Thursday’s wild and woolly game at Fenway caught my attention for any number of reasons. Of course, it was an extreme game, but interesting for how it illustrates a lot of the traits and trends that mark baseball of the present day.

I’ll let you absorb the line score, then talk a bit more about the game (or even go on a bit of a rant) after the jump.

                1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9  10    R H E
                -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -   -    -  - -
Angels          0  0  8   0  0  0   1  0  3   2 ..14 20 1
Red Sox         1  5  0   0  1  2   0  2  1   1 ..13 18 2

First off, the score. This was the 118th time in the game-searchable era that both teams have scored 13 or more runs. The Red Sox have been involved 11 times, and the Angels 4 times. This was the 7th time in the past 5 years with such a game, about on par with the preceding 5 years, but down from a recent peak around the turn of this century with 12 such games from 1998 to 2002. Unsurprisingly, almost 30% of these 118 games occurred in just a 10-year period from 1928 to 1937.

The pitchers. There were 15 pitchers used in the game, the 220th time that many or more have been used, but the 90th time this has happened in the past 5 years. Prior to 1990, there had been only 15 such games, the earliest in 1954. Of the 15 pitchers, 4 recorded a blown save (the most pitchers in a game with a blown save is 5, occurring only in 1996 and 2000). It was just the 31st time that 4 pitchers in a game have blown a save, but the 8th time in the past 5 years.

The substitutes. Excluding the pitchers, there was only one substitution made in the game. So far this season, 6310 non-pitchers have appeared as substitutes in league games, about 3.5 per game. That total is on pace for for the lowest mark since the 1940s, and down about 23% since 2000. In this particular game, leads were lost or gained 6 times from the 6th inning on and runs were scored in each of the last 5 half-innings. Yet, the only substitution made was a pinch-hitting move with two outs and nobody on base in the 7th inning.

The managers (and being too smart by half). As mentioned, this game featured 15 pitchers of whom 4 recorded blown saves. Of the 13 substitute pitchers, only 6 retired the first batter faced, and only 4 retired more batters than they allowed to reach base. The two closers each blew a save in the 9th inning while allowing a HR and each stayed in the game to finish that inning and start the next. All signs that maybe freely substituting pitchers in and out of the game is, if nothing else, a risky proposition. After all, you never know what you’re going to get on any given day. Nevertheless, managerial strategy seems hidebound to the notion that every pitcher has his role and once he’s fulfilled that role (if he does), it’s on to the next arm. Even if the guy currently on the mound happens to look pretty sharp. Exception, of course, is the designated closer, who is always given enough rope (or more) to hang himself (and the team) if he’s not “on” that particular day.

The last two points, of course, are inter-related. The more specialized pitchers’ roles become, the larger the pitching staffs, the smaller the benches, and the fewer are the opportunities for in-game tactical substitutions. The days are gone of having a player (or even two) on the roster whose principal role was pinch-hitting.

Finally, the time of the game. This contest finished in a shade over four and a half hours. I know fans love offense, but I think they also cringe seeing one pitcher after another struggle to be effective. Bottom line for me, the pace of play is way too slow. This was the fifth 4 hour game at Fenway this season, and the 46th (69%) over 3 hours. In 1992 it was 3 games over 4 hours and 44 (54%) over 3 hours. In 1972, 1 game over 4 hours and 6 (yes, six!) over 3 hours. You get the idea. Obviously, pitching changes are part of the reason. But, the notion that a pitcher needs to take 20 to 30 seconds to prepare himself to deliver a pitch (or even to throw over to first) needs to change. Ditto for batters needing to step out of the box and adjust various articles of their paraphernalia after every pitch.

Well, enough ranting on my part. What’s your take?