The 2015 New York Baseball Thread

[RobS]

here is one length of game discussion I found:

While nine innings has been the standard since the beginning of professional baseball, the duration of the average major league game has increased steadily through the years. At the turn of the twentieth century, games typically took an hour and a half to play. In the 1920s, they averaged just less than two hours, which eventually ballooned to 2:38 in 1960.[112] By 1997, the average American League game lasted 2:57 (National League games were about 10 minutes shorter—pitchers at the plate making for quicker outs than designated hitters).[113] In 2004, Major League Baseball declared that its goal was an average game of merely 2:45.[112] The lengthening of games is attributed to longer breaks between half-innings for television commercials, increased offense, more pitching changes, and a slower pace of play with pitchers taking more time between each delivery, and batters stepping out of the box more frequently.[112][113] Other leagues have experienced similar issues. In 2008, Nippon Professional Baseball took steps aimed at shortening games by 12 minutes from the preceding decade's average of 3:18.[114]

[RobS]

Last post for me on the subject of length of game...as spring is upon us, guys are essentially poaching from the nuclear outlet to run around for tackle shop first fish prizes, and temps are warming up this week

Yankees vs. Red Sox games are the worst offenders, often breaking the 4-hour mark.

This is actually true and has been noted on multiple occasions. In 2011 the Yankees vs. Red Sox games lasted an average of 205 minutes compared to the AL average of 169.7. And out of the last six seasons, 205 minutes was the second shortest average game time for the Yankees vs. Red Sox (that is, 4 of the last 6 seasons had longer average game times.)

There are a few factors listed for this issue. The commercial breaks are longer for nationally televised games, typically 2m25s, which adds 8 minutes. The lineups for both teams typically have batters that will work deeper into a pitch count. There are some pitchers who are notoriously slow on both teams. Terry Francona was called out by Joe Torre (as MLB's VP of Baseball Operations) for letting Josh Beckett take 31 seconds between pitches when MLB rules stipulate 12 seconds between pitches.

FWIW, Beckett threw 101 pitches in that particular game (Aug 7, 2011) over 6.0 innings. Subtracting out one pitch for each batter faced (as the gap between players or end of an inning shouldn't affect game time) there are 75 pitches with an average 31 second delay. 19 seconds additional time multiplied by 75 pitches is 1425 seconds, or an additional 23m45s due to delays by just one of the two pitchers.
...

[HookI]

What's not taking long is MLB teams using the International free agents from Cuba.

this year BoSox signed 19 year old Yoan Moncada a record 31.5 mil signing bonus & also had to shell out International tax to MLB total 63Mill. also outfielder Rusney Castillo seven year 72.5 million deal.

Makes no difference who's in the White House !

[Frank N]

Harvey/Degrom, this will be fun to watch.

[RobS]

This year the Mets are in the position the Yankees used to be in, but with a potentially more fun team to watch.

If they get out of the gate slow, it could/will cost Terry Collins his job. On the other hand, not making the playoffs or coming darn close, and the season will be a bust.
The topper would be either of those happening and Harvey get hurt again.

[HookI]

Pitching Pitching Pitching as the story goes. Not Harvey ...Wheeler going to take a couple of pitchers ( additional to ) what he gave the Mets last year, Don't see Harvey stretching the limit on that arm this year. The middle relief & closing will be used extensively.

Yanks are in trouble. Me thinks going to a 6 man rotation tells me they stunk the house w/ Tanaka handling. Losing Kuroda was huge .CC has the weight back on but will his knee hold up ?

Why is Tony Pena off the bench ?

[RobS]

They wanted to find a spot to hide Thomson so that he doesn't get any more tomatoes thrown at him.

[HookI]

& that would be rightfully deserved .

[billwrubel]

sometimes doing nothing works out; Wheeler goes down and the Mets never traded Gee and now he goes back to a really good rotation. Tried to use this to convince my wife that I should do nothing and it will work out....I was sent down to Triple A

[RobS]

proves the adage that you NEVER have too much pitching

[Frank N]

Yeah not moving Gee was huge for the Mets

Harvey is an animal, he is a Seaver, Gibson throwback

[HookI]

if the Mets want to get serious ..the time is NOW .Get rid of the Mr.Met caps .It really makes them look like what they have been for a long time.

[billwrubel]

Heard the game today and Harvey looks like he is back. And agree that the Mr Met Hats have to go

[RobS]

This year I'll be rooting for the NL team.

The Cubs, that is.

[HookI]

Cubs are on the rooting list ,a kid working his way this spring training who we follow is from NJ , Lester's tired arm has to get UNTIRED before the snow melts in Wrigley.