It was reported earlier this week that MLB was considering modifications to the various rule changes that are being implemented this year. A pitch clock, limits on defensive shifts, pickoff attempts and bigger bases will all be part of the 2023 season and have been in use during spring games. The Competition Committee consists of six league appointees, one umpire and four players and is responsible for deciding on rule changes for the sport. They met earlier this week to discuss concerns that have been raised after the players have spent the past few weeks getting adjusted to the new rules.
After deciding on some small changes, the league issued a memo to teams to outline what’s new. Though some fans might have been wishing for sweeping alterations or perhaps abandoning some rule changes altogether, the memo actually consists of many minor tweaks, with Jeff Passan of ESPN and Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com among those relaying the details. As noted in the memo, the changes are achieving their goal of quickening the pace of play, with the average running time of a spring game dropping from three hours and one minute to two hours and 36 minutes. Given that, they’re not abandoning the key pieces, such as the 15-second pitch clock with the bases empty or the 20-second clock with runners on, nor the requirement that the better be alert with eight seconds left.
The changes are as follows:
- The rule that Passan highlights as the most important involves replays of defensive shift violations. There was some concern that teams would challenge defensive positioning on key plays, hoping that one of the four infielders had a toe or a heel beyond where they were supposed to be standing. Today’s memo specifies that only the position of the player who first fielded the ball can be challenged. For instance, on a groundout to the third baseman, the batting team can’t challenge that the second baseman was violating the positioning rules.
- MLB players began using PitchCom last year, an electronic device that allowed catchers to call pitches, which arrive to the pitcher as an audio message via a receiver in their hat. If a device malfunctions, the player must inform the umpire, who can grant time and stop the clock. Bob Nightengale of USA Today adds that a pitcher won’t get more time if they forget their PitchCom in the dugout at the start of an inning. This is to prevent players from deliberately forgetting the device for any reason.
- Bat boys and bat girls will have standards applied to their responsibilities of retrieving equipment from the field of play. As part of the pace of play efforts, the league can ask clubs to replace them if they are deemed not quick enough.
- Umpires can delay the start of the pitch clock, or wave it off if the operator has already started it, on brushback pitches or “big swings” where equipment falls off or the hitter falls to the ground.
- When pitchers leave the mound to make a defensive play, the 30-second between-batters clock will be delayed and will restart when the pitcher is back on the infield grass. If the pitcher is in foul territory to back up a play, it will restart once he is back in fair territory.
- Umpires will have some discretionary ability with the clock when it comes to catchers who finish an inning batting or on base. The two-minute and 30-second between-innings clock can be paused at the 30-second mark if the catcher isn’t ready, provided they made a “reasonable effort” to do so. In that case, the catcher will be allowed to receive one warm-up pitch and make a throw down to second base.
- After a hitter calls time out, which is allowed once per plate appearance, the clock would restart from 15 or 20 once he was alert in the batter’s box. Now the batter has the onus of telling the umpire when he’s ready, regardless of where he is standing, thus restarting the clock. Castrovince notes that in the rare instance that a batter uses his timeout and is then replaced mid-at-bat due to injury, the pinch-hitter will not be awarded an additional timeout.
There’s also another rule change that hasn’t yet been implemented but seems imminent. Some pitchers and catchers have been flipping the PitchCom system, where the pitcher relays the signal to the catcher. Though some have been experimenting with this setup this spring, it hasn’t yet been approved for regular season usage. Passan reports that it is expected to be approved, perhaps as soon as this week.
manfraud
I wish they’d change pitch clock violations from calling strikes/balls to warnings/ejections. There’s nothing satisfying about a game ending due to a pitch clock violation (extreme example but it has happened this spring). Plus it makes the disciplinary action a bit more individualized
NickTheDev
But then late in a game what does a player care if they get a warning? They can literally violate it on purpose because a single warning is going to do nothing…. unless you suggest they carry over from game to game… just sounds like a mess.
I really think its just a case that it will take more time for them to get used to it… and it will become less common for their to be violations.
manfraud
True to a point, I think if warnings were used then there’d be a lot of violations regardless of situation. Maybe the whole team gets a warning 1st time and next player to violate it gets ejected
manfraud
But also the current system doesn’t exactly incentivize players to follow it strictly. A pitcher with an 0-2 count might want to violate the rule to come up with a put away pitch, and a 1-2 count isn’t detrimental. And then the player can keep violating the rule all game
Again this is an unlikely scenario but can see it happening
User 401527550
Ejections are a lot harsher than a ball being called. So you would rather have a new pitcher that hasn’t warmed up come in with ball 3 then just calling ball four. The easiest solution is getting the pitch offf on time.
BadCo
I think they will have to come up with an aid… a line from 2nd base back to accommodate the players and umps and TV for that matter, being that will be the major issue here
Superstar Prospect Wander Javier
If it’s late in the game, who cares if he is taking his time? 9th innings are the innings we want to take a while right?
User 401527550
Why should the rules change for the ninth inning?
prov356
…or they can get rid of the pitch clock because it’s stupid.
implant
@prov pitch clock rules!!!
