Tag: Pitch clock

Why the MLB pitch clock is faster with runners on in 2024, explained

You might see some faster MLB games in 2024 thanks to this rule change.

The MLB pitch clock has been one of the best innovations in sports that we’ve seen in some time, reducing long baseball games to a tidier, quicker package.

And this year, we may see shorter games. Why? Because there’s a new rule regarding the clock: previously, it was 20 seconds for a pitcher and hitter to get ready when there was a runner on base. Now, it’ll be 18 seconds to start, which may buy back a few minutes per game. The rules about stepping off the mound or to throw a pickoff attempt — two per batter — are still the same.

There’s your answer!

MLB playoffs: Why the pitch clock stayed for the postseason (perhaps)

Here’s why MLB may have decided to keep the pitch clock rules the same for the 2023 playoffs.

If you’re here, you might have noticed that Major League Baseball decided not to change its regular-season rules and stick with the pitch clock for the playoffs, a decision that some questioned as the postseason loomed.

Why keep the pitch clock when a violation might end a playoff game? Or why put pressure on pitchers and hitters when these are the games that seriously count?

I haven’t seen a full answer from MLB, but we can speculate!

First off, the average time of regular-season games was 24 minutes shorter in 2023. Shorter games were good for fans, and in the postseason — when games can feel like they take forever, despite the stakes being much higher, that might be even better for viewership.

As for the players, they might be used to things on both ends of the pitch clock — pitchers and hitters have their rhythms down, know the rules, don’t have to be in their heads while they’re in the middle of at-bats. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

For what it’s worth, there was this from ESPN about possibly ADDING time on to the clock:

Players’ arguments on behalf of adding time to the playoff pitch clock were salient. With every out in the postseason extraordinarily valuable, players not only thought they could benefit individually from the extra time but the game could breathe and allow for big moments to feel bigger. The executive council, which unilaterally controls on-field rules but must consult the competition committee, did not find the contentions compelling enough.

Alas, nope. The pitch clock rules will stay the same.

Rougned Odor got called for a trash pitch clock violation thanks to garbage retrieval

Should this REALLY have been called?

Buckle up for this one, baseball fans.

Because this might be the weirdest pitch clock violation you’ll see in 2023.

Rougned Odor was up to bat with Jeff Hoffman on the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies in extra innings on Sunday. The San Diego Padres hitter took strike one. Then? Phillies infielder Edmundo Sosa went to grab some garbage that had fallen on the field. Hoffman was off the mound but quickly got back as the pitch clock was ticking down.

No one called time … but Odor thought the garbage retrieval may have counted as a time out? But nope, he wasn’t ready when he was supposed to be and he got a strike called on him:

Should that have been called?

A frustrated Manny Machado became the first MLB player to get ejected over a clock violation

The MLB rules are going just great.

With the new MLB rules, players knew they were going to need to make adjustments — particularly when it comes to a hitter’s at-bat routine. The days of adjusting batting gloves for 20 seconds are over, and Manny Machado learned that the hard way on Tuesday.

The Padres star was ejected during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks after he was initially called for a clock violation and automatic third strike. The new MLB rules require hitters to be in the box and alert to the pitch by the eight-second mark. Replays showed that Machado was adjusting his batting gloves before attempting to call time right at eight seconds.

As home plate umpire Ron Kulpa tried to explain to Machado that the timeout wasn’t signaled in time (clock already showed eight seconds when the hand raised), manager Bob Melvin came out from the dugout in an attempt to cool down Machado.

By then, it was too late. Machado had choice words for Kulpa who quickly signaled the ejection.

But hey, if you’re going to get ejected, at least make it meaningful. Machado made history as the first player to get ejected over the pitch clock in the regular season.

Mariners fans tried to rattle the Guardians by loudly counting down the pitch clock

Another way the pitch clock is helping baseball.

We’re just a few days into the MLB season, and with the new rules, we’re going to see a totally different style of baseball for 2023 and beyond.

That could also bring a new element to the atmosphere at MLB ballparks. We at least heard that play out in Seattle on Saturday.

Obviously, the pitch clock is the huge change for this season. Gone are the days of pitchers taking a minute between pitches, and the actual clock in the stadiums gives fans something to focus on as a way of throwing an opposing pitcher off his rhythm — or at least trying to.

Guardians pitcher James Karinchak had a rough outing in Thursday’s Opening Day, and the crowd played a part in that. So, when the Guardians reliever was back for an appearance on Saturday, Mariners fans tried once again to rattle Karinchak.

They counted down the pitch clock in an attempt to shake Karinchak’s focus. It was baseball’s answer to Giannis Antetokounmpo at the free-throw line in an away game.

Now, it would have been especially great if the Mariners fans had a fake count going — like what you sometimes see in college basketball — but if the clock gets fans more engaged with the action, that’s just an added bonus to the new rules.

