|
Pitch Clock Newsbeat
Saturday, March 11, 2023
On Feb. 25 during the White Sox spring opener against the San Diego Padres, he got his first taste of working with baseball’s new pace. It was even more jarring.
After the game he immediately met with White Sox play-by-play voice Jason Benetti.
“We are covering a different sport now,” Benetti said. Withers agreed.
“What Jason said keeps hitting me,” Withers told theScore this week. “Our jobs are completely different now. Having done three spring training games, it is tenfold more impactful than anything I thought it was going to be just from talking about it.”
Those following MLB’s spring action have seen how some players are struggling to adapt to baseball’s new pace and rules, but they’re not the only critical industry employees facing a major adjustment.
During that first game, Benetti felt the change immediately.
“I said to Stoney (color analyst Steve Stone) on the air, ‘Are we talking faster? I think we’re talking faster,’” Benetti said. “It was like, ‘Wow,’ the cadence and rhythm and the pace of everything we do in the booth felt different.”
The majority of fans consume baseball through TV. How we watch the game is going to change - a lot.
RoyalsRetro (AG#1F)
Posted: March 11, 2023 at 10:56 AM | 34 comment(s)
Beats:
pitch clock
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Already, in spring training, games are finishing in 2 hours and 36 minutes. That’s nearly a week and a half faster than your average Yankees-Red Sox game last year.
Hank Gillette
Posted: February 28, 2023 at 01:06 PM | 50 comment(s)
Beats:
new rules,
pitch clock
Saturday, February 25, 2023
All involved were warned that there would be no grace period with regard to the rules. So it was that a game between the Red Sox and Braves in North Port, Fla., ended in the bottom of the ninth (with the score tied, as there was no intention between the two teams of using extra men to play extra innings) when Braves infielder Cal Conley, who was up to bat with the bases loaded, two outs and the count full, was not alert to the pitcher by the 8-second mark of the pitch timer and was therefore assessed an automatic strike.
Struck out lagging.
Game over.
“These are the kind of things that tell you why we’re starting this right now,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “You never know what might happen. That instance right there shows you what could happen.”
The teachable moments will be many in this exhibition season, with the hope that most of the wrinkles are ironed out come Opening Day. The new rules were experimented in the Minor Leagues last season, and 90% of Minor Leaguers polled said it took them a month or less to adjust. Pitch timer infractions went from 1.73 per game in the first week in which the timer was in place to 0.53 per game by the sixth week.
RoyalsRetro (AG#1F)
Posted: February 25, 2023 at 11:30 PM | 88 comment(s)
Beats:
pitch clock
Friday, February 17, 2023
A bit more detail than we’ve seen before on these rules.
The basics: To create a crisper pace of play, there will be a 30-second timer between batters and then a 15-second timer between each pitch with the bases empty and a 20-second timer between each pitch with runners on base.
The pitcher must go into his motion prior to the expiration of the timer or else be charged with an automatic ball. The pitcher is allotted two “disengagements” (a step-off or a pickoff attempt) without penalty. A third disengagement will be ruled a balk, unless an out is recorded on the bases (i.e., a successful pickoff attempt).
The batter must be in the batter’s box and alert to the pitcher by the 8-second mark on the timer or else be charged with an automatic strike.
The pitch timer reduced the average game time in the Minor Leagues last year by 25 minutes, and the limit on pickoff attempts led to a 26 percent increase in stolen-base attempts. While it’s too early to say if those exact numbers will translate at the Major League level, it’s fair to expect a noticeable reduction in the length of games and increase in steal attempts.
|
Support BBTF
Thanks to Adam M for his generous support.
You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.
Hot Topics
Newsblog: 2023 NBA Regular Season Thread (1236 - 7:43am, Mar 22)Last:  jmurphNewsblog: MLB's Rob Manfred pushes for more star pitchers in next WBC (1 - 6:42am, Mar 22)Last: Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMcNewsblog: Ohtani fans Trout to seal Japan's 3rd Classic championship (4 - 6:39am, Mar 22)Last: Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMcNewsblog: Phillies Release Mark Appel (14 - 6:27am, Mar 22)Last: shoelesjoeNewsblog: OT - 2023 March Madness thread (61 - 2:49am, Mar 22)Last: Red MenaceNewsblog: Reds would reportedly consider trading Joey Votto to Blue Jays if he asked for it (29 - 12:24am, Mar 22)Last: Howie MenckelNewsblog: Japan plates 2 in ninth, ousts Mexico in World Baseball Classic (25 - 11:18pm, Mar 21)Last: Barry`s_Lazy_BoyNewsblog: Spring training OMNICHATTER 2023 (147 - 11:17pm, Mar 21)Last:  Howie MenckelNewsblog: Altuve suffers broken thumb in Venezuela's WBC loss to Team USA (39 - 9:22pm, Mar 21)Last: Jay SeaverNewsblog: Braves option Grissom to minors, clearing Arcia to start at SS (7 - 8:37pm, Mar 21)Last: Walt DavisSox Therapy: The Rostah (169 - 5:28pm, Mar 21)Last:  villageidiomHall of Merit: Reranking Center Fielders Ballot (7 - 5:15pm, Mar 21)Last: kcgard2Newsblog: Why MLB Feels RSN Pinch More Than Other Leagues (4 - 4:30pm, Mar 21)Last: Walt DavisNewsblog: OT Soccer Thread - Champions League Knockout Stages Begin (275 - 12:46pm, Mar 21)Last:  spiveyHall of Merit: 2024 Hall of Merit Ballot Discussion (82 - 11:11am, Mar 21)Last: DL from MN
|