GCB
No it’s a great idea.Having games drag on foreever is not enjoyable.The pace of the game really effects how fun the game is to watch.I’ve been sick of players slowing up the game for a long time.This really is going to be good for the game.Some people just hate change.
rothlaj
Are you one ofManfreds bots?
kingken67
I think the “game ending on a pitch clock violation” argument is completely overblown. Yes, it dis happen this spring, in one of the very first spring training games played! Hasn’t happened since.
The same is true of all the “I don’t like change” pundits who continually being up “what if that happens in a postseason game” nonsense. By that point every player involved will have played the entire season under these rules. If it happens at that point it’s because the player screwed up, the same as if they break any other rule.
prov356
It has nothing to do with not liking change. It’s stupid. Baseball is not a timed sport. Manfred wants to shorten games in an attempt to attract low attention span viewers who will never care enough about baseball anyway. Every rule he has implemented is for that sole reason. They are all bad for baseball, but especially the ghost runner in extras…ridiculous.
implant
And pitchers used to get the ball and pitch the ball. All that’s been taken out is dead time. Adapt or find another sport, sport
JoeBrady
Baseball is not a timed sport.
==========================
That’s pretty meaningless.
Would you agree to not have a clock in FB? Or basketball? Would you prefer the old days where Princeton hit the first shot and went into the four corners for the rest of the half?
Murphy NFLD
Have you ever seen Jason Grilli pitch an inning? You would be happy with the clock if so lol
GCB
Your alsolutely wrong sorry to say.I’m a diehard fan.This will be my 42nd seson and love what mlb is doing.Saying it’s about attracting just casual fans is wrong,Improving the game is a good thing.Not everyone enjoys pitchers taking foreever to throw a pitch or batters screwing around at the plate.4 hour games are not interesting,I can watch 3 games in a day but i want them played in a timely matter.Who cares if baseball wasn’t a timed sport in the past.it was fine decades ago when games didn’t drag on like they do now.
websoulsurfer
The time it takes for a pitcher to throw a pitch has not changed much in the last 4 decades. Less than 2 seconds difference since they started keeping track in 1981. There has been a rule for decades that a pitcher had to throw a pitch within 12 seconds of a batter being in the box and attentive to the pitcher. Other than some relief pitchers, that has not been much of a problem.
What changed was umpires failing to enforce rules on the books about hitters staying in the box.
There were batters that took 25+ seconds adjusting equipment between every pitch, walked around behind the plate if they made a swing, and took a time out 4-5 times per at bat on average. Watch an at bat from last season from Odubel Herrera. He averaged 29+ seconds between pitches and had games where he took more than 40 seconds between pitches and called more than one time out per PITCH. He is not the only one. There were 42 hitters that averaged more than 25 seconds per pitch before being in the box and attentive to the pitcher.
MLB forced the umpire’s hand. Hitters can no longer slow the game down. Neither can the couple dozen pitchers that were very slow.
Personally, I think 15 and 20 seconds is a little too fast and would have liked to see 20 and 24 with the hitter getting 10 seconds, but I am fine with the rule as it is.
If umpires had done their jobs enforcing the rules that were already there, none of this would have happened.
GCB
websoulsurfer-I don’t understand why the Mlb couldn’t have forced umps to follow these previous rules you say were in place but i’m so glad they found a way to make damn sure they do now.I’m not very exited about my team sucking again this year but i’m really exited to see these new rules in place.So sick of people constantly bashing Manfred when he’s doing a good job with these rule changes regardless of those people who’s minds will never be changed.
Rexwood
Mike Hargrove the human rain delay when he was at bat.
Zerbs63
If MLB really wanted to shorten the game they would shorten commercial breaks, but that option is never on the table.
websoulsurfer
Teams changing sides and pitchers getting warm up pitches takes about 2 minutes no matter if there are commercials or not. Games are not made longer by commercials.
WarrenSpahn
why do infielders need to warm up nine times per game? why do pitchers need warm up pitches in between innings? let’s see what the game is like without that dead time.
BucksPackersBrewersWow!
I thought it was Joe Charboneau
ChuckyNJ
Earth to prov356: What’s bad for baseball is an attitude that “Nothing Should Ever Change”.
prov356
Chuck – You read something I didn’t say. I never said “nothing should ever change”. The specific changes implemented by Manfred to shorten the game of baseball are stupid.
manfraud
It’s not necessarily game enders but imagine a rally being ended in the same manner (again yes unlikely – I’m playing devil’s advocate). If someone gets a warning/ejection, the rally doesn’t die and fans get riled up. A lazy auto-strike 3 kills it and fans turn off the tv
kingken67
What if a batter gets caught using a corked bat and gets called out for that killing a rally? What if a pitcher gets caught using Spider Tack or some other substance and the same happens? They’re all rule violations of things the players have to conform to. Play within the rules and it’s not an issue.
In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani
Fines
Francys01
I dislike so much the pitch clock, but it was implemented by mlb.
realsox
All of this concern about is ridiculous. Adopt the Mark Buerhle approach: catch the ball, throw the ball. It’s not that hard. Opponents of the pitch clock have been gulled into accepting the mantra of sports psychologists who advise players to envision the windup, the pitch, the landing before every pitch. Why that should take more than 15, or 20, seconds is a mystery even to the most sympathetic fan.
