BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

[DarthRambo]

Seriously! They need to find a way to speed up the game. I suggest a 35 or 40 seconds pitch clock. Frrom the time the catcher receives the ball from the pitcher, a 35 or 40 seconds clock starts counting down. If it reaches 0 and there is no thrown pitch, it is considered a balk.

Baseball can gain a lot more fans if they did something like this to speed up the game.

[Sportsforever]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

Seriously! They need to find a way to speed up the game. I suggest a 35 or 40 seconds pitch clock. Frrom the time the catcher receives the ball from the pitcher, a 35 or 40 seconds clock starts counting down. If it reaches 0 and there is no thrown pitch, it is considered a balk.

Baseball can gain a lot more fans if they did something like this to speed up the game.

Yes, baseball needs to speed up the game, but they already have this rule. The pitcher is supposed to pitch the ball within 12 seconds of receiving it or it's an automatic ball. Rules, however brilliant they may be, are useless if umpires don't enforce them.

[DirrtySouth78]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

I've always said that the one way to speed up game is lower the TV timeouts. I understand that it will never happen, but having a TV break then pitcher pitch to one batter, another TV timeout, etc on top of the 3 1/2 minute inning breaks slow it down.

Another one is keep batter in box. Watching a guy adjust everything, take 4 practice swings, step in then go through a routine after every pitch is a lil much sometimes. Everytime I think that type thing is getting better I see a guy do his best Nomar impersonation.

[Majingir]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

They really should have something like this. Look at some pitchers in the MLB like Mark Buehrle, his games usually last around 2hrs cause of how fast he pitches. But then we get these other pitchers who take forever to pitch.

If they reduced the amount of time it takes a pitcher to throw the ball to even 5 seconds less per pitch, that'd equal around 20 mins less it'd take to complete the game!


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/X3Y5KtE9aL8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[p_rushing]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

They would also need to enforce hitters staying in the box. The batter should get 5 seconds and then the pitcher gets 15 after that. That would be 20 seconds, plenty of time to get the signal and throw the ball.

What will happen though is a lot of time outs and the catcher holding the ball to give the pitcher more time to rest between pitches.

[royals19]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

I don't know... I think the game should just play at it's own rate. It's hard to know as a player that you're on the clock and that you have to have your mind made up... Baseball is really a feel game and all about being comfortable. I know from expirience that pitchers like to work at their own pace or rhythm and batters don't like to be rushed. As a batter, you don't like it if the pitcher is up on the rubber and throwing you pitches at a consistent rate because that puts the AB in his favor. As a pitcher, you want to be able to control the pace of the game and if there's some sort of clock then it'll take away that element from the game.

I can't help but think that a clock would impact the performance of players in a negative way.

[Sportsforever]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

I don't know... I think the game should just play at it's own rate. It's hard to know as a player that you're on the clock and that you have to have your mind made up... Baseball is really a feel game and all about being comfortable. I know from expirience that pitchers like to work at their own pace or rhythm and batters don't like to be rushed. As a batter, you don't like it if the pitcher is up on the rubber and throwing you pitches at a consistent rate because that puts the AB in his favor. As a pitcher, you want to be able to control the pace of the game and if there's some sort of clock then it'll take away that element from the game.

I can't help but think that a clock would impact the performance of players in a negative way.

I agree that baseball is a 'timeless' game not played to a clock, but in the beginning baseball did have a clock...the sun. All games were day games and had to be finished in time before the sun went down, therefore players who dawdled weren't tolerated. With the advent of nice baseball that changed and has continued to trickle down.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

I've always said that the one way to speed up game is lower the TV timeouts. I understand that it will never happen, but having a TV break then pitcher pitch to one batter, another TV timeout, etc on top of the 3 1/2 minute inning breaks slow it down.

Another one is keep batter in box. Watching a guy adjust everything, take 4 practice swings, step in then go through a routine after every pitch is a lil much sometimes. Everytime I think that type thing is getting better I see a guy do his best Nomar impersonation.

Aren't those "TV timeouts" just the pitcher coming from the bullpen and taking his allotted warmup pitches from the mound?

[SPTO]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

Aren't those "TV timeouts" just the pitcher coming from the bullpen and taking his allotted warmup pitches from the mound?

You would be correct,

As for the pitch clock, I dunno if that'd work. It doesn't address situations where hitters INTENTIONALLY step out and drag the game along. (i'm looking at you Red Sox and Yankees) I think pitchers just need to do what Mark Buehrle does and just take the sign from the catcher maybe shake the catcher off once but for the most part just go with it and PITCH.

[55]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

Look at some pitchers in the MLB like Mark Buehrle, his games usually last around 2hrs cause of how fast he pitches.

I remember an Indians/White Sox opening day game that had Buehrle pitching against Jake Westbrook that ended in about 90 minutes. The game started at around 2:05 and was well over by 3:45.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

I remember an Indians/White Sox opening day game that had Buehrle pitching against Jake Westbrook that ended in about 90 minutes. The game started at around 2:05 and was well over by 3:45.

I was at a Buehrle-Pavano game that took about 1:45. They were dealing and not wasting any time. Twins won by a run, and it's a good thing they pitched fast because not 10 minutes after the game, there was a massive thunderstorm with a tornado warning about 5 miles north of the stadium. We were in a luxury suite that we all chipped in on for a birthday. It was actually pretty cool sitting in there watching all hell break loose from the sky. Saw a couple lightning bolts hit the tall buildings downtown.

Here's the box score (official game time was actually 1:52)

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...01007170.shtml

[Perfect Zero]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

The umpires need to enforce the rules, and the batters need to be pressured to stay inside the batter's box. I would also look at getting rid of some of the frivolities at the ballpark that slow the game down, especially the playing of "God Bless America" during every seventh inning. There was a time where Arlington Stadium/The Ballpark In Arlington would only play "Cotten Eyed Joe" during the seventh and forgo "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." A lot of the in-between stuff gets in the way.

I would also look at limiting the number of times a pitching coach or manager could go to the mound. I believe in Japan they limit the number to two per game, but I'm not certain.

[Knight165]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

I don't think there should be an actual clock...
But the umpires should simply signal to the batters....that they must stay in the box in between pitches or if they step out it must be very quick..and the same for pitchers.....signal them that they must pitch.
The players will get used to it and after a while....you won't even need the reminders.

M.K.
Knight165

[Alliball]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

If I'm paying $30 plus for a ticket the game could last 5 hours for all I care.

As for the 30 to 40 second clock between pitches suggestion, just do the math.

[daflyboys]

Re: BASEBALL NEEDS A PITCH CLOCK! (equal of nba shot clock/nfl playclock)

They would also need to enforce hitters staying in the box. The batter should get 5 seconds and then the pitcher gets 15 after that. That would be 20 seconds, plenty of time to get the signal and throw the ball.

What will happen though is a lot of time outs and the catcher holding the ball to give the pitcher more time to rest between pitches.

You can't enforce a hitter to stay in the box. What if there's a bug in his eye, etc. But I don't like when they call time after the pitcher has pretty much started his delivery. Also, limit it to stepping out once per AB. Sometimes it's a ploy by the batter, but then it's also a counter to a pitcher taking an inordinate amount of time to throw the ball.