GameTwo = 3:18

The Houston Astros bounced back to win game two of the 2022 World Series 5-2 over the Philadelphia Phillies in a game played at Minute Maid Park in Houston.  The game was completed in three hours and 18 minutes.  But, keep in mind Houston didn't bat in the ninth inning.

The game was seven minutes longer than Game Two of the 2021 series between the Astros and Atlanta Braves.  Last night's game was 52 minutes longer than game two of the 1972 World Series between the Oakland A's and Cincinnati Reds.  That game 50 years ago featured A's Hall of Fame pitcher Catfish Hunter outdueling the Reds Ross Grimsley 2-1 at old Riverfront Stadium.

Last night's contest featured 24 plate appearances in which the batter failed to put the ball in play.  There were 17 batters who whiffed and seven more that took a walk.  And to drag it out even more there were five pitching changes in a game that was never close.

Game One = 4:34

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The first game of the 2022 World Series is behind us.  Philadelphia came from behind to beat Houston 6-5 in ten innings.

The time of the game, in case you didn't look at the headline was four hours and 34 minutes.  Yes, 274 minutes long.  It started just after seven p.m. where I live and didn't end until after 11:30 p.m.  That means 12:30 a.m. along the east coast of the US.  I wonder how many kids fell asleep or had to go to bed before it ended.  MLB you really need to be cultivating those young fans because your future is not bright.

For the record there were 23 strikeouts and nine walks in the game.  That means there was no action on the field outside of the pitcher and catcher where fans watching at the field and on TV waited for the ball to be put into play.  And to add to the boredom there were eleven pitching changes when fans sat around waiting for the game to resume.  Your fans are asleep MLB, but even with next year's planned rules changes to speed up the game you are in trouble.  Wake up!

2022 World Series

Baseball's popularity at the major league level continues to wane due to the lack of action it provides to its patrons.  And the 2022 post-season is no different.  This year the rocket scientists that manage Major League Baseball expanded the playoffs to permit two more mediocre teams into the post season tournament.

That hasn't worked out very well for the suits in New York as a team that has no business playing this post season, the Philadelphia Phillies, is now in the World Series.  And the best team in the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers, is home for the winter doing whatever millionaire baseball players do in the winter in Southern California.

I won't be watching any of the games from start to finish because I don't care to invest four hours in a game.  Then multiply that by up to seven depending on the number of games that are played.  No thanks.  I have a life and if Major League Baseball (MLB) really wanted me to watch, the games would start about 4 p.m. where I live in the central time zone.  But, baseball has to show them in primetime for the FOX TV network, which has literally millions of dollars wrapped up in rights payments to Major League Baseball.

If you want to know my take on this year's matchup you can read this post from earlier this evening.  I won't have much to say about the individual games outside of writing about them the same way I have the past couple of years.  I will be keeping track of the time of the games since they are extremely long and frequently become incredibly boring.  Based on the last two seasons my guess is the average length of game for this series will be about three hours and 35 minutes.  Time will tell.  Check back here after each game for an update.

Fearless World Series Prediction

As I finally get around to writing this, the 2022 World Series is underway in Houston with the Astros leading the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 in the fourth inning of Game One.

After seeing both teams play during the regular and post-season I can say with a fair amount of certainty Houston is superior in all aspects to Philadelphia.  The Phillies momentum has taken them as far as they will go this year..

Houston has the better pitching, hitting and defense.  Phillies bats have come alive in the post season but they haven't faced the likes of Verlander and the rest of the Houston pitching staff.  I don't have a dog in this fight and really don't care who wins.  But, for what it's worth my fearless prediction is the Astros in five games.