and let the backup goalie warm up if there was a goaltender change. They don't do this anymore, and it works just fine, thank you.

Answer 4

Alright how about you be the first pitcher. You can be the guy who has to throw a baseball 66 and a half feet, at varying speeds from 95 to 70 mph, with occasional twisting of your wrist, 100 times in a row. If that was baseball, then Tommy John surgery, would be the most common sports term.

Answer 5

They play that game down at the batting cages, maybe you would like to pay $22 to watch that. But the part you are so ignorantly missing is that baseball is a game of constant action. Fielders actually play a position and on every play, they have a place to be depending on where the ball is hit. Playing a speed pitching game would put every player out of position and the games would go on forever as no one would be in position to actually make a play on the next hit.

Answer 6

First off you cant do that to Americas favorite past time, Second the pitchers would be under the knife after every appearance, Third why would you want to. That would be eliminating SO MANY of the little fundamentals.

Answer 7

Yeah, listen to the guy who answered first. Unfortunately, if there were to be a change of rules, die-hard baseball fans will protest, and die of a heart attack either from years of eating the good 'o hot dogs, or they hate you.

Answer 8

last time I checked game times, they are pretty fast when compared to football, hockey and basketball.....the a's games are routinely a little more than two hours. most football games I watch are like 3 hours...shorter basebally game...interesting...

why do you need to speed up the game anyways? just because it doesn't have a time clock, or shot clock or whatever. Does that make it slow to you?

Answer 9

Baseball does not need to speed up. All these impatient, short attention spanners need to chill out.

Answer 10

As a pitcher, I will officially tell you that that would kill my arm and my career would have died.

Answer 11

You can't change baseball too much, it's built on tradition.