MLB Off-Topic

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Could anyone imagine during those close-and-late games if a closer was asked to deliver his next pitch within twenty seconds? I love those moments where the world slows down, the crowd gets into it, and every pitch feels like a meticulously crafted pitch of executed action. I wouldn't ever want to take that out. From the windup? Sure. From the stretch? They might want to rethink that. Also consider the cat-and-mouse running game of altering your times, here.

Personally, I'd love to see them enforce a "between batter" clock, though. The fact that I can always fast-forward 30 seconds on a game from the end of a previous play and still not get to that first pitch of the at-bat is mind-boggling. If you're the batter, you should be approaching home plate before that play is even finished. I'm not saying the pitch always has to be thrown between that time, but both parties should definitely ready up within that same twenty seconds.

I can just hear players retorting with: "B-b-but Blzer, then I won't be able to hear my song play as long."

[KCowse]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Could anyone imagine during those close-and-late games if a closer was asked to deliver his next pitch within twenty seconds? I love those moments where the world slows down, the crowd gets into it, and every pitch feels like a meticulously crafted pitch of executed action. I wouldn't ever want to take that out. From the windup? Sure. From the stretch? They might want to rethink that. Also consider the cat-and-mouse running game of altering your times, here.

The way the clock is supposed to work is that the batter has to be in the box with 5 seconds to go and the pitcher has to be “set” by the time the clock is done, so it shouldn’t cause too much of an issue with the cat and mouse game.

[Master Live 013]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I would support a strike to get rid of this.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

None of the Yankees pitchers have an issue with it other than JA Happ and I don't like him anyway so I support it.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The way the clock is supposed to work is that the batter has to be in the box with 5 seconds to go and the pitcher has to be “set” by the time the clock is done, so it shouldn’t cause too much of an issue with the cat and mouse game.

I like that, then. I just don't want penalties to be intrusive.

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

None of the Yankees pitchers have an issue with it other than JA Happ and I don't like him anyway so I support it.

I think I read last year that he's one of the slowest workers on the mound so I don't find his reaction to be all that surprising.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The rule seems fine from the game I saw yesterday. Like mentioned, they only have to be set by the 20 seconds. So it's not like you have to rush to throw it less than 20 seconds after you get the ball back.

It impacts batters too because I believe they have to be in the box in 15 seconds even if the pitcher isn't set. So that's a similar rule to the forgotten batters box rule we saw a few years ago. So while people are focused on pitch clock, I think an underrated part of the rule is basically having a batters clock too.

This rule eliminates the batters walking around, stretching, fixing their gloves despite not even having to swing on the previous pitch. And pitchers don't just waste time either.

Only people who are usually upset at rule changes in any sport are ones who know they were getting away with stuff. I've heard multiple former guys talk about stuff like that. Mound visits don't impact anything, batters pretend to need to fix their gloves or tie shoes, pitchers would take their time getting set just because, all of it.

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Only people who are usually upset at rule changes in any sport are ones who know they were getting away with stuff. I've heard multiple former guys talk about stuff like that. Mound visits don't impact anything, batters pretend to need to fix their gloves or tie shoes, pitchers would take their time getting set just because, all of it.

To say they are "getting away with stuff" implies they are breaking a rule.

What rule are they breaking?

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

To say they are "getting away with stuff" implies they are breaking a rule.



What rule are they breaking?

I meant it more like they know what they're doing is unnecessary but they are allowed to because there's not a rule against it. People might get mad at change at first, but not too long after they don't care and adjust fine. There's always initial pushback on many rules, but once guys get adjusted, it's like "what was the big deal against this rule before?"

[TheMatrix31]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Is the clock on screen or visible in any way?

And that's not true. The intentional walk rule, for example, is still dumb as hell.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Is the clock on screen or visible in any way?

Doubtful. As I'm watching Cleveland-Cincinnati, I see no such thing on screen.

I'm sure there will be one in the stadium, though: the same one that is used between innings.

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Is the clock on screen or visible in any way?

I watched a minute of the Yankees/Red Sox game. The pitch clock is not visible in any way. There's a clock on the far left which pitchers will be able to see but it's not visible in the background from the hard OF camera.

Honestly, it was as if there was no clock at all.

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I would be careful to assume that, just because you aren't seeing a clock on a TV presentation during Spring Training, doesn't mean you wouldn't see it when it finds its way to the regular season officially.

I mean, it's not even being enforced in Spring Training in any way. It's just there to get players used to it.

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I mean, it's not even being enforced in Spring Training in any way. It's just there to get players used to it.

It will be enforced later in the spring.

From MLBTR:

Early in Spring Training, as players adjust to the latest pace-of-play tactic put in place by commissioner Rob Manfred, there will not be any ball or strike penalties for pitch-clock violations. By the second week of games, umpires will begin to issue warnings, and eventually, umps “will be instructed to begin assessing ball-strike penalties for violations.”

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It will be enforced later in the spring.

From MLBTR:

Not necessarily:

After that grace period, umpires will give reminders to pitchers and hitters who violate the rule, although balls or strikes will not be assessed. Later in spring training, umpires will give ball-strike penalties for violations, but that depends on “the status of negotiations with the Major League Baseball Players Association.”

But that has nothing to do with why I even brought it up.