Another Long (and Sometimes Boring) World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up the 2025 World Series last night with a four games to three win over the American League Champion Toronto Blue Jays. Last night's game was exciting as the two evenly matched clubs played eleven innings to decide this year's championship. Unfortunately, it was another one dimensional game in which the game was decided by home runs.

I've written of the times of World Series games for the last several years. But, I'm not going into the length and boredom factor of each game as in years past. Here are the actual times of game for each of the seven in the 2025 “Fall Classic.”

Game 1     3:13
Game 2     2:36     This was the most snappily played game of the series.
Game 3     6:39     This was an 18-inning game. Had it been two games, each would have been long.
Game 4     2:54
Game 5     3:02
Game 6     3:02     Yes, it's the exact same length as the previous game.
Game 7     4:07     The game went 11 innings.

All together it was 1533 minutes of baseball. Not all of it was good when nothing happened at the plate due to walks, strikeouts, or hit batsmen. To put it another way, it was 25 and a half hours of  “America's Pastime.” Or, to put it another way, over a day of your life was gone if you watched every single game and every single pitch.

Rather than ignore the time the extra innings added to Game 3 and Game 7, I've calculated the average length two ways. The actual average time of game was 3:39. But, if recalculated using an average time per inning, the number is 20.716 minutes. Then, when that average per inning is multiplied by 9, it results in a time of game of 3:06.

While both times are still way too long for me, it's better than it had been before MLB implemented its time clock to speed up play. It's helped, but now the Major League Baseball powers that be need to go back to the drawing board and shorten the time between pitches.

World Series Game Five = 3:42 Boredom Factor = 33

The Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up the 2024 World Series coming from behind twice to beat the New York Yankees 7-6.  The Yankees were up 5-0 before the Dodgers clawed back to score five of their own in the fifth inning to tie it. The Yanks went back up in the 6th inning with a run before the Dodgers scored two more in the top of the eighth.  Blake Treinen and Walker Buehler then combined to close out New York and win Game 5 and the World Series.

This was the longest game of the series clocking in at 3:42.  It was an exciting game, but still three hours and 42 minutes for a nine inning game?  MLB needs to go back to the drawing board and tighten up the rules in place to speed up play.

The Boredom Factor is a combined total of 18 strikeouts and 16 walks as well as a hit batsman.  But, the biggest time waster was all of the pitching changes. The Dodgers changed hurlers seven times and the Yankees made four changes. I realize numerous pitching changes have become a part of today's game, but it is also killing the game. MLB "leadership", if there really is any, needs to figure out how to tighten up the game even more. I could write at length about this and will when I have more time.

Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers was selected by writers and broadcasters as the World Series MVP. He homered four times and drove in 13.  The only other player who I would have considered for the MVP is Mookie Betts who drove in 16 runs while batting .290

I mentioned Aaron Judge in the post prior to this one.  For the record, he ended up climbing over the Mendoza line, hitting .184 for the series. He was 2 for 3, with a double and a home run.

World Series Game Four = 3:16 Boredom Factor = 22

Apparently, the rules implemented by Major League  Baseball before the 2023 season don't apply in the World Series.  Actually, they do apply but this game logged in at three hours and 16 minutes.  The Yankees finally got a win in Game 4 as Aaron Judge got a hit and contributed to the Yanks 11-4 win over the Dodgers.  Judge is still below the Mendoza line hitting a "whopping" .152 for the series.

The boredom factor is a metric I came up with to count the number of times a batter came to the plate and failed to put the ball in play.  There were a combined 12 strikeouts, nine walks and a hit batsman.  There were also 9 pitching changes where a national TV audience watched commercials and Yankee Fans sat around waiting for the game to continue.

The Dodgers now lead the Yankees three games to one.

World Series Game Three = 3:25; Boredom Factor is 31

The World Series shifted cross country from Los Angeles to the Bronx.  The Dodgers behind the strong pitching of Walker Buehler  won the game 4-2.  For the third consecutive game Freddie Freeman homered for the Dodgers.

The boredom factor of the game is 28.  This is a statistic I've developed that counts the times a batter fails to put the ball into play during an at bat. This game there were18 strikeouts, 12 walks and one hit batsman.

