Are baseball games too long?

Been watching a lot of college games on TV, and will be watching more over next few weeks.

Some games are lasting 3.5 - 4 hours. I know TV accounts for some added time, but I don't think there are many people that actually sit down and watch entire games for that long.

Are games too long and if so, what changes could be made to shorten games?

 

Wood Bats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Never

I watched three games yesterday from start to finish. It was awesome. I can tell you what lasts too long. Work. An a** whoopin by your pops. School. Any a** whoopin. Doctors visits. Anything done at the Dentist. And I could name a few more things. But never a baseball game.

 

Amen ~bows down~

 

fans

strictly from a fan's standpoint.........would college baseball draw more people and more TV coverage if rules of the game would cause games to be shortened?

 

Maybe

but then again the things they already do at the minor league parks ran me off and many like me. I used to go watch the Durham Bulls play back in the early 80's when they returned to Durham. In between innings you could hear the old timers talk about the days that Morgan played there. You could hear them talk baseball. I would sit behind them and soak it all in , every word. In between innings the guys threw it around crisply and with a purpose. The catcher would pop it down there with his best effort. There was no loud music. No sumo wrestlers. No gimmicks. It was pure baseball. I enjoy watching the guys between innings. I enjoy the game itself. I dont need gimmicks or new rules to make we want to come. Get rid of those metal bats and the game will be just fine just like it is without them. Get rid of the gimmicks and the clowns and carneval atmosphere and bring it back to the way it was when people to actually see a game.

Maybe I am just an old school guy. But if you need any reason to go see a baseball game outside of actually watching and enjoying the game itself why not just go to Kings Dominion instead? The only reason college games drag out in time is because the metal bat extends the game. But again Im not all there anyway. Im the guy hoping the game goes into extra innings so I can watch some more baseball.

 

Nope, I don't think so . . .

Got home at midnight last night after watching 55 innings in 45 hours. 13 innings Friday night, after driving 8 hours to get there. 36 innings Saturday (15 hours straight at the field, 10 am to 1 am, one bratwurst, one order fries, 2 diet cokes, an orange, a few peanuts and a one hour delay for a great thunderstorm), 6 innings Sunday (yep, another bratwurst and diet coke). If you watched the WFU/VA game Saturday that ended at 1 am that was me and a friend in the first row of seats behind home plate! Got in the car after the championship game yesterday and headed home - first thing we did was turn on XM and listen to the Braves game. Games too long? Nah, not for me. If you can only stand to sit still for a couple of hours and have to be entertained, go to the movies.

 

I hear you guys and I understand what you mean, but if one is an old school guy, these 15-14 amd 21-18 games are not old school. I love the 5-4, 3-2, 1-0 games. A lot more strategy, a lot better coaching and every pitch means something. Now it's like watching video games: I swear I saw easy flyouts turn into HR's. I understand that this day and age is about instant excitement, but for me? I like old school baseball with the crack of the bats, tight pitching and tobacco spittin' coaches

 

Raise the Mound Back Up

You want to get the good close games and have them played faster? Raise the mounds back up to where they used to be - before Bob Gibson caused them to lower the mounds because nobody could hit off him.

 

I agree

If they brought the wood back to the college game it would be so exciting for the educated fan of the game. The games would move quicker no doubt. The decisions the coaches would have to make would greatly increase. Defense and the bunt game would be huge. Its just a better brand of baseball. And its alot more exciting to see a 3-2 game when a double is actually a big deal and not just another hit in a game.

This is why I enjoy the WWBA events so much. The bunt game is huge. Defending the bunt is huge. Catching is so big. And hitting behind runners and cut plays are what they should be. A fundemental art of the game. Ask the guys that play WWBA events and they will tell you there is nothing else like playing with wood bats.