Why in the world does baseball play so many games? 162 games, double what both the NBA and NHL play. More than half the time they are playing to half-filled or less stadiums, and playing at times that the average wage-earning person cannot attend, much less actually watch live on television, the games. Why not cut down the season, make it where each game means more to the result, and play when you can fill that huge stadium.
What's the point?
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crono1224
If it makes you feel any better they also play about 30 preseason games. The fact they play so many does diminish the significance of games, and most times the really heated parts aren't until the last few weeks or last month. Even with that the fact they have to play two games in one day is even more silly.
But they will never reduce games, it would screw up all non averaged stats. As well as ruining abilties to get to 3000 hits and how ever many home runs barry steriods has.
But they will never reduce games, it would screw up all non averaged stats. As well as ruining abilties to get to 3000 hits and how ever many home runs barry steriods has.
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crono1224
The fact that there are games played at like 1-3pm on a weekday is rediculous. As well playing 2 games in one day is also a tad stupid, they are hardly fully rested.
Although attendance is hard to judge MLB Attedance by Percent vs NFL Attendance by Percent. The tops are close and MLB has decent attendance through 10 even 15 teams, but it drops off rapidly, and some teams have sub 50 or even 40% attendance.
Although attendance is hard to judge MLB Attedance by Percent vs NFL Attendance by Percent. The tops are close and MLB has decent attendance through 10 even 15 teams, but it drops off rapidly, and some teams have sub 50 or even 40% attendance.
Double headers are traditions in baseball, and they're being phased out anyway. It's about the challenge of playing 2 games in a row, so of course they aren't rested. That's not the point anyway. Players can do it just fine.
Games at 1pm on a weekday are rare, and usually done to make up for scheduling conflicts. They are so rare that they aren't even a factor.
I won't argue which sport is more popular, but I don't see the logic in comparing NFL attendance to MLB attendance. One is played once a week, the other is played 4-7 days a week. It's not exactly a shock if you can get more fans to show up to a game on a Sunday compared to consistently throughout the week. It's comparing apples and oranges.
The vibe I'm getting from this is "I don't like baseball, so it should change/go away." I shouldn't have to tell you how stupid and juvenile that is.
---------- Post added at 01:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 AM ----------
I just checked the SF Giants schedule. For the rest of the entire season there are FOUR games that start before 4pm on weekdays. Just four. How is that a huge problem? The vast majority are in the afternoon/evening.
Games at 1pm on a weekday are rare, and usually done to make up for scheduling conflicts. They are so rare that they aren't even a factor.
I won't argue which sport is more popular, but I don't see the logic in comparing NFL attendance to MLB attendance. One is played once a week, the other is played 4-7 days a week. It's not exactly a shock if you can get more fans to show up to a game on a Sunday compared to consistently throughout the week. It's comparing apples and oranges.
The vibe I'm getting from this is "I don't like baseball, so it should change/go away." I shouldn't have to tell you how stupid and juvenile that is.
---------- Post added at 01:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 AM ----------
I just checked the SF Giants schedule. For the rest of the entire season there are FOUR games that start before 4pm on weekdays. Just four. How is that a huge problem? The vast majority are in the afternoon/evening.
Baseball plays every day to make money. If you look at the history of the sport attending a professional baseball game was seen as another form of entertainment like going to the theater. Also unless you're a pitcher it is not a hugely demanding game that takes a toll on your body, and unlike football does not require the same prep time. Like other's have said the vast majority of the games played on the weekdays start at 7pm local time, with more weekend games being played during the afternoons.
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crono1224
Why would you choose 4pm? Even assuming the standard 9-5 or 8-4 that means no time to go home before the game starts. In addition the point of comparing a once a week sport to a 4-7 times a week sport was his point that because there are so many games that it diminishes the importance and attendance dwindles.
Here This is NBA's Attendance the lowest doesn't even approach 50% and that's important because they still play usually 2-3 times a week.
Now I casually enjoy baseball, but the simple fact is there are a ridiculous amount of games that diminish the importance of every game. I'm also not saying that they should reduce the number of games either, just making comments on the facts.
Here This is NBA's Attendance the lowest doesn't even approach 50% and that's important because they still play usually 2-3 times a week.
Now I casually enjoy baseball, but the simple fact is there are a ridiculous amount of games that diminish the importance of every game. I'm also not saying that they should reduce the number of games either, just making comments on the facts.
4 is called the business man special. So many baseball fans live in the suburbs, and the stadiums are mostly downtown. So they can never make a weekday game if it starts at 7. At 4, they can skip lunch or just kill an hour, and slide over to the game. Then the game will end around 6:30-7, and they will then have a pretty quick commute back home by 8-9.
I'm not a big baseball fan, but based on my observations, the gap between the best MLB team and the worst team isn't that large. Therefore, each team's record is going to win and lose quite a few games. In baseball you probably won't see stuff like the Chicago Bulls's 72-10 winning percentages. Thus, you need more games to be able to differentiate who's ever so slightly better than the others.
There's a quote from the West Wing, 'In a Major League season, you play 162 games, you know you're going to win a third of those games, you know you're going to lose a third of those games...it's what happens in the remaining third that defines your season.'