GCB
realsox-Unfortunately we’re not going to convince these fans who for some odd reason loved games dragging on forever.Give me a 2 1/2 hour game.Way more interesting and i can watch more games per day with the new pace of play making them all interesting.
BobGibsonFan
Make the time clock violation a $1,000 fine and the money goes to a random fan. The mascot runs a stack of hundreds to the fan that’s selected in the crowd.
That would be fun to watch.
TheProfessor31
The mascot would never make it lol someone will get that money before he has had a chance to deliver it.
VegasSDfan
I wish people would stop giving feedback and just let the games play out. I guess people with too much free time can debate every rule.
bag o ballz
that would actually have the opposite effect since as we have seen in spring even guys that are trying to be diligent are violating it from time to time – if instead you are having ejections it will actually make the game take longer.
gary55wv
Pitch clock is so bad for the game.
GCB
Sorry but your wrong
Paleobros
*you’re
GCB
Pardon me for spelling a word wrong.Guess what i’m human,No matter how i spelled it you knew what i was saying.
Zerbs63
GCB you didn’t spell a word wrong, you used the wrong word.
GCB
Zerbs63-You seriously have way too much time sir to be head of the grammar police.Sorry i don’t live up to your perfect standard.
User 401527550
You’re is hyphenated two words and not one. How do you like being corrected.
prov356
GCB – It’s an opinion. Saying his opinion is wrong is as stupid as the pitch clock. Feel free to have a contrary opinion, which isn’t wrong.
GCB
prov356-Yes you are right people have a right to have stupid opinions.
prov356
Including you, GCB.
GCB
prov356-No sir that would be your opinions.Just go and read some of your comments.I rest my case.
Appalachian_Outlaw
If you’re going to tell people their opinions are “wrong” and/or “stupid”, you shouldn’t get so defensive when someone corrects your grammar, GCB.
Rexwood
You’re
Treehouse22
They’re going there and will pay their fair share of the fare, Cher.
ironcitie
Banning the shift is ridiculous, these are supposed to be professionals. Learn how to hit the ball up the middle, opposite field, or take the free base with a bunt
prov356
I couldn’t agree more, iron. I take that sentiment even farther with the DH. Pitchers are baseball players. They should learn how to hit just like every other position player.
RyanD44
Thoughts on the NBA defensive 3-second rule? They are professionals.
prov356
Basketball is a timed sport.
tstats
Hitters are professional baseball players, they should learn how to pitch just like every other pitcher.
prov356
Everyone has a position to play on D so that’s a hollow argument, tstats. If you’re a shortstop, you have to hit…if you’re an outfielder, you have to hit, if you’re a catcher, you have to hit. It should be the same for pitchers.
GCB
prov356-So anyone can just learn to hit-Ridiculous comment,Why do you think so many people can’t make the majors.Because it’s hard to hit.Not something just anyone can learn to be good at,
prov356
GCB – you heard what I didn’t say. It’s the concept of position players having to learn to hit to be successful. I’m not saying they all do it well. I’m surprised I had to explain that.
User 401527550
The DH is used at every level of baseball for years now. Saying pitchers need to learn to hit hasn’t been true for a very long time.
Joe says...
Why should they hit anywhere other than what pays them the most money to hit. Teams have been pushing players to hit over the shift for a few years now. It isn’t the job of the players to make the game more aestheticly pleasing.
Jon M
Dewzzz
Skeptical
I was watching a game and the announcers were of the opinion that banning the shift rewarded athleticism, that you could no longer hide a slow footed guy at second base without consequences. Forget what team the announcers were from, but it is an interesting perspective.
disadvantage
@ironcitie
“…these are supposed to be professionals.”
I always see this logic applied to the batter, but never to the fielders. Why is that an infield with three players on one side of the field like a little league team to make a routine play is “professional”? But if a hitter doesn’t have the profile of Tony Gwynn and cannot hit the ball to the opposite field effectively – which it turns out, is something players do practice with their coaches and it is really freaking hard, especially when a pitcher can keep throwing 97mph pitches inside knowing he has three infielders on one side – they are unprofessional.
It turns out, if hitters keep pulling the ball and infielders do their job, they hitter will still have to adjust their approach to include more opposite field hitting if they want to be effective.
hiflew
You think you can swing on a 100 mph cut fastball with enough accuracy to determine where it is going to go?
Zerbs63
Plus MLB doesn’t know what they want.
Game is to slow… we need to have a pitch clock.
Not enough hitting…. ban the shift.
Wait what… by banning the shift there is going to be more hits, more runs, more pitching changes and longer games.
hiflew
Not to mention adding the DH to the NL which extends games as well. The American League always had longer games than the National League for as long as I can remember.
GCB
Zerbs63-So your trying to say shifts & no Dh made game slower.Really,If so it didn’t work much for gametimes.Players strikeout so much nowadays the shift doesn’t come into play that often.
Zerbs63
Again* you are or you’re.
If the shift didn’t come into play that often, why would MLB ban it?
