| Category |
2004 |
2014 |
| Runs per game |
9.62 |
8.34 |
| Pitches per game |
292.5 |
294.3 |
| Balls in play |
57.10 |
54.04 |
| Pitches per ball in play |
5.12 |
5.45
|
| Minutes per ball in play |
2:56.4
|
3:28.8
|
In 10 years baseball has added almost 30 minutes of dead time with guys adjusting their batting gloves, pitching changes, visits to the mound, and other nebulous things.
Sports Illustrated has a great article up on all the things that are slowing the game down, and ideas to speed it up.
I was amazed though at how similar those stats are other than the time of game section, which has grown significantly.
One idea not related to time of game Tom Verducci through out which I actually like is the idea of an "illegal defense" idea to balance out the shift craze.
He suggested implementing a rule that no more than 2 infielders are allowed on either side of second base. Singles are at their lowest level in the history of baseball. The shift works, and it is killing guys that pull the ball.
I get that it is part of the game, but at the same time the NBA has rules on defense to keep a 7'0" from camping out in front of the hoop and snatching the ball out of the air on the way down because it's bad for the game.
Advanced metrics are so good now and improving at an exponential pace. At some point I hope they consider looking at options because it really has altered the game in some ways and I am not sure it's for the better.
People reflexively are resistant to ever changing the rules, but as technology increases and changes the game it needs to adapt.
It's a great article that covers a broad scope and is worth checking out.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20140527/pace-of-game/?eref=sihp