The game as you saw in the headline for this post lasted a whopping three hours and 25 minutes. The main reason for this is both managers over used their bullpens. The Yankees used nine pitchers and the Dodgers employed 8 pitchers.  The TV talking heads tried to tell the public this was exciting baseball.  But, I doubt many people who watched it agree with that assessment.  

World Series Game Two = 2:53

The Los Angeles Dodgers won for the second night in a row downing the New York Yankees 4-2 behind the pitching of Yoshinobu Yamamoto.  And for the second night in a row Freddie Freeman homered for the Dodgers.

There were a lot of dull moments in this game too as 18 plate appearances took place without the hitter putting the ball into play.  There were 13 strikeouts, three walks and two hit batsmen, both times Anthony Rizzo was hanging out over the plate when he got plunked.  Rizzo needs to remember half of that plate belongs to the pitcher.

If you are looking for the time and boredom factor in Game One you may read about it by going to this post.

Dodgers Are the New World Series Champions

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers on their defeat of the New York Yankees four games to one.  I didn't watch any of the games, because they are too long and boring. But, I did read the Associated Press stories and it will not go down as a great series.

I will post my annual time and lack of action blogs in the coming day or two.  To give you an idea of what I mean, Game 1 lasted 3:27. (It went one extra inning before the Dodgers won on a walk-off grand slam by Freddie Freeman; one of the few highlights of the five game championship).

There were 24 trips to the plate in game one which the ball was not put into play.  There were 17 strikeouts (three by the Yankees Mike Judge), six walks and one hit batsman.  All just a waste of fans time.

One final thought on the completed series, Game Three of the "Fall Classic" just barely beat a mid-season NFL game in the night's TV rating.  You would think the baseball championship would have fared much better in the rating than the Steelers and Giants.

Congratulations Albert

Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals has just joined the 700 club.  700 HOME RUNS.  Pujols drove a 1-1 slider from Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Phil Bickford deep to left field at Dodger Stadium in the top of the fourth inning to reach the milestone homer.

Ironically, Pujols did it in Los Angeles where he had played the last 10 years of his career before signing with the Cardinals earlier this year.

Pujols is 4th all time on the home run leader list behind Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth.  Bonds achieved his record during baseball's steroid era and many so called experts believe it to be tainted by steroid usage.

Earlier in the game, during the third inning, Pujols hit homer 699 off of Dodger starter Andrew Heaney into the left field pavillion.  It was measured at 434 feet.

Pujols is in the final season of his career with the Cardinals having announced earlier this year this would be his last.

Game 6 = 3:28

The 2020 World Series* has come to an end with the average game lasting three hours and 37 minutes.  Game six was won by the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 over the Tampa Bay Rays and clinched the 2020 World Series*.  The Dodgers did not bat in the ninth and still the game,  lasted three hours and 28 minutes.  I missed on my original prediction by 12 minutes per game.  I had initially said the average 2020 World Series Game would last 3:25.

Part of the reason for yet another long boring game was that the Dodgers made six pitching changes.  This is not to criticize Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.  It is unfortunately, the way the game is being played with too many specialists that have ruined the flow of games and removed the sport as America's past time.  Overnight TV ratings for this World Series were down from last year when the Nationals beat the Astros.  In Game 5, less than eight million people watched the Sunday night game aired by Fox TV.  That compares to more than 12 million viewers who watched a mid-season regular season NFL game between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals which aired at the same time on NBC.

Baseball is an exciting game when played with a flow and at a good pace.  But, this bastardization of the game we have seen for the past too many years and this COVID shortened season has left it behind the growing fan base of the other big three professional sports.  Wake up MLB!

Game 5 = 3:30

Image Courtesy MLB

This was another long boring game played at a snail's pace.  Game 5 lasted three and a half hours and featured nine pitchers. The Dodgers beat the Rays 4-2 behind the pitching of Clayton Kershaw, who failed to last six innings. The Rays also hurt themselves with poor base running. The average time of game for the 2020 World Series* is now three hours and 36 minutes per game. Game 6 is scheduled for tomorrow night in Arlington, Texas. For some reason MLB in its infinite wisdom has decided to have another travel day today. This despite the fact all of the 2020 World Series* games are being played in Arlington at the same ballpark.

