MLB and the MLBPA "took their first formal steps on Friday to quicken the pace of play" by announcing "new initiatives, including countdown clocks for breaks between innings and modifications to the instant-replay process," according to Tyler Kepner of the N.Y. TIMES. The new clocks "will not count down the seconds between pitches." Two timers will "start a countdown immediately after the third out of an inning," with one "on or near the outfield scoreboard, and another on the facade behind the plate." Mets GM Sandy Alderson said, "It’s a big undertaking, too, getting these timers installed at various places at Double-A and Triple-A, and also at the major league level. But MLB has been pretty aggressive on this point." Kepner noted the clocks "will count down from 2 minutes 25 seconds for games on local television, and from 2 minutes 45 seconds for games on national TV." Pitchers "may throw as many warm-ups as they want, but must stop throwing with 30 seconds to go." Hitters’ walk-up music "will be played between the 40- and 25-second marks only." If a pitcher "does not deliver a pitch before the clock hits zero, the umpire can issue a warning and a fine." Another new initiative will see umpires enforcing "the rule requiring all hitters to keep at least one foot in the batter’s box." MLB said that there "would be no fines issued in spring training or this April as players adjusted to the rules." Also, managers in most instances "are now instructed to stay in the dugout and signal to the umpire from the top step ... that they are considering a challenge" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/21).
INSIDE BASEBALL: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Brian Costa noted the rules "are intended to reduce the lulls between game action, after the average length of nine-inning games reached a record-high 3 hours, 2 minutes" in '14 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/21). In Baltimore, Schmuck & Encina report the plan "will be enforced with small fines rather than on-field penalties and fine money will be contributed to charity" (Baltimore SUN, 2/21). SPORTS ON EARTH's Will Leitch wrote the changes "seem awfully minor." If fans "weren't told about these changes," they "wouldn't affect your experience in even the slightest way." MLB "is trying this to see if it can maybe speed games up a little bit without changing the game in the slightest" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 2/20). Fox Sports' Jon Morosi said, "When you think about the totality of these moves, they're not really going to impact the game play itself, which is why I think it's actually a great series of moves. If this works out well, they might be able to make a lot of changes and shorten up 10 minutes from the game without the fan even noticing" ("MLB Tonight," MLB Network, 2/21). espnW's Kate Fagan said, “You can't eat the whole apple all at once. Major League Baseball has to take it bite by bite. This is at least a step in the right direction" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 2/20). In S.F., John Shea wrote the next step, which "seems inevitable, is to clock the time between pitches, most likely at 20 seconds." While purists and many MLBers "wouldn't want it," they would "adapt quickly" like with expanded replay. For a "generation of fans who think the game is too slow, maybe it’d be a benefit" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/22). In Chicago, Paul Sullivan wrote the "biggest time-waster -- pitching changes -- was ignored." But this round of changes "sparked heated debate in spring training clubhouses in the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/22).
PLAYERS' REAX: Mariners SS Willie Bloomquist said, "The concept is good to try and speed the game up, but I think to have to put rules on it is a little bit of a stretch. ... There’s going to be some sparks flying. There are going to be some guys that have to do something that they aren’t used to doing and anytime you have that, there is going to be some controversy" (SEATTLE TIMES, 2/22). Cubs LF Chris Coghlan: "Even when you start to listen to radio shows, fans don’t seem to have a major issue [with the length of games]." Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo: "If you think of guys like [Rangers LF] Ryan Ludwick or [Reds RF] Jay Bruce, every at-bat, taking a pitch, they’re stepping out of the box. I’m interested in seeing guys, you know, that have been in the league for 10-plus years." P Jason Hammel: "Good luck enforcing that" (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 2/21). White Sox CF Adam Eaton: "I’d hate in the World Series that we’re trying to figure out what to pitch in a 3-2 count with the bases loaded and, ‘Oh man, the time clock is too much.' What is the game going to come to?" But Sox P Chris Sale said, "This is a culture and generation of right now. People don’t feel like sitting through four-hour games. We are not too fond of them either. Anything to pick up the pace and get it going will be good" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/21). Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe: "Most guys will abide by the rules and there shouldn't be too many fines given out" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 2/22). Tigers P David Price: "Initially, I think it's a bad idea. But I guess I kind of get it" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/20). Tigers manager Brad Ausmus: "Without disrupting the game, we should do what we can to speed up the game. It has gotten a little long" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/22).
OPINION POTPOURRI: ESPN.com's Buster Olney wrote the requirement of hitters staying in the batter's box will devolve "into the absurd." The only "real way to enforce anything like that is to attach significant and automatic penalties that result when a batter leaves the box: Either another strike is assessed, or an out." MLB presumably "won't go that far -- the union almost certainly wouldn't allow it -- which means that we are doomed to a summer of watching plate umpires and hitters gripe over the batter's box like a parent fighting with a kid about taking out the garbage" (ESPN.com, 2/20). In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck wrote the revisions "should better regulate the pace of play and correct more bad umpiring decisions." Schmuck: "I've always felt that the sport’s obsession with reducing the average time of game has little to do with improving the fan experience and everything to do with giving the television networks better scheduling certainty. ... It’s not like there is a national fan revolt over the issue." Schmuck: "The thing that separates baseball from the other major professional sports is the lack of a time clock" (Baltimore SUN, 2/21). The CHICAGO TRIBUNE's Sullivan wrote MLB "has managed to survive artificial turf, the designated hitter rule, cookie cutter ballparks, strikes, steroids" and late Reds Owner Marge Schott, so it "can survive the short attention span of the next generation" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/22).