GCB
Zerbs63-So is it your sole purpose in life to correct grammar mistakes?If it bothers you so much block me.
rothlaj
No shifting will be more hits and longer games. These new rules are meant to kill the game and lose even more fans.
omahamadness
No changes to the pickoff rule which I think is abhorrent. They should give pitchers a total number of pick offs per inning instead of 2 per batter. Let’s say you start with 6 total and add 1 per additional batter. That way they could throw over multiple times per runner to control the run game. You may want to use 6 on a speedy base runner allowing for more flexibility while still keeping pace of play moving along.
NickTheDev
That wouldn’t solve anything because only the fast runners are the ones they throw over at anyways. Plus now you have greenlit other runners with no chances.
omahamadness
I see it differently. I wish they would send a catcher or slow runner to steal a base. Even with bigger bases slower runners would get caught at a high % of the time. Giving a total instead of 2 per batter would at least make a speedy runner think twice about when they take off. As it stands now 2 throws over almost guarantees a runner will make it.
On the other side though it’s going to be great for fantasy baseball.
Manfred’s playing with the balls
They made a rule that lets them fire ball and bat boys and girls for being to slow? Manfred is ruthless. Has anyone ever complained about game length because of a ball girl or bat boy? I bet they work for free or peanuts and a hot dog. Manfred’s probably going to cut their pay next, no more free hot dogs for bat boys.
Sideline Redwine
I kinda wondered wtf on that one too. This really requires our attn?
The rules as a whole are a joke. Two pickoff attempts? No shift? A pitch clock???
I hope those extra few dozen fans that *might* start watching outweigh the disaffected true fans…those who love the game for what it is, not how it can be marketed.
GCB
Sideline Redwine-So your saying you like the status quo? Where most games drag on and on,You like 3 1/2-4 Hr gms,Really? There actually are diehard fans of the game fed up with how game has been going and like these changes,Thinking it’s only for people who don’t care about game as much is false thinking.Slow games were a big problem.Watching a long game now and again is fine,but not when it’s a regular thing,
Wiseoldfool
No “chubby children” per The Eunuch!
mlb1225
So I did my college internship at my local Indy league baseball team. I don’t know how it is in the major leagues, but they do have a dedicated bat boy. However we interns had to fill-in 2-3 times a week. I got paid $50 a game when I had to work bat boy.
BlueSkies_LA
The commissioner doesn’t even sit on the Competition Committee, but ownership thanks you for blaming him for their decisions.
Manfred’s playing with the balls
You always stick up for manfred and miss the joke blue sky. It’s honestly tired how you just repeat yourself. And yes I blame the owners for hiring manfred too. Get a life man
BlueSkies_LA
I never stick up for him. I just point out who employs him, a simple fact many fans don’t seem to get. But thanks for responding with an insult, because that’s always a good way to go.
Crypto Nerd
yeah Farhan Fan, Blue sky spends all his time here arguing with people. He should really buy a subscription because he discourages many people from commenting here. I think he’s some kind of bot built to push the owner vs player dichotomy. certainly doesn’t have a sense of humor and he oftens misses the joke.
Manfred’s playing with the balls
You were just stating the obvious and adding nothing to the conversation while correcting a joke. You must be a fun person to be around. Correcting jokes and sticking up for the establishment, who wouldn’t want to party with you?
BlueSkies_LA
If think it’s so obvious, just try reading the comments on this article. Including yours. But since you’re the one who responds with insults it’s maybe not such a good idea to complain about who is adding to a discussion or is fun to be around. Just a suggestion from the Obvious Department.
GCB
Dusty Runtz-The problem with lot of people is they’re never serious and everything is a joke,
raregokus
Every fan knows the commissioner is hired by the owners. You’re not smarter than the average fan.
foppert
I lol’ed at the bay boys and girls being under pressure. I’m guessing they will cope.
bucsfan0004
Some bat boys/girls are chosen for a particular game, say like a ‘kids day’ for a weekend. I saw a ball boy at a MLB game last year, he was not the normal bat boy, could have easily been a make-a-wish kid. So it looks like MLB is doing away with all that. Seems kind of dumb
brodie-bruce
@bucsfan0004 to add to your point the honorary bat boy/girl is a chance to get young fans for life. i remember back in 06 i was in atl 3rd base side and about 20mins from start time, and this lil 5 yo girl in a braves uniform walked up to puljos and pointed at his sweat band on his arm. he turned around and gave that lol girl his band, i’m pretty sure that lil girl is still a bb to this day, and personally i thought it was pretty cool of al to give that as well.
FarhanFan22
Ignore Blue Sky, he’s miserable and fights with everyone. He’s constantly playing identity politics on this site and wants to push a narrative. Everyone knows manfred is a chump and works for the owners but Blue sky tries to shift blame from the man actually doing the job. Manfred gets the paychecks he can handle a few jokes
disadvantage
Agreed! Firing a batboy or batgirl because he or she is too slow is just savage.
miltpappas
I’m sure the girls will be given more leniency. Otherwise, you’ll have “The View” to deal with.
Zerbs63
Yea kinda sad can you imagine the PR hit when a special need bat boy or girl gets fired for being to slow.
How fast do the games need to be?
mlb1225
MLB when there are multiple blackout areas in the United States and fans can’t watch games: I Sleep -_-
MLB when the bat boy takes a few extra seconds to retrieve a piece of equipment: Real Sht? 0_0
Kevin28786
It’s all stupid and unnecessary.
