# MLB Regular Season March/April 2023 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [March 27, 2023, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730 "2023-03-27T19:51:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/161 "2023-04-17T15:57:33Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I don’t get what the plan is here. I’m 99% certain the plan is “an excuse to sell more jerseys to fans.” ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/162 "2023-04-17T16:44:49Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > But has any fan ever said, “I wish my team would come up with an alternative uniform?” Sure. There are plenty of fans out there that have looked at Premier League kits, NFL color crush unis, the prevalence of 3rd/4th uniforms in NCAA football and said “I think it would be at least mildly fun to have a third uniform of my favorite MLB team”. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I don’t understand the name (city connect?). Huh? All of these jerseys specifically make a connection to the city’s history. It’s a way to further “connect” the team to the “city” they play in. > [@](#): > > I don’t get what the plan is here. Create alternate jersey. Sell alternate jersey. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/163 "2023-04-17T16:57:12Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Huh? All of these jerseys specifically make a connection to the city’s history. It’s a way to further “connect” the team to the “city” they play in. I wasn’t aware we had a problem connecting the teams to the cities they play in. When I think Mariners, I think Seattle. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/164 "2023-04-17T16:57:36Z")
I really don’t get interested in baseball until June, but I have heard that the fans really like the timing clocks that are shortening the game. Is this true? Anyone want to post an opinion? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/165 "2023-04-17T17:00:47Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > but I have heard that the fans really like the timing clocks that are shortening the game. Is this true? Anyone want to post an opinion? I love the pace of the game this year. It doesn’t seem “rushed,” but it moves along at a nice clip. The games sure _seem_ shorter, but I haven’t seen any stats other than spring training (games about 20-30 minutes shorter). And I’m someone who didn’t particularly mind longer games. I did sometimes fast forward between pitches, which I don’t do now. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/166 "2023-04-17T17:04:19Z")
It has been awesome. Yesterday’s Yankee game was just over 2 hours in a pitching duel. I believe the games are running about 30 minutes shorter on average and the pace of play feels more like the 70s. Defense seems sharper which might be me misjudging or might be as the fielders are staying on their toes due to the pace of play. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/167 "2023-04-17T17:11:23Z")
I am a hard-core Traditionalist who has no problem with long games, and I am loving the pitch clock. Mainly because it shuts down all the futzing around at the plate by batters. The game moves right along and I’m discovering that the world has not ended because of it. Still hate the DH, however. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/168 "2023-04-17T17:14:58Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Still hate the DH, however. I’m reserving all my hate for the extra inning runner on second. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/169 "2023-04-17T17:17:39Z")
Same, I grew up with the DH and vaguely remember Ron Bloomberg of the Yankees having the first plate appearance as the first DH. He walked, thus I am not saying At Bat. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/170 "2023-04-17T17:20:51Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Mainly because it shuts down all the futzing around at the plate by batters. The game moves right along and I’m discovering that the world has not ended because of it. This, exactly, for me. There was no more action in a 3-hour game last year than there was in a 2.5 hour game back in the '70s and '80s (probably even less, in fact, due to less frequent attempts at steals and lower batting averages), and the extra half-hour was largely due to players dawdling during at-bats. A game that runs 3+ hours because there’s interesting things going on is awesome. A 3+ hour game which runs that long because of batters stepping out, pitchers walking around the mound, mound conferences, interminable throws over to first base, etc. is _not_ awesome. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/171 "2023-04-17T17:25:03Z")
There is always going to be a hardcore contingent of fans who think the game should be played exactly as it was in the 1950s, and they don’t like the pitch clock. I was skeptical at first, but it seems to be working well. I like the universal DH too, but I’m still not sure about banning the shift. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/172 "2023-04-17T17:27:30Z")
I don’t think throws to first were ever a problem. In a typical game you might see each side do it maybe three times? Another case of solving a problem that didn’t make a lot of difference. I was skeptical of the pitch clock, but I’ve come to appreciate the speed of play. Killing the shift absolutely had to be done, the sabermetric geeks ruined the game for the past decade and turned MLB into glorified home run derby. If I had a magic lamp and had three wishes: 1- Eliminate the DH 2- Eliminate the ghost runner on 2nd 3- Add two teams and eliminate interleague play. Finally, the worst baseball uniforms were the Red Sox yellow outfits. Nobody else comes close. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/173 "2023-04-17T17:28:38Z")
I also like the faster pace of games now. Makes it easy to see any night game in the eastern or central time zones for me. Or, even watching a day game doesn’t mean my entire afternoon is taken. Still against the runner on second as a solution is search of a problem, I can understand it for the Covid season to avoid long 19 inning marathons in a very shortened season, but not today ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/174 "2023-04-17T17:41:16Z")
Me too. Pitch clock is great, Manfred Man sucks donkey balls. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/175 "2023-04-17T17:41:22Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I am taking the kids to the game tomorrow, so the Jays will doubtless play horribly. I was right, they were awful. The renovations to the outfield were quite nice, a huge improvement. They still need to do the rest of the stadium though, but if it’s done as well as what they’ve done so far, it’ll be great. I love the faster pace when watching on TV or listening on radio; in person, gotta tella ya, love it just as much. It’s common in some online circles to find people bitching that “wahhhh they’re doing this for kids with no attention span and people who aren’t fans anyway.” In IRL, I literally have yet to meet a single person who doesn’t like it, and many of these people are longtime baseball fans. I’m a grown middle aged man with a very serviceable attention span, and the pace is just better. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/176 "2023-04-17T17:42:51Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t think throws to first were ever a problem. I don’t think they were contended to be a problem- it was a measure taken simply to incentivize base stealing. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/177 "2023-04-17T17:47:04Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > 1- Eliminate the DH > 2- Eliminate the ghost runner on 2nd > 3- Add two teams and eliminate interleague play. I agree with 2 and 3, but the DH is fine. Also, dammit, it’s an automatic runner. I’d be fine with adding SIX teams, going to 3 6-team divisions per league, but getting rid of interleague play is the key thing, IMHO. I don’t like this fly-all-over-the-place-to-play-everyone thing and I don’t see how it adds to the fan experience. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/178 "2023-04-17T17:48:18Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > I like the universal DH too, but I’m still not sure about banning the shift. I didn’t know about this. So, basically, because some batters aren’t skilled enough to adjust to a defense that is overplaying a part of the field, they made a rule to make their lives easier? That’s pathetic. To me, that’s like banning the blitz in football because some quarterbacks aren’t skilled enough to read it and adjust to the open receiver. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/179 "2023-04-17T17:52:30Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I didn’t know about this. So, basically, because some batters aren’t skilled enough to adjust to a defense that is overplaying a part of the field, they made a rule to make their lives easier? The rationale was more singles. More singles would be good; batting averages are too low. I suspect this will backfire, however, as it will only encourage the Joey Gallos to keep pulling everything. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730/180 "2023-04-17T17:53:39Z")
1. I don’t mind the DH in the American League. I don’t care about the American League much, so what they do is largely irrelevant to me. 2. Forgot about the ghost runner. Yeah, Manfred needs to be punished for this farce. I’m thinking about maybe tying him to a pole on the pitchers mound at the All-Star game and letting the pre-game show be every player, coach and batboy/ballgirl getting a chance to fungo a shot at his un-cup-protected balls. 3. I like inter-league play. It gives me a chance to boo teams I hate in person rather than just on TV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-regular-season-march-april-2023/981730.md?page=10)