Runner on second base in extra innings rule

[DCTribefan]

https://www.insidehook.com/article/...sideHook&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nation



The main argument made by proponents of the automatic runner is that it helps speed up games — meaning casual fans don’t get bored and players don’t get overworked. But Fangraphs’ Jay Jaffe crunched the numbers, and the new rule actually hasn’t made games substantially shorter at all. “The average extra-innings game in 2018 clocked in at 239.7 minutes (four hours, basically) and fell to 229.3 minutes in ’19,” Jaffe notes. “With the runner on second rule in place, that shrank all the way to 224.5 minutes last year, a drop of just under five minutes. This year? They’re back up to 226.3 minutes. In other words, we’re talking about a savings of somewhere between five and 10 minutes for a slice of games that’s in the ballpark of 10%, all in exchange for a major disruption of baseball’s rules and accounting that produces far more bunts and intentional walks.”

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

https://www.insidehook.com/article/...sideHook&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nation



The main argument made by proponents of the automatic runner is that it helps speed up games — meaning casual fans don’t get bored and players don’t get overworked. But Fangraphs’ Jay Jaffe crunched the numbers, and the new rule actually hasn’t made games substantially shorter at all. “The average extra-innings game in 2018 clocked in at 239.7 minutes (four hours, basically) and fell to 229.3 minutes in ’19,” Jaffe notes. “With the runner on second rule in place, that shrank all the way to 224.5 minutes last year, a drop of just under five minutes. This year? They’re back up to 226.3 minutes. In other words, we’re talking about a savings of somewhere between five and 10 minutes for a slice of games that’s in the ballpark of 10%, all in exchange for a major disruption of baseball’s rules and accounting that produces far more bunts and intentional walks.”

If he's using the duration of the entire game, instead of just the duration of the extra innings, it's an awful piece that really isn't deserving of anyone's clicks or views and he should be ashamed of it.

Does he actually use some valid data elsewhere in the article outside of what you quoted?

 

[Criznit]

I always felt the first 3 innings (9 outs - everyone in the lineup gets a PA) in an extra inning game should be played as normal.. After that - crazy rules are fine with me..

 

[PIP]

If the baseball gods wanted shorter games they would have created more Greg Maddux’s….

 

[The Oi]

La Russa: No rift despite clubhouse disagreement

White Sox manager Tony La Russa has made it clear that he doesn't agree with some of his players' viewpoints regarding "respect for the game of baseball," but he also doesn't believe there's a rift in his clubhouse.

www.espn.com

If these little boys don’t wish to show the appropriate amount of respect for this game played by the giants before them, then they can sit on the bench and watch the men who will.

You follow the unwritten rules or you face the consequences.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

https://www.insidehook.com/article/...sideHook&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nation



The main argument made by proponents of the automatic runner is that it helps speed up games — meaning casual fans don’t get bored and players don’t get overworked. But Fangraphs’ Jay Jaffe crunched the numbers, and the new rule actually hasn’t made games substantially shorter at all. “The average extra-innings game in 2018 clocked in at 239.7 minutes (four hours, basically) and fell to 229.3 minutes in ’19,” Jaffe notes. “With the runner on second rule in place, that shrank all the way to 224.5 minutes last year, a drop of just under five minutes. This year? They’re back up to 226.3 minutes. In other words, we’re talking about a savings of somewhere between five and 10 minutes for a slice of games that’s in the ballpark of 10%, all in exchange for a major disruption of baseball’s rules and accounting that produces far more bunts and intentional walks.”

Apart from the point made by @Out of the Rafters at the Q above -- which I think is correct -- another reason it had a relatively small impact on the average time of an extra inning game is that most extra inning games didn't last many innings anyway. Over 40% ended in the 10th, and over 80% ended by the 12th even prior to the rule change.

Exploring extra innings

A comprehensive look at the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th...

www.beyondtheboxscore.com

What the rule really did was make those true outlier games that go for even longer much, much less likely to happen.

 

[Martyinnewyork]

I hate the rule, as I hate the shootout in hockey. Let’s make another rule for football - if game is tied at end of four quarters, have a field goal kicking contest to decide the outcome. And the NBA can have a three-point contest instead of overtime.

 

[sportscoach]

It's a dumb rule, please don't have it in 22 and beyond...

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I hate the rule, as I hate the shootout in hockey. Let’s make another rule for football - if game is tied at end of four quarters, have a field goal kicking contest to decide the outcome. And the NBA can have a three-point contest instead of overtime.

This isn't the same thing as a hockey shootout at all. If you wanted to equate the other sports to a hockey shootout, it would be a three point contest in basketball, field goal contest in football, and a home-run derby in baseball. But what baseball did isn't a home run derby.

What baseball did is the rough equivalent of college football overtime. Still the same game, the same rules...you just start from further up the field. You can still dislike it, but it isn't the equivalent of a hockey shootout or hypothetical field goal contest in football.

 

[thestatman]

Don't mean to derail the topic here, but I think baseball needs a pitch clock and an electronic strike zone more than anything. Can go either way with this rule being discussed. Last night in Akron...2 hours and thirty five minutes. Just no dicking around at all. A little weird though the few times the pitch clock time was exceeded there was no penalty enforced. I thought that was strange.

As for balls and strikes, why not get all the calls right? When Manning or Underwood say 'well that's his strike zone", it drives me crazy. The strike zone is not the umpires' strike zone. Even the best of the best plate umps will miss at least 6 borderline pitches every single game.

 

[Criznit]

Don't mean to derail the topic here, but I think baseball needs a pitch clock and an electronic strike zone more than anything. Can go either way with this rule being discussed. Last night in Akron...2 hours and thirty five minutes. Just no dicking around at all. A little weird though the few times the pitch clock time was exceeded there was no penalty enforced. I thought that was strange.

As for balls and strikes, why not get all the calls right? When Manning or Underwood say 'well that's his strike zone", it drives me crazy. The strike zone is not the umpires' strike zone. Even the best of the best plate umps will miss at least 6 borderline pitches every single game.

I think a pitch clock is a decent idea. Some of these batters need to pick it up to with the batting glove, bat tapping rituals as well.

 

[Martyinnewyork]

To my knowledge the “20 second pitch” rule is never enforced.

And it’s true that the “runner starts on 2nd in extra innings” thing isn’t the same as the hockey shootout.

 

[Lee]

Can we add a pole to this thread, curious if people like it or hate. I like it. I am not as huge as baseball fan as some of you, but baseball is to long, and extra inning games are exciting with the runner on 2nd.

For sure lets not do that in the playoffs going forward, but regular season it is fun.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Can we add a pole to this thread, curious if people like it or hate. I like it. I am not as huge as baseball fan as some of you, but baseball is to long, and extra inning games are exciting with the runner on 2nd.

For sure lets not do that in the playoffs going forward, but regular season it is fun.

I agree with you.

I'm not sure what adding a pole will do to make this thread any better, but shit, I'm down.

 

[Lee]

I agree with you.

I'm not sure what adding a pole will do to make this thread any better, but shit, I'm down.

This is a basketball site, if we are going to add a Pole, its should be this type of Pole.
https://twitter.com/mgortat