MLB Season to start earlier in 2011

[TBGKon]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100728&content_id=12716448&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

In order to avoind a November World Series, MLB has announced that the 2011 regular season will begin on a Friday . Should be interesting to see if spring training gets cut shorter, or if it will start in February.

[CDixonDesign]

Glad to see they are ending the season in October as well...

[Jigga]

Thank, G-d! Nice job, Bud Selig.

[Mac the Knife]

Scheduling games is within the Commissioner's discretion, but unfortunately only to a point - believe it or not, MLB's collective bargaining agreement has clauses in it that have helped precipitate the 'drift' to later and later endings to seasons the past decade or so.

I don't mind unions necessarily, but the MLBPA is way too powerful.

[BaltimoreFan]

I don't mind unions necessarily, but the MLBPA is way too powerful.

I agree, today I think most unions screw things up more than make things better.

Anyway, this seems to be a step in the right direction. I'd like to see the season end even earlier, by shorten the postseason series. However I don't think it will ever happen. I'd also like to see the schedule more balanced. There should really be six 5 team divisions, so that all division opponents see the same schedule.

[tBBP]

Good job, Bud Selig.

Roger Goodell...your move.

[The_Admiral]

You know who really needs to tighten stuff up? The NHL. You start October 1st and you finish March 31st, no questions, then charge through the playoffs so they're done before June. It's silly that the NBA starts its season a month later and finishes more or less at the same time, and that's WITH their month-long first round.

[Sodboy13]

Scheduling games is within the Commissioner's discretion, but unfortunately only to a point - believe it or not, MLB's collective bargaining agreement has clauses in it that have helped precipitate the 'drift' to later and later endings to seasons the past decade or so.

I don't mind unions necessarily, but the MLBPA is way too powerful.

Would one of those clauses be in regard to scheduled doubleheaders? Because that was my bright idea: 10 scheduled doubleheaders for each team - 5 home, 5 road - and there's two weeks lopped off the schedule.

[The_Admiral]

As long as they're day-night doubleheaders, I like it. Too bad the union doesn't. I guess I can see why ownership and players alike may not like day baseball in Dallas, which is avoided at all costs to the point that they can play during the Sunday Night Baseball window, but I think it's better to be hot than cold.

[Sport]

I've never understood why they started on a monday. Usually, one of the worst attended games of the season is the game after opening day. Now, they'll have an opening weekend. It just makes sense.

[The_Admiral]

Well now that there's no Sunday night opener (and hopefully no overseas nonsense) the Reds get to open the season in earnest with their big parade. So cool that a city does that. I'd say they deserve better if Dusty Baker weren't their manager.

[TBGKon]

Well now that there's no Sunday night opener (and hopefully no overseas nonsense) the Reds get to open the season in earnest with their big parade. So cool that a city does that. I'd say they deserve better if Dusty Baker weren't their manager.

True, but from what I've heard you'll see a Thursday night opener

[The_Admiral]

I was hoping I'd be "robbed" of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan.

[BBTV]

Scheduling games is within the Commissioner's discretion, but unfortunately only to a point - believe it or not, MLB's collective bargaining agreement has clauses in it that have helped precipitate the 'drift' to later and later endings to seasons the past decade or so.

I don't mind unions necessarily, but the MLBPA is way too powerful.

Would one of those clauses be in regard to scheduled doubleheaders? Because that was my bright idea: 10 scheduled doubleheaders for each team - 5 home, 5 road - and there's two weeks lopped off the schedule.

Double headers put an incredible burdon on the Event Staff - the ushers, vendors, venue managers, etc. As fans, we'd all like the occasional double header, but with the staffing requirements of today's stadiums, it's not very practical. Also, some teams can only have day-night double headers, as they sell too many tickets and can't afford the lost gate. That's even harder on the staff.

[NJTank]

I was hoping I'd be "robbed" of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan.

Typical ESPN game with Miller and Morgan

This is Jon Miller Hall of Fame announcer with Joe Morgan Hall of Famer and the greatest second baseman who ever lived.

There's a ground ball to Cano who scoops and throws out Ellsburry, that was smooth Joe but not as smooth as you.

Joe Cano is good but he would have not been a bat boy on the Big Red Machine, I remember the season we went 162-0 Jon nobody could beat us, and no team compares to us.

I know Joe that is because you were on the team, just your presence makes anything better.

Mets Centerfielder Carlos Beltron

[FiddySicks]

Anything that makes that miserable time from the end of the Super Bowl till opening day shorter I'm all for.

[illwauk]

I don't mind unions necessarily, but the MLBPA is way too powerful.

I agree, today I think most unions screw things up more than make things better.

Only because people take for granted that owners HAVE to make multiple times what their employees make. If the playing fields were more even, maybe executives would be smarter with their money and not have to come to the taxpayers looking for a handout every 20 years.

[AkSaber]

This is wonderful. The way things were going, how long were we away from a Christmas World Series?

Have they gotten rid of the off days (that aren't travel days) in the ALDS and ALCS?

[Sodboy13]

Double headers put an incredible burdon on the Event Staff - the ushers, vendors, venue managers, etc. As fans, we'd all like the occasional double header, but with the staffing requirements of today's stadiums, it's not very practical. Also, some teams can only have day-night double headers, as they sell too many tickets and can't afford the lost gate. That's even harder on the staff.

I had never thought of the event staff portion of the equation. Thanks for pointing that out. But the lost gate argument is outdated, I think. Teams now have 3, 4, or 5 pricing schedules based on who's in town and what day of the week it is. Make a doubleheader pricing schedule that's about 150-175% of the regular game price, and there you go. I can understand the necessity of day-nights for make-up games, but if you know going into the season that these five days are going to be doubleheaders, there's no reason a team can't plan and price accordingly.

[Mac the Knife]

Roger Goodell...your move.

AMEN!

The first Super Bowl I remember watching (SB XI) was played on January 9. Having the game in early February is, at least to be, an abomination.

Want an 18 game regular season? Great. Start each regular season the first week in August instead of the weekend of/after Labor Day. Fans can adjust - in fact, they clamor for the game to the extent that such a change would be welcome. Ditch the bye week while you're at it - 18 games in 18 weeks. Football isn't for sissies.

Week 1 - August 7, 2011

Week 18 - December 4

Wild Card Weekend - December 10-11

Divisional Playoffs - December 17-18

Conference Championships - December 24

Super Bowl - January 8, 2012