There's a quote from the West Wing, 'In a Major League season, you play 162 games, you know you're going to win a third of those games, you know you're going to lose a third of those games...it's what happens in the remaining third that defines your season.'
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crono1224
MLB current standings maybe you want to look at that most last place teams are 10+ games out of first, and some are 20+.
MLB current standings maybe you want to look at that most last place teams are 10+ games out of first, and some are 20+.[/QUOTE]
Only 14 teams have won over .700 in 124 years.
List of best Major League Baseball season won-loss records - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So that is statement is still true roughly 89% of the time.
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Chazwozel
Because baseball is easy as hell to play, in the sense that the players don't get beat to hell as bad as NHL, MLS, or NHL players do. And, as mentioned, it's tradition.
---------- Post added at 02:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:15 PM ----------
I actually like that baseball has a shit ton of games per season. It makes seating so much cheaper than for other sports. NFL ticket prices are insane!
^ This.
I also like the long season because of the strategy that becomes involved. when you play 16 games your strategy over the season is simply win every game you can. When you play 162 games a season you have to make sure that you win the important games, maintain a pacing, etc.
Football is a sprint, Baseball is a marathon.
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crono1224
MLB current standings maybe you want to look at that most last place teams are 10+ games out of first, and some are 20+.[/QUOTE]
Only 14 teams have won over .700 in 124 years.
List of best Major League Baseball season won-loss records - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So that is statement is still true roughly 89% of the time.[/QUOTE]
So because 1 team runs away in a league featuring playoffs of 8 teams, has what to do with the fact that there is still a fairly large disparity in first and last place teams in MLB?
MLB current standings maybe you want to look at that most last place teams are 10+ games out of first, and some are 20+.[/QUOTE]
Only 14 teams have won over .700 in 124 years.
List of best Major League Baseball season won-loss records - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So that is statement is still true roughly 89% of the time.[/QUOTE]
So because 1 team runs away in a league featuring playoffs of 8 teams, has what to do with the fact that there is still a fairly large disparity in first and last place teams in MLB?[/QUOTE]
None of those teams are losing more than 30% of their games. Only two there have won more than 60% of their games. The adage still holds true.
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trying to fix that first sentence.
The teams that lost the most games still won a third of them. The teams in the lead, still lost a third.
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crono1224
Ehhh, who cares if they lost or won more than x, you have say... 8 teams who are in the hunt out of 16 by allstar break and the bottom 8 aren't ever going to break into top 6 much less into the 4 that is required to make the playoffs.
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crono1224
My point was that it isn't anyone can make the playoffs or win the division like is being stated. The facts are that most of the teams probably at least 8 per league don't have a chance at all to make the playoffs.
OK, They suck for 3 months, then suck for 2 more. They don't deserve to make the playoffs if they are not in striking distance.
8 out of 30 is not as bad as the NFL's 12 out of 32.
How many football teams have been dead last place half way through the season, go on to the playoffs?
And how is any of what you're saying different from other sports? And why would it be a basis for changing the schedules or altering the league? And what about the fact that it's not the same teams out of contention every year, meaning that all teams have a chance over an extended period of time?
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crono1224
I wasn't making a point for shortening the season I am saying outside of probably football the differences between baseball and basketball/hockey season length probably has a minimal effect on who finishes where, unless very important people get injured or come back from injury. My point was that the length of the baseball season doesn't do anymore to 'sort' the best teams, than say the basketball season length or hockey. Football being the exception cause it is so short (for good reason though).
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Chazwozel
So what? It gives fans more games to go to.
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Musashi
I'm surprised the Yankees are number seven on the list.
But I am glad that the Phillies are number one on the list.
I'm surprised the Yankees are number seven on the list.
But I am glad that the Phillies are number one on the list.[/QUOTE]
I'm not surprised the yankees are low. Who wants to pay 180k a year for season tickets?
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crono1224
So what? It gives fans more games to go to.[/QUOTE]
Hey I never argued that it didn't give people more games to see, but I was debating the fact it doesn't sort the teams any better. And if it makes games cheaper and easier to see than thats fine.
I'm surprised the Yankees are number seven on the list.
But I am glad that the Phillies are number one on the list.[/QUOTE]
That is by precent, MLB Attendance by Average they are first in average per game, their stadium must just be bigger.
If any league was set up so that the length of the season provided a definitive answer to who will make the playoffs, it would not do well economically near the end of the season. If the playoffs were decided by game 120, would anyone ever attend the final 42? So it would seem that the leagues design themselves so that the season is never decided until the final game.
In the NHL this year, the team that lost in the finals, didn't make the playoffs until the final game of the season.
In the NHL this year, the team that lost in the finals, didn't make the playoffs until the final game of the season.
"Standing Room Only" tickets. You can get in, but you can't get a seat. They do those here in SF. The trade off is that they are dirt cheap.
Until 1969, you won the pennant and went straight to the World Series. That's it. Second and lower got NOTHING.
1969-1993 You won your division and played in the LCS. Second and lower still got NOTHING.
Fuck the wild card. I don't care if the guy who won the other division has a worse record than you. You didn't win YOUR division. STFU and try again next year.
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