Games drag on in era that rewards the walk

When baseball greats discuss why games take so long, they cite a small strike zone and dugouts controlling the action. Tom Kelly was in front of his favorite television Saturday night for the start of Boston-Tampa Bay in the second game of the ALCS. He watched Rays starter Scott Kazmir pitch to the first couple of Red Sox and called out to the next room to his wife: "Sharon, this is going to be a four-hour game." Kelly was certain of this after seeing plate umpire Sam Holbrook arrive at Tropicana Field with a strike zone the size of a shaving kit. "I felt bad for the umpire," Kelly said. "I think he's a pretty good umpire, but he didn't call strikes early, got trapped and couldn't get out of it." Kelly still was watching after midnight and with the playoff game in its sixth hour. "I don't care if you're rooting for the Rays... [read full story]