By David Mair, General Writer
As James Earl Jones put it, “the only constant through all the years has been baseball”. It’s the great American pastime.
An afternoon spent sitting in the bleachers, wearing short sleeves, with popcorn or crackerjacks watching one’s team is great. But is taking someone out to the ball game too much of a time commitment these days?
As of recent, concerns have come up that the play of game is too slow. According to the MLB website the past nine seasons have had the most attendance.
Current MLB Commissioner Bud Selig feels that game play needs to be sped up. In the past week he announced the formation of a committee to discuss how to speed up the pace of game play in time for a result to be added to the 2015 season.
Commissioner Selig’s new committee is not without great reason. Society right now is fast moving. People enjoy fast action and baseball just isn’t that at all.
In comparison to other sports, it’s quite slow. Some games can go for two hours while others could last up to four hours. It makes sense that many people would become bored with a game that has no exact end time.
On the other hand the length of a baseball game is what makes the game itself so completely unique, that’s why the pace of play should be left alone. It is one of the only sports to not have a time limit.
Because fans can come out for the afternoon ready to just soak in the sunshine, watching their team play. The afternoon is then spent talking, eating, and enjoying the game, however long that maybe.
Besides baseball is not a sport that is meant to be played quickly. It is a game that that requires great attention, as well as patience.
I personally disagree with Commissioner Selig that it needs to be sped up. The length of games is fine, it’s the length of a season that needs to be shortened. Right now a MLB team plays a total of 162 games and can play each team on average of 15-20 times during the season, which will make the season run from late March ending in late September.
I think the amount of games played are unnecessary, as well as redundant. Especially when a team will play another team three days in a row. It would make more sense for them to play less games and to play every team only five times throughout a season.
And while I don’t agree with the decision to speed up game play, I can appreciate that Commissioner Selig is acknowledging that it might be time for change. I believe the joy of baseball is being able to enjoy a game that could last for the afternoon.
Therefore in my opinion what should be shortened in the MLB is the amount of games played, along with the amount of times each team plays another. I won’t be excited to hear if games do get shortened, rather I look forward to see positive change come from the Commissioner wanting to better the sport itself.