BlueSkies_LA
The rule requiring a batter to sprint from the on-deck circle to the batters’ box will be retained. Batters who violate this rule will be penalized two Oreo cookies, be required to wear their cap backwards, and sit facing the corner of the dugout for half an inning.
cpdpoet
Which kind of Oreos as there are probably (currently) 50 different flavours?
And some are definitely worth more than others….
BlueSkies_LA
At the discretion of the umpire.
hiflew
There is only one true flavor of Oreo cookie. All the rest are just different cookies they slapped the Oreo name on.
BlueSkies_LA
If this is going to turn into a religious debate I’m out!
mlb1225
Finally they addressed the pitchcom issue. That was extremely unfair to penalize the pitcher for a piece of equipment that they’re pushing for in the sport. I still think they should think about adding like three seconds to the clock in two-strike/three-ball counts so less plate appearances end with a clock violation. I think the pitch clock is okay, but still needs some slight tweaking. Who knows with the amount of rule changes they’ve added over the last few years; they’re probably not done with changing and adjusting stuff yet.
cpdpoet
Crap…and here I thought every stadium was going to be required to sell Dodger Dogs…
….grrrr.
DarkSide830
Wow, they’re so paranoid about the length of games that they’re willing to push teams to replace batboys and batgirls because of it. Embarrassing.
cpdpoet
I would agree, but baseball is known for getting an edge since it was born.
So am guessing a few teams began to experiment w/ this potential “edge” during ST, again sad….
mlb1225
I would like to find the person who is so worried about bat boys and bat girls slowing down games so much they had to make a rule.
BlueSkies_LA
Easily found. Six committee members are team owners, four are players, and one umpire.
foppert
Isn’t this list of adjustments a response to concerns raised by the MLBPA ?
Considering that, who do you think asked the ? “What happens if the bat boy/girl is asleep at the wheel ?”
MLB has to respond with a solution. It’s much ado about nothing, but blaming MLB for something raised by the Union doesn’t sound right to me.
BlueSkies_LA
We don’t usually know how these discussions go within the committee but the way it’s structured the players don’t really have much of a say. Even if the umpire representative agrees with the players on a rule change, ownership can still outvote them.
foppert
I get that.
It’s just that the indication is these tweaks are a response to concerns raised by the Union. It stands to reason the Union raised a Bat boy concern. MLB has responded with a process that tries to ensure they are on there game. What else can they do ?
GCB
The batboy-girl thing is comical but other than that love these changes.
RyanD44
“No fat bat boys or bat girls! They’re too slow!” – MLB
Goodness, Manfred. Have a heart.
riffraff
We all know the reason MLB is doing this is because some manager that knows the rules inside and out ( not mentioning who no need to pin it all on Buck) will hire an Augustus Gloop clone to slowly waddle out to get the ball when his pitcher needs a few extra seconds and a Jesse Owens wannabe to dash out when other team is on the field.
omahamadness
I wonder what the loss in advertising dollars will be with games 30 min shorter.
YourDreamGM
Didn’t they already short the commercials years ago? That’s all that matters. They can have a 5 second pitch clock and a hour and half long game. Between innings and pitcher changes is all that matters.
Hexbreaker
@omahamadness
Not to mention the loss in concession dollars.
omahamadness
Right!?! Those $10 beers add up quick. Maybe they will allow us to drink through the 9th inning. Safe driving be damned.
GCB
Hexbreaker-You’d think concessions would be a lot less anyway late in a game,
StudWinfield
Most effective rules changes ever instituted in one offseason. Finally addressing those lame batpersons.
Crunchtime1969
When men in suits and ties make rules it’s always about money. Bad for the fans. Bad for the players. Bad for the game. Just another sign of the times.
GCB
Barelybreathin-These rules are great for the game,The bad part of the game is so many teams not really trying to compete,
Otto371
Im here for all the cry babies in the comments! Good stuff everyone. Wahh Manfred is ruining the game wah wah pitch clock wah shift…. It will all be okay fellas move on
GCB
Otto371-Wish i could give you unlimited likes for your comment.Can’t agree more.
Appalachian_Outlaw
Nah, it won’t all be “okay”. The new rules are a steaming pile of hot garbage served on a moldy plate. If I wanted to watch pinball, I’d find an arcade and go watch someone play pinball. All they’re doing now is rushing to sling the ball over the plate and then let’s see what happens. I don’t need everything to happen quickly.
But I know. Wah wah, the game is too long. Wah wah, the shift is bad! Wah wah, it’s not Manfred’s fault.
GCB
Appalachian_Outlaw-Guess you won’t be following MLB anymore since you hate all the moves.Personally i’m exited by all these changes.
TomL
Seems like they just made a simple kids game a whole helloova more complicated to save 15 mins
JoeBrady
they just made a simple kids game a whole helloova more complicated
========================
Which is the complicated part? Having to stay in the box? Perhaps it sounds more complicated than it is.
TomL
You can read just the tweaked rules alone above. You could probably also ask Tony LaRussa.
