MLB Buckling Down On Slow Game Play With Stricter Enforcement

MLB Cracking Down On In-Game Entertainment That Holds Up Play

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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