Adam Jones: MLB Exec Says 'Games Should Be Seven Innings'
BOSTON (CBS) - Billionaire Mark Cuban thinks the NFL, America's most popular sport, is heading for a decline -- so we can only imagine what he thinks about the sport of baseball and their problems.
Like the NFL, baseball has a number of issues that need addressing, mainly the length of games and arm injuries to star pitchers.
One MLB executive thinks he has the answer to both in one sweeping piece of legislation.
"I think they ought to change the games to seven innings," the anonymous, high-ranking executive said to ESPN's Buster Olney.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones spoke with Eric Wilbur of Boston.com about that very topic Monday night.
"This isn't Babe Ruth baseball here. I do like the idea of having some sort of time limit, like a shot clock in basketball, where there's a certain amount of time in between pitches and if the clock goes to zero it's an automatic ball," said Wilbur to kick off the discussion.
"Something like that is still sort of radical, but it works within the parameters of the game. The umpires are never gonna enforce these rules about batters stepping out of the box. They'll never be able to speed up the game from their personal perspective. There's got to be some sort of outside force that tells you to speed it up, and I think the pitch clock is the best idea.
"That's never going to pass because the pitchers and the players union are going to get up in arms about the pitch clock affecting performances and affecting contracts. Lackey pitched a great game [Monday], it's 9:30pm and we're not even in the 8th inning yet. There's something to be said there. A good pitcher's duel will still go three hours plus."
Listen below for the full discussion, including the Red Sox so far this season, the possibility of Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs purchasing the Buffalo Bills, and more:
Eric Wilbur Interview
MORE SPORTS FROM CBS BOSTON