DoritosLocosTaco
Before or after driving from the bar? Might get different answers while he’s driving.
Joe says...
If you knew the history of baseball, you’d know it definitely isn’t “a simple kids game”.
luclusciano
Simple – have you ever read the rules?
TomL
Yes, when you break down objectives it’s extremely simple, except for balks. Maybe you’re confusing specifications for rules.
It’s funny how we change the premise of a 3 hour game when cricket is the most popular sport in a number of countries around the world.
GCB
TomL-It’ll be a hell of a lot more than 15 minutes in my opinion
tigerdoc616
Love the new rules. The pace of play is significantly better. Tweaks are reasonable. Had a hard time watching the WBC since they did not have the pace of play rules. Some of these games were 3.5 to 4 hours in length of a 9 inning game. WAY too plodding. You core fans may hate them but this game will not survive on the hard core fans. No sport will. The casual fans is what pays the bills and these rules will help attract and keep more casual fans.
YourDreamGM
So you don’t enjoy watching grown men adjusting body parts and equipment for 4 hours? I think you are crazy but to each their own. I found the pitcher wandering around the mound the most exciting part of the game.
GCB
I’m a hardcore fan and i love the changes so don’t assume it’s just a certain type of fan who likes these changes,Other than that agree with you totally.
Appalachian_Outlaw
I hate the term “casual fan”. Fan is short for fanatic, and you can’t casually be a fanatic. It works against the definition of the word. Anyway, my point bringing it up is it’s silly to try to market to a niche that MIGHT watch a game or two a year while alienating a group of fans that’d watch 162- and the opinions are split fairly evenly here on this site among what I would say are baseball fanatics.
rabidrabbit
Casual aff (short for afficionado)
DanUgglasRing
I like all of them. Spring training games have shown there’s simply more action in less time than before, and I can’t cry about that. Also man did I miss stolen bases and hits up the middle!
Can’t say I’ll ever miss batters changing their entire uniform, having a seat on the grass and re taping their bats for fifteen minutes between pitches or god forbid a pitcher who walks around the whole infield before and after each pitch.
JoeBrady
Can’t say I’ll ever miss batters changing their entire uniform
==============================
Seriously? I thought watching Pedey and Hargrove adjust their batting gloves after every pitch was one of the most exciting things in BB. And watching the pitching the pitcher throw over to 1st four times, because Ortiz was such a big threat to run, was exhilarating. Not to mention watching Buchholz shaking off Tek 6x times in a row.
DanUgglasRing
The Pablo Sandoval routine was incredible. I could cook my wife a full breakfast in between a swing through curveball and a called timeout.
BlueSkies_LA
I’d nominate Nomar Garciaparra as the all time king of batting glove adjustments, and he had all those other moves he added to the dance.
GCB
BlueSkies_LA–Don’t forget the king Mike Hargrove
mlb1225
I’m okay with the pitch clock, and these changes today seem fine, but I really want to know what made them so worried about bat boys/girls that they had to implement a whole rule about it.
DanUgglasRing
I’m just imagining the astros using the slowest bat boys possible to milk a few seconds out of every play possible
mlb1225
But like who legitimatley had a problem with it? I’ve heard baseball be called slow, boring, not exciting, but nobody has ever said it’s because the bat boy is too slow at getting the equipment. I can’t imagine that any bat boy/girl is taking so long there is a real, palpable addition of time to any game.
SonnySteele
Like perhaps a bat boy with a physical disability.
foppert
Players don’t want their time eaten into by a tardy bat boy/girl ?
That was my first thought working under the assumption it’s a Union inspired response.
The devious Manager one has merit though.
JoelP
A pitch clock on concession stands should be a thing.
theathlete
Just do not put the stinking pitch clocks on the broadcast. When I saw the clock this spring I absolutely hated it. The clock should only be for the pitcher and umpires to view.
sufferforsnakes
Stupid rules, all of them.
Kai123
What about the challenges
HALfromVA
Too much, all at once. NASCAR made too many changes, in too short a time frame, and lost a lot of fans, myself included.
hiflew
Great comparison. Baseball has been around for 150+ years. It would not have lasted that long if people didn’t like it. Why do people want to try and prove they are smarter than 150+ years of successful history. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
foppert
That’s what Kodak said. Pffft…..we have been printing photos since photography began ! Who wants their photos appearing straight away in a digital format ? Ummm…..young people. The future consumer.
GCB
hiflew-The gametime decades ago wasn’t a problem like it is now.2 1/2 hour games used to be the norm.That’s why it needed to be fixed so your comment is incorrect it was broken.
hiflew
That is because the DH didn’t exist and there weren’t 12 pitching changes every game.
phantomofdb
“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
But if it is, do. And it was. Games had gotten boring even for an avid baseball fan like me. No reason to stand around endlessly and not throw the damn ball. And the standing around got out of control, as evidenced by the games creeping up over 3 hours instantly being fixed by a pitch clock
Digdugler
So far none of the rules are as dumb as the “zombie runner” rule which actually changes the integrity of those games. So these are all fine. Once they remove the dumbest rule, then we can remove the less dumb but still dumb rules.
hiflew
100% agree. The extra innings runner has actually made it possible for a team to lose a perfect game. You could have a pitcher pitch 9 perfect innings in a scoreless game. Miraculously the home pitcher comes out for the 10th and gets a ground out to the second baseman which sends the runner to third and then gives up a fly out to center to score the run. He then gets the third out. The home team in the bottom of the 10th do not score. Visiting team wins 1-0 even though they made 30 straight outs while not getting a baserunner.