Game 4 = 4:10

The average length of game jumped to 3 hours and 37 minutes with this exceedingly long game that lasted four hours and ten minutes. Outside of a few seconds of excitement the evening was tedious. It appeared the Los Angeles Dodgers had this game won with their ace Kenley Jansen coming in to close it out. But, poor defense by Chris Taylor in the outfield and catcher Will Smith in the bottom of the ninth allowed the Rays to come back and tie the series at two games each. Game Five is scheduled for Sunday night.

Game Three = 3:14

The average time of game dropped slightly to 3 hours and 26 minutes each. My original prediction was the average length of game for the entire series would total 3:25. The Dodgers won this one 6-2 and both teams used a combined nine pitchers, which is one reason this one was much shorter than game two. The Dodgers now lead the Rays two games to one.

Game Two = 3:40

Image courrtesy MLB.

Game Two of the 2020 World Series lasted three hours and 40 minutes.  For the record it was won by the Tampa Bay Rays over the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4.  With the first two games played this year the average time of the games equals 3:32.  I forecast earlier this week the average length of game for the entire series would average 3:25.

Up next its game three tomorrow night from Arlington, Texas.  Oh, wait, that's where all the games are being played because of the pandemic.  So, MLB why was today a travel day when no one traveled?  My guess is Fox TV had something it thought might be less boring, like say, a presidential debate. 

Game One = 3:24

Image courtesy MLB

The first game of the "World Series" lasted 3:24.  That's for an eight and a half inning game.  And it is just one minute quicker than my prediction of an average game time of 3:25 for this year's games.  For the record it was won by the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-3 over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 2020 World Series*

Major League Baseball can call whatever this postseason experiment is whatever it wishes.  But this is not the World Series.  Thus, anything associated with the 2020 MLB post season should have an asterisk placed next to it. Perhaps, instead of giving the winner of this series of games a World Series trophy they should receive a COVID - 19 trophy shaped like an image of the virus.

The entire season has been a joke and made a mockery of the game known as "America's Past-time."  The reason MLB is selling this farce as the World Series is so it gets paid hundreds of millions of dollars from its TV partners headed by Fox Sports.

Personally, I don't have a dog in the fight, but am not a fan of the Dodgers so by default I'm pulling just slightly for the Tampa Bay Rays.  And I hope the series ends quickly so this farce leaves the stage of the sports world to more legitimate games and competitions.

I won't have much to say about the games outside of writing about them the same way I have the past two years.  I will be keeping track of the time of the games since they are very 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 25 minutes.  Time will tell.  Check back here after each game for an update.

Wow, Did I Miss Calling that Series!

In my previous post of nine days ago I predicted the Atlanta Braves would sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in a National League Divisional Series.  I blew the call.  The Cards won the series three games to two this afternoon and advance to the National League Championship Series against either the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Washington Nationals.  (The outcome has not been determined as I write this).

In the decisive game this afternoon the Cards scored ten runs in the first inning and the rest, as they say, is history.  Redbird starter Jack Flaherty was sharp and pitched six strong innings giving up only one run as the Cards went on to win 13-1.  Flaherty is only 23 years old and if you are not familiar with him, watch him pitch.  He is something special and might be one of the great ones if he stays healthy.  Many times this season he pitched when his teammates did not give him run support or the bullpen blew a save.  But, he still  posted an 11-8 record with an ERA of just 2.75.

This Cardinal team has surpassed my expectations, especially when you think how feckless it was at the All-Star break. On July 12 the Birds were 44-45, three games back of the then division leading Chicago Cubs.  I don't know what will happen from this point on but the rest of the season is gravy.  Game one of the NLCS will be Friday night in either Los Angeles or St. Louis.

And the Series is Over. Game Five = 3:00

Funny how when you thought the Dodgers, who were facing elimination, would pull out all of the stops, they didn't.  This was the "fastest" game of the 2018 World Series coming in at three hours.  Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox on their latest World Championship.  The Red Sox now own nine baseball championships.  They still trail the Cardinals by two World Series championships and the Yankees by 18.

