MLB Buckling Down On Slow Game Play With Stricter Enforcement
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MLB Cracking Down On In-Game
Entertainment That Holds Up Play |
MLB yesterday during conference calls with each team's GM, manager and in-game entertainment staff, as well as all MLB umpire crew chiefs, indicated that umpires will be more vigilant in enforcing the pace of play. The calls, organized by MLB Exec VP/Baseball Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon, followed up a similar discussion at last week's MLB owners meetings in Milwaukee. Umpires will report all teams that fail to observe MLB's regulations regarding in-game entertainment, PA announcements and the playing of music and video presentations. Teams will be subject to fines for repeated violations of the league's pace of game requirements. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig in a statement said, "Improving pace of game is an important goal that will be emphasized. Clubs and fans share the common objective of seeing a game that is played as sharply and crisply as possible. We have reminded our staff and our umpires to enforce the rules in order to achieve the progress we need in this area" (MLB).
DON'T BREAK THE RULES: FOXSPORTS.com's Ken Rosenthal wrote the "difference in play could be noticeable, if indeed baseball starts following its own rules." Batters after initial warnings "can expect the penalty of an automatic strike if they linger outside the box between pitches, while pitchers can expect an automatic ball if they violate the 12-second limit for throwing a pitch." Stats LLC data shows that through Tuesday's games, the average time of a nine-inning MLB game this season was 2:51:45, up from 2:51:13 in '07 and 2:48:11 in '06. Rosenthal wonders, "If the pace of games is again a major concern, is [Selig] even less inclined to approve instant replay than he has been in the past?" (FOXSPORTS.com, 5/21). Reds manager Dusty Baker said of the possible enforcement of the pace of play rule, "You have to do what they tell you, what choice do you have?" (MLB.com, 5/21).
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