GCB
hiflew–With how pitchers arms are protected hard to imagine any pitcher going over 9 innings.It’s almost a miracle now when a pitcher has a complete game.Your seeing more combined no-hitters than 1 pitcher now.
hiflew
That is why I used the word miraculously.
SonnySteele
Billy Hamilton can be a bat boy when his playing days are over.
disadvantage
So… effective immediately?
DRR
Nobody seems to like rule changes, so I am going to suggest that we go back to pitching underhand and not allowing the players to use gloves.
Hexbreaker
“I don’t care if you’e the owner’s nephew. You’re fired, Slowpoke!”
stan lee the manly
MLB: willing to fire a batboy for being a little too slow picking up the bat after a play, but completely unwilling to address the massive incompetence of some of their umpires. Makes sense.
MuleorAstroMule
MLB needs a batboy union.
MacGromit
@stan lee
All those words that the MLB issued to clear up the confusion that they’ve made and all I could focus on was the same thing. Poor boys and girls.
Sounds like a good NY Post headline:
“Man(ford) blames children for slow kid’s game”
Appalachian_Outlaw
Just wait, coming in 2025, the MLB Batboy and Batgirl combine. They’ll all be timed in the forty and cone drills.
99socalfrc
MLB’s obsession with the length of the game and speeding up play is ridiculous. Like if the game is 20 minutes shorter a gazillion more people are going to watch. It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
These “rule changes” seem alot like gimmicks and hard core fans don’t like gimmicks. If you toe that line to try bringing in more fans it dangerous, just ask NASCAR.
pirateking24
Bench coach to heavy set bat boy: RUN fat boy RUN!!!
Turks444
Is mlb going to start fat shaming the bat boy/girl. This will be a bad look.
Appalachian_Outlaw
It is already a bad look.
rabidrabbit
B. Ace Bolplier, a former first round pick, jogged into the outfield. He focused on the noise coming from his FieldCom device.
“Turn two-niner-two degrees left” shouted the pitcher.
“No” the ump cut in, “You will be have your left toe out of line with second base. That’s a disallowable attempted shift.
Bolplier watched the pitch clock counting down the milliseconds as the ball flew out of the pitcher’s hand. The batsman fouled off the ball with his bat flying out of his hand. Sleek batboys and girls hared after the bat. Breaking world records as they ran, they grabbed the bat and relayed back to the plate by passing it to each other. The batter ducked desperately as the bat flew at him.
“BALK!” the umpire shouted.
The pitcher glared at him.
“The ball was 0.0001 seconds late to the plate. Don’t you realise game times were up by 1:34 on average this season? Fans are switching off!”
Bolplier sighed and glanced around Fenway Park across the vast expanse of second base. A few old-timers sat in the stands, trying to masticate peanuts with the remaining teeth.
“A bit quiet today” Bolplier thought, “There were at least 10 more people yesterday”. He suddenly remembered that the first round of the Ultimate Frisbee tournament was on today, no wonder.
His FieldCom buzzed.
“5 millimetres to the left” the pitcher screamed….
Jokes, jokes….
mlbtrsks
Not broken + fix = chaos
phantomofdb
It was broken
beyou02215
Going after the kids. What a ruthless SOB Manfred is.
louwhitakerisahofer
Finally, the root of the problem is being addressed. Bat boys and bat girls need to be quicker.
momTurphy
I for one am really glad to see Baseball being ruined in order to speed things up. It certainly wasn’t longer commercials and more foul balls that was increasing the lengths of games. While we’re at it let’s add football helmets and roller skates to prevent head injuries and make trips around the bases faster.
phantomofdb
You’re right, it wasn’t the commercials and more foul balls. They did studies, it was the standing around.
geg42
Fire the bat children. Hire a sprinter.
MacGromit
@geg42,
Maybe this is a MLBPA scheme to give the ball boy/girl jobs to no bat, no glove minor leaguers that are fast. Evil but brilliant.
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
So who will be the first ballperson fired over this? San Francisco still have that old guy manning the OF?
swinging wood
At his last job, Manfred petitioned to get Walmart greeters fired for smiling too much.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
Just make the game quicker by reducing it to 5 innings.
DoritosLocosTaco
The bat boy rule seems cruel on the surface, but have any of you watched a professional soccer game? The ball boys for the home teams delay the game and do all they can to help their team. I have no doubt it happens in MLB too. Someone needs to hold them accountable in case they do something egregious. I don’t think the rule was created to nit-pick people giving it their all.
StudWinfield
How about the MLB stop relying on free child labor and actually pay some to do the job? My 11 year old neighbor can cut a lawn pretty well but I would want him to do it for free for a billion $ corporation.
marcoL
Let me give you some better advice than the pitch clock. Bring an automatic strike/ ball counter. As a long-time fan, the thing bothering me the most over the years is that some player or a team is losing or winning because of BAD calls.