The five games of this series took a total of 21 hours and 21 minutes to play 53 innings or a little over 24 minutes to play one full inning.  The average time of game was four hours and 16 minutes.  If you consider the 18 inning game as two games the length of each game averaged 3:33.

Baseball moves at a snail's pace and if the game wants to thrive it must do some soul searching if it is serious about speeding up the game.  This generation of fans will not put up with long periods of inactivity when it wants instant gratification.  MLB you can do the right thing if you really want to speed things up.

Game Four = 3:57

The Red Sox won the game 9-6 after having fallen behind the Dodgers 4-0.  But, with big seventh, eighth, and ninth innings the Red Sox are now on the verge of clinching the 2018 World Series.  There was nothing special about the game, it was just another overly long baseball game played by two teams at a snail's pace.

So far it has now taken a total of 18 hours and 21 minutes to play 44 innings or about 25 minutes to play one inning  The Red Sox lead the series three games to one.  Game Five will be played this evening in Los Angeles.

Game Three = 7:20

OK, OK, I know this game lasted 18 innings and was the longest game in World Series History.  But, if we look at it as if the 18 innings were two games; each of the games lasted three hours and 40 minutes.  I live in the Central Time Zone and the last thing I remember seeing was the game was tied at 1-1 in the eleventh inning.

To be honest I did not watch the game(s) because it was too long and boring.  Instead I fell asleep in the middle innings and then woke up later when the game was tied in extra innings.  My guess is not many people in the country watched the entire seven hours and 20 minutes.

So far it has now taken a total of 14 hours and 24 minutes to play 35 innings or a little over 24 minutes to play an inning.  The Red Sox lead the series two games to one.  Game Four will be played this evening in California.

Game Two = 3:12

Relatively speaking Game Two was a quick one; well for Major League Baseball.  Relatively is the key word here.  It took three hours and 12 minutes to play an eight and a half inning game in which Los Angeles had a total of three singles.  The Red Sox won 4-2 and used four pitchers.  Meanwhile, the Dodgers used six pitchers to go down two games to none in the series.

So, thus far it has taken a total of seven hours and four minutes to play 17 innings.  That's a lot of wasted time for the people at the game in Boston where the Wind Chill Index was 42 at the start of the game.  Way to go MLB!

Just Another "Who Cares World Series"

In a little under an hour the 2018 World Series will begin in Boston.  I predicted Boston would win it all earlier this summer and missed when I incorrectly chose Milwaukee to beat the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.

But, honestly I don't plan on watching much of what Major League Baseball (MLB) calls the "Fall Classic".  I am not invested in either of the teams and both clubs have an unfair advantage over their smaller market opponents.  But, the real reason I won't watch is I just don't have three and a half to four hours a night to devote to the games.  Thiis is why I call it a "Who Cares World Series".  This was the headline of an East Coast newspaper prior to the start of the 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals.

The average time of the National League Championship Series games was 3:33.  And if you add in the 13 inning game between the Brewers and Dodgers the average time becomes 3:53.  This is too long and much of the time there is no action.  (Unless you want to say batters stepping out of the box and adjusting their gloves is "action".)

And the American League is worse.  The average time of the AL Championship Series games was 3:57.  Three hours and 57 minutes on the average to watch a nine inning game.  And while MLB would tell you it was a classic, Game 4 lasted 4 hours and 33 minutes.  The final score was 8-6 and it was a nine inning game.  That amount of time for a baseball game is way, way, way too long.

And what makes this all worse is grade school kids won't be able to see the end of most games unless they live in the Pacific time zone.  Based on the average times of the NLCS and ALCS contests, games in this World Series games will take about 3:45 minutes to play.  For those living in the Eastern Time Zone the games probably won't end until several minutes before midnight.  For the Pacific Time Zone it is a little more manageable for children in that the games should end about 8:53.

MLB brags about record attendance figures every year but the bottom line is the people who will be paying for tickets in ten to 15 years will be shut out from seeing the World Series games to their conclusion.  MLB my advice to you is wake up! (No pun intended.)