Interesting quote here from Bob Costas on what MLB might consider for the 2020 season when it resumes: “Given the uniqueness of the situation, even fans who prize the continuity of the game, would understand that this is a … once in forever situation. … Now’s the time to put (ideas) on the table and experiment with some portion of them.”
SU thinks this is a great idea. While baseball has so much history and more than any sport cherishes its statistics, this season will always have an asterisk associated with it and why not see what works and resonates with the fans? SU says a few ideas come to mind:
- Shortened games – 7 innings. And if it goes into extra innings, roll out what they are doing in the minor leagues by putting a runner on 2nd base to start the inning.
- Doubleheaders: if you go with 7 innings, why not? You can even make them day/night DHs. The fans may even like that as the crowds will be smaller as you know people will be skittish to return so soon packed into seats in 95-degree weather sticking to the dude sitting next to you.
- Pitch clock and the batter cannot step out of the box. Get the OCD players to tighten those batting gloves one time only.
- Use technology to call pitches. Surely, MLB can leverage something from the Astros – let them put their intelligence to good use.
- Keep in the new relief pitcher minimum number of batters (3).
- Make pitching changes from the dugout. Do we really need to see the manager saunter out to the mound killing time?
- No visits to the mound by the pitching coach – or by the catcher.
SU agrees with Bob Costas. This could be a fun season. It’s not even about winning and losing. It’s about entertainment at this point.
Netflix/Amazon Update:
- SU finished 3 seasons of Babylon Berlin. First 2 seasons were better but interesting series.
- Season 3 of Ozark has been outstanding so far.
- The Invisible Guest recommended by long-time subscriber, T. Polak, was very good. Spanish with sub-titles. Movie.
- As mentioned before, BroadChurch was very good. First 2 seasons out of 3 were better but highly recommend.
- And finally, Homeland has been very good this season. Oh, and just started watching The Plot Against America and enjoying so far.
OK, thoughts on whether baseball should use 2020 to experiment? Or is it business as usual with the shortened season?
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Or on the flip side, MLB may find that a socially distanced fanbase returns with re-discovered patience and appreciation for subtlety. 3-4 hours of unscripted suspenseful competition may be welcome. After seeing nobody come and go other than family members or delivery workers, viewers may be thrilled to see managers walk out of the dugout. After becoming well-trained hand-washers and surface-scrubbers, they may find a new tolerance for the OCD behavior in the batter’s box.
I’m sort of old-school on this. So it shouldn’t be a surprise if, of the proposed modifications,only the double-header idea really interests me. More generally, I don’t think baseball does itself any favors in changing itself too much to chase fans. I watch Baseball Tonight or watch my son play baseball video games and these products barely reflect the game. And that’s the problem. Younger viewers are expecting to see a game condensed to 1.5 minutes of strikeouts and HRs with the occasional sparkling defensive play. When watching a full game they realize it takes 3 hours to see the same stuff. If baseball is to remain strong in a form anything like we now it, it needs to figure out how to get fans to appreciate the other things that happen in between the homeruns.
Point 3 for sure should be the standard. Point 2 is a very good idea. You are also trying to reduce the chance for injury.
Designated Survivor on Netflix is pretty good too
If you’re taking suggestions for TV:
Line of Duty on acorn ($5 /month) GREAT POLICE/crime series (May use cc as British accent hard understand …EACH season separate story ( same team )
Goliath (billy Bob Thornton as criminal defense attorney)…3 seasons, different stories …series 1 the best!!!!)
Peaky blinders (Irish family runs crime syndicate in 1900’s…GREAT!!!)
The Sinner (Bill Pullman as detective solving complicated “what really happened”) …2 seasons separate stories…you’ll never figure it out!
Marcella (British crime drama)
Bodyguard ( 1 season get past first episode and it’s great)
>
If you like quirky:
1. Sex Education – 8.3 on IMDB – A teenage boy with a sex therapist mother teams up with a high school classmate to set up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.
2. Euphoria – 8.4 on IMDB – A look at life for a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex, and violence.
3. Fleabag – 8.7 on IMDB – A comedy series adapted from the award-winning play about a young woman trying to cope with life in London whilst coming to terms with a recent tragedy.
4. Red Oaks – 7.9 on IMDB (8.5 if you are Jewish and grew up the New York Metro area) – A coming-of-age comedy set in the “go-go” 80s about a college student enjoying a last hurrah before summer comes to an end–and the future begins.
Our country, our world lacks patience. Everyone seems to be looking for instant gratification to a larger degree. Sports is one of the key driving forces in all of this. All those virtual games are action packed. Like Seth stated…. this is what youth thrives on. After playing a few hours of these virtual games and then to watch a real baseball game would put them to sleep. I think that’s a big reason why soccer has not been fully embraced over here. These 1-0, 2-1 games are enough enough for most of us. I think golf may have surpassed soccer in terms of excitement. At least there is constant action because cameras are set up on so many holes that someone is about to take a swing. Quick replays on what we missed come into it as well.
With the addition of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Zulu, etc. etc there will always be Action Packed Options for us all. I don’t know where that leaves baseball…. but a time clock for the pitcher and not leaving the batters box for the hitter should help. Mound visits are OK… as that’s part of the game. Unless there is an injury when a relief pitcher comes in he should have 10 throws only while on the mound.
ANYONE WANT TO GO FOR A BIKE RIDE?