MacGromit
Seems that we could cut the time down even more if got rid of the pitcher altogether
We could invent something like a stand where the ball sat and the batter hits it off of the stand. Kind of like a golf tee… maybe someone could come up with a name for this stand
No calling strikes and balls, no windups or PitchComm IT issues…
koldjerky
Bat boys and girls are going to get busted for using PEDs aren’t they?
just_thinkin
How are umps supposed to keep track of all this? They can barely call balls and strikes correctly.
riffraff
I think the ones they are going after are more likely to get busted for using frosting as a condiment.
nottinghamforest13
And yet there still is a stark lack of rules requiring all teams to field a minimum of one openly trans and one openly gay player in order to promote further diversity and inclusion. When will the league get it right?
NickCastellanosLostBat
I love the bat boy/girl rule. It’s all their fault. SMH.
How about instead of the kid having to run out to a base to retrieve a players multiple pieces of body armor, that player needs to wear/carry his stuff the whole time, including his base running oven mitts. Depending on the base it will save 5-15 seconds per base runner.
Melchez17
At first, I didn’t like the intentional pass without throwing a pitch. But, I guess it’s not that bad. Every now and again something happened that wasn’t expected… Miggy’s hit… wild pitch… but oh well.
I don’t like the ghost runner in extra innings. I would rather call the game a tie after 12.
I don’t like banning the shift. It’s fun watching players beat it.
At first I hated the pitch clock, but now I like the pitch clock, I just wish it wasn’t enforced so much when the game is on the line… Late innings, tie game… let the batter take a deep breath, let the pitcher settle in. Use it, just maybe at the umpires discretion… prolong it a little at those times. In blowouts and early in games, oh yeah, enforce it.
put it in the books
Players will be thinking less about the strategy of their approach to the next hitter or how to prepare for a type of pitcher and just be looking at a clock. Should make for a reduction in quality of play. Every player voted agains these changes and none of their opinions were implemented. This is going to be a disaster. Which is in line with Manfred’s entire tenure as commissioner.
THEY LIVE!!!
Tweakers going to tweak. MLB needs to go back to the 80’s & reset the entire game.
THEY LIVE!!!
Play stupid games …
Win stupid prizes …
MLB has jumped the shark.
Old York
Get rid of the clock, pick off limits, extra base runner in extras and the DH. All are terrible rules and just cover-up the fact that MLB has far too many teams and the quality of play has been watered down. Everyone enjoyed the WBC, despite not having most of these rules, because the amount of watered down teams was fairly limited, especially in the second round onward. Unfortunately, MLB wants to pander to the low IQ fans more interested in checking their phone during a game than actually watching the game and understanding the strategy.
BTW, Get Off My Lawn!!!
Augusto Barojas
@Old York Baseball has become a game of haves/have nots. Every once in a while a team not near the top in payroll wins a World Series, like the Royals a few years ago. But you may never see a team like the Pirates in the playoffs again. For like 1/2 the league, there is literally no chance of a World Series this year. Tigers, Royals, White Sox, A’s, Angels, Rangers, Orioles, Red Sox, Cubs, Pirates, Marlins, Rockies, DBacks, Nationals, Reds. That’s 15 teams. There are probably a couple more teams than that, like Twins, Giants. The chance that the World Series winner will be among those teams in 2023 is zero. No reason for fans of those teams to be interested, whether game times are 3 hours or 2 1/2.
Old York
@Augusto Barojas
Yes, the problem we have is too many teams involved who are not competitive from the start of the season. I wish we had a regulation system, which would encourage teams to either sell or get better because I’m tired of seeing 3/4 of the league not competitive before the start of the season. I hope one day MLB realizes that you can’t just put out watered down games for most of the season and hope for the best. Cut the league by 3/4 and we’ll see more WBC style excitement and fun.
Irishblade
Are the kids getting performance reviews from clubs to make sure they’re removing bats fast enough?
foppert
According to an ex POBO, they are to stop the home team, who supplies the bay boys, from instructing them to be fast for the away team, and slow for the home team.
freerangebaseball
Manfred’s plan to shorten baseball games started with a pitch timer, which, we discover also includes a batter timer, a between-batters timer, a between-innings timer and, now, a batboy and ballgirl timer. Once you’ve regulated the behavior of each individual on a baseball field by the clock, how long before Manfred announces that the piecemeal regulation of game participants is too complex a task, making it necessary, in the name of efficiency and safety, to impose a maximum time limit on all Major League games of two hours and 20 minutes? When you give tiny men like Rob Manfred big power over other human beings, they always, always grasp for more.
joew
I think the time between innings is a little short. guy from corner of has a long way to go and if he is up first….
If the umpires can give these situations a break that would help. one of things that probably would only happen a couple times a game, if that.
Still think the pitch/batter clock should be increased but some of my concerns about it were addressed in the changes. Just somethings out of the control. Especially the first half/year so that everyone is more comfortable.
whyhayzee
Bat boy violation leads to game 7 loss in World Series after bat boy pegged by foul ball.
Good one.
FrankRoo
What is the rule book remedy if a batting teams alleges a player is out of position before a pitch is thrown?