Fans on Twitter also had thoughts on the Mariners’ countdown.

The Opening Day game length numbers don’t lie: The MLB pitch clock is the best

If this doesn’t prove that the pitch clock is the best, we don’t know what will.

We’ve been trying to convince you of it all during spring training.

Despite some weird moments, the pitch clock proved in the preseason that it’s the best thing for baseball.

Games moved along. They were shorter. There was more action, instead of a pitcher throwing, stomping around the mound, getting settled, waving off the catcher twice and then throwing. Remember that side-by-side video comparing the now to the before? That should be plenty of proof.

But, no, there are some who doubt it. And I get it if you’re an old-school fan. Yet this new era of speedier baseball will help the game keep fans watching.

Check out the Opening Day numbers:

Quicker games are great for everyone involved. If you haven’t bought in, it’s time.

Cubs’ Marcus Stroman was called for the first regular season pitch-clock violation in MLB history

Marcus Stroman is now the answer to a future MLB trivia question.

Get ready to see a lot of pitch-clock violations in the weeks to come.

Opening Day 2023 is well underway as baseball is officially back! Things will look a bit different this year in Major League Baseball, as the league introduced a pitch clock. This will help speed along games by forcing pitchers to throw to hitters quicker and while batters have to step into the box faster.

And now, we officially have our first called pitch-clock violation in the regular season after Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman failed to beat the clock while pitching to Christian Yelich. Stroman was assessed a ball for the violation.

Neat piece of MLB history right there!

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What are the MLB pitch clock rules? Breaking down the details, violations and more

Let’s break down all the MLB pitch clock rules.

Major League Baseball made a huge change ahead of the 2023 season: The installation of a pitch clock that will keep games moving and force batters to get into the box quicker, along with pitchers throwing quicker.

Although some of the violations in spring training produced some bizarre moments, games were much quicker than they had been. But they moved things along in a way that baseball hasn’t seen in a long time.

If you’re here, you may be wondering about the rules of the pitch clock, along with the violations that could be called on hitter or pitcher. We’re here to help!

Yankees’ Nestor Cortes had pettiest next-pitch response to the umpire calling a ‘quick pitch’ violation

This was so great.

Every pitcher and batter is going to need to make adjustments to the new MLB rules. And even over the course of spring training, we’ve seen a dramatic drop in pitch clock violations. We also saw some pitchers trying to find loopholes in the system.

That has led to MLB making some minor tweaks to the rules, and that came into play with Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes on Tuesday.

During a spring training game against the Washington Nationals, Cortes tried to time a quick pitch right around the eight-second mark to Jeimer Candelario the exact moment he looked up. However, home plate umpire Reed Basner called the pitch dead immediately because Cortes did not give Candelario adequate time to become alert to the pitcher.

The result was an automatic ball.

But look how Cortes responded to the ruling. Since the bases were empty, he went with the opposite of a quick pitch and broke out an exaggerated, swaying delivery.

You could see Cortes laughing about the whole sequence. You have to love that pettiness right there. Despite the automatic ball, Cortes would get Candelario to ground out in the at-bat.

MLB fans had thoughts on the whole response too.

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Rob Manfred is reportedly putting Bat Boys and Girls on notice for slowing down games and it feels so wrong

This is just kinda mean, man

Major League Baseball just had what will undoubtedly be one of the best moments of its season when Mike Trout faced off against Shohei Ohtani in the World Baseball Classic.

Yes, I know. That’s not actually MLB baseball. But, at the same time, it got a lot of people excited about what could possibly be in store for this season. And that’s a good thing.

So, of course, Rob Manfred and baseball’s front office had to come and water down all that joy and goodwill with an absolutely ridiculous rule.

The league sent out memos with some slight tweaks to the rules, including many of which impacted the pitch clock and the speed of the game. ESPN’s Jeff Passan got a hold of the memo and shared details on it.

Among the rules were new standards for bat boys and bat girls around the league. Yes, apparently, if they’re too slow their jobs could be in jeopardy.

“New standards will be enforced for bat boys and bat girls, whose ability to quickly retrieve equipment will help efforts to speed up the game, according to the memo. The league will evaluate the performances of bat boys and bat girls and could ask teams to replace them if their performance is considered substandard.”

What an absolutely ridiculous rule, man. Like, seriously? Is the 14-year-old who took a little bit of extra time to replace a broken bat really the one slowing the game down? Come on, MLB. This isn’t a problem. Why threaten a good time like this?

It just feels cold, man. A little too cold — even for Rob Manfred, who is absolutely a supervillain. That’s the only way to describe someone who would audibly cackle during the temporary cancellation of their sport.

MLB fans were so miffed by the thought of this new rule. Rightfully so. It’s completely ridiculous.