In 1968 the average game was 2:27
In 2021 it was 3 hours, 3 minutes
See a problem here?
If a hitter had kept stepping out on a pitcher like Bob Gibson for example, back in 1968, he'd have knocked them on their azz.
My least favorite aspect of baseball. A grown man gets his feelings hurt and responds by standing 60 feet away from the grown man who hurt his feelings and throwing a ball at him, and this is somehow viewed as tough or macho.
I get it but remember this started way back before the DH and that pitcher had to step in the box himself, and still does in the National League. Also it was usually a response to something that had happened such as the opposing pitcher hitting or throwing at one of his teammates. Nobody is for head hunters but sending a message around the waist when called for is different. Even an occasional sticking one in their back pocket if their pitcher has been head hunting. Hopefully it is infrequent!
There is a DH in the national league now also. There is only one pitcher left who still gets in the batters box.
I thought they were going to eliminate the DH in AL? I was hoping for that instead. I haven't watched an NL game this year. I'm a Tigers fan and there hasn't been interleague games yet. I guess Otani is the only one stepping in the box.
azblackhemi, I wish most were talented enough to beat the shift a majority of the time but I guess the percentages showed they weren't and it was not enjoyable to the fans. To me stacking infielders on one side was no different than a base runner going way outside the base path to avoid a tag.
