Mark Teixeira calls pace of Yankees-Red Sox games “brutal”

At least one player agrees with the fans and media members annoyed by the length and pace of Yankees-Red Sox games.

After playing in another marathon matchup last night--which was made even longer by Josh Beckett’s involvement--Mark Teixeira told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times that “it’s brutal” and “I can’t stand playing a nine-inning game in four hours.”

Here’s more from the Yankees first baseman:

It’s not baseball. I don’t even know how to describe it. If I was a fan, why would I want to come watch people sitting around and talking back and forth, going to the mound, 2-0 sliders in the dirt? Four-hour games can’t be fun for a fan, either.

Third baseman Eric Chavez agreed, saying: “I’m a part of it and I still don’t understand why it takes so long.”

If the players don’t like it and the fans don’t like it, who does that leave as happy with the four-hour games? Well, the networks broadcasting the matchups on television probably don’t mind the extra programming and based on MLB’s ongoing non-reaction to the issue they don’t seem to mind either.