Where did my beloved baseball go?

a reply to: Bluntone22

The style has changed due to analytics. It's really that simple....analytics say strikeouts aren't bad, stealing a base isn't worth the risk of possibly getting thrown out as you only get 27 outs and trying to hit a ton of home runs is the way to go.

Same reason the NBA has become a 3-point shooting contest - - analytics say that gives you the highest probability of winning.

I'm not saying either sport is more enjoyable to watch b/c of it - - just saying that is why it has changed.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Bluntone22

This sounds like a crotchety 'when I was your age' type complaint. The game constantly changes, it has for over 150 years. The style today is not the same as the 90's, 80's, 70's, 30's, 20's or whenever. Ten years from now it will have evolved again.

Not really. When I was a kid college football was kinda boring.
Hand the ball to a big guy and run.
Today it's much more entertaining.
Baseball just feels the complete opposite... Now boring.

I don't think I'm alone here either. The ratings have declined considerably.

I guess it's like music, every decade has something different and we all have opinions of what's good.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I attribute to ratings decline to a lack of outreach to kids and the amount of commercials in the games.

a reply to: TonyS

Nice to see good player like Nationals George Kendrick finally made to series after 14 years in league …..

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Lower attention span is no doubt a factor.
The game just doesn't have the heart it used too.
Where's Pete rose plowing a catcher in the all star game?

originally posted by: Bluntone22
Where's Pete rose plowing a catcher in the all star game?

When was that? Fifty years ago? There's plenty of rooting interest with today's players, MLB just needs to market them better.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

You might as well forget it then.
Baseball has terrible marketing.
They also have terrible leadership.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I agree their marketing stinks, they don't do enough to promote their brand or the players.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I miss Billy Martin kicking dirt.

As regards the game, it goes on far too long. The batter should be compelled by rule to stop stepping out of the box and engaging in stupid ritual - the gloves, the uniform adjustments, etc.

Sick of it. Play the damn game.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Lurking your thread and just had a thought - twitterize baseball?

Has it been considered?

Carry on.

a reply to: Creep Thumper

I agree.
Ten second timer between pitches.

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

Twitterize?
I don't understand what you mean.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Sorry. Mental shorthand sometimes amirite...

Make the game more fast-paced.

The rest of our culture is optimized for fast-paced exchanges; many posters complain that the game is boring.

ETA like your suggestion two posts above, to have a pitcher's timer. There are similar strictures in many other games.

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses


Gotcha...

We live in an instant microwave burrito society and people don't have the patience for three hour plus games.
Baseball worried that the all star game lost its luster so they attempted to make it relevant and at the same time didn't address the issues with the regular season.
Bad leadership.

They need to dump several teams. Like six of them.
They need to move a team to Mexico City.
They need to shorten the season about 20 to 30 games.
They need a pitch clock like the nba shot clock.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
They need to move a team to Mexico City.

Why?

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

Look at how many Spanish speaking baseball players are in the game today.
The Mexico City monarchs/Aztecs would be one of the most popular teams in baseball.

Unfortunately the only city in Mexico capable of supporting a team would be Mexico City.

I looked it up..
28% of MLB players are Latin American.. One in four.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I see. Smart move for the league. (What I know about baseball = very little.)

Was there a similar reason to adding a Toronto team to the league back when that occurred?

Would you support an international league? I'm sure that's been hotly debated...

I think once you learn about Gematria, and apply it to sports, (and many other things) you will never watch them again and most likely trash all the memorabilia you have.

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

Canada had two teams. Blue jays and expos.
The expos moved to Washington, D.C. And became the Nationals.
Montreal just didn't support the team well enough for it to remain.

And international ball would be difficult for travel reasons.

a reply to: TheGreatWork

What the hell are you talking about?