Why not play 9?

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Dec 15, 2018
809
93
CT
Genuinely curious, what do you find exciting about relief pitchers, or pitching changes? The strategy? The extra nap time?

NCAA baseball and softball appear to have about the same runs scored per game / per nine innings already. 5.8 for baseball runs/game, and 4.2 runs/game for softball (which would be 5.4 adjusted for nine innings).

So, to the extent scoring = excitement, they're about the same. Other aspects like pace of play, speed, I'd favor softball.

I personally don't see a need for an adjustment.

Edit: I love both games. They seem perfect the way they are.
 
Nov 8, 2020
402
43
Genuinely curious, what do you find exciting about relief pitchers, or pitching changes? The strategy? The extra nap time?

NCAA baseball and softball appear to have about the same runs scored per game / per nine innings already. 5.8 for baseball runs/game, and 4.2 runs/game for softball (which would be 5.4 adjusted for nine innings).

So, to the extent scoring = excitement, they're about the same. Other aspects like pace of play, speed, I'd favor softball.

I personally don't see a need for an adjustment.

Edit: I love both games. They seem perfect the way they are.
It's not that relief pitchers, by themselves make the games more exciting. But they do get more players invved, there is usually a change in arm side, style, it allows for different strategies. You may see hitters take more pitches and try to get the starter out earlier.
It will also get teams to carry more pitchers which means more girls get to go to college and play.

I am ok with making tweaks to the games, baseball makes tweaks it seems every couple years, softball doesn't seem to change many rules at all. Let's make a few and see what sort of interest level it can gain, if it doesn't gain any, then go back to the other way.

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May 29, 2019
269
63
Maybe because they had the foresight to realize that 9 innings is too long and people lose interest around the 7th inning. MLB had been dealing with complaints for a while now that the game is too slow and boring. I think 7 innings is perfect for softball.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Especially when you are playing a couple/ few games a day.

As you know MLB switched to 7 inngs for DH. They also stole the internation runner rule for extra innings.

MLB is coping SB not the other way around. Lol
 
Nov 8, 2020
402
43
So the arguments against college softball playing 9 innings like college baseball on a forum called "Discuss Fastpitch" are:

Softball is not interesting enough to keep spectators watching beyond 7 innings

And

There isn't enough pitchers


Got it

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Apr 1, 2017
535
93
I hate feeding the troll, but it's been a long day already, so it can't get worse....

There is no argument. They are different sports. 9 innings isn't some magic number that makes baseball better. If more = better, lets just adopt cricket rules and have games that last all day long. Imagine how popular the games would be then!

Based on TV ratings, college baseball and college softball are doing just fine. Both have their core audience, and neither will ever be major draws outside of "world series" time.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
So the arguments against college softball playing 9 innings like college baseball on a forum called "Discuss Fastpitch" are:

Softball is not interesting enough to keep spectators watching beyond 7 innings

And

There isn't enough pitchers


Got it

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

Do you know why baseball plays exactly 9 innings?
 
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