The Pitch Clock is here

[steveringo]

Yep. Better get used to it. Every AA & AAA game will use a pitch clock this season.

I'll say, within three years, it will reach the majors.... So, don't sign Clay Buchholz or David Price!



Prediction: Batters will complain more than the pitchers. Batters hate the quick pace.... Expect offense to continue it's decline.

 

[steveringo]

From SB Nation:

Here's a one-run game from September between two division rivals. That description should make you interested right away -- it seems like the template for a fantastic, memorable game. In the ninth inning, with the home team down by one, the closer for the Tigers came into the game. It should have been aerosol insanity in that stadium.

It was boring. It was dreadfully boring. Joe Nathan threw a first-pitch strike to Mike Moustakas. It took him 27 seconds after receiving the ball to throw the next pitch. After throwing a ball, Nathan took 23 seconds before delivering his next pitch. Moustakas stepped out, stepped in. Nathan looked in, shook off, caught butterflies, made a wish after blowing away dandelion spores ... it was interminable. It was so bad, I made a note to write about it in the offseason.

"Write about Joe Nathan making the best game of the weekend boring as all hell"
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Pitch clocks are (eventually) coming to baseball - SBNation.com

 

[Hunter Montana]

I bet Steve Trachsel is glad he is retired.

 

[Montalban]

Yep. Better get used to it. Every AA & AAA game will use a pitch clock this season.

I'll say, within three years, it will reach the majors.... So, don't sign Clay Buchholz or David Price!



Prediction: Batters will complain more than the pitchers. Batters hate the quick pace.... Expect offense to continue it's decline.

If it gets to MLB and they enforce it, it could be the best thing that has happened to baseball in a long time as far as increasing fan interest.

The interminable delays are the number one reason I hear from people who don't like watching baseball as the reason they don't watch or follow teams anymore.

 

[redseat]

I bet Steve Trachsel is glad he is retired.

Dice-K isn't too happy

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I love it. Bring it NEXT season.

But as always, players will find a work-around. If there's a guy on first, we'll see endless pitchouts.

 

[steveringo]

The average game time was 3:08 last year (almost as bad as the NFL)....

The AFL used a clock this year and the avg dropped to 2:51!

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Great addition. Shaving just 30 minutes off the games would do a lot of good for MLB, imo.

 

[navamind]

Good timing for Josh Beckett.

 

[Clayton]

Girlfriends and wives around the country are rejoicing at the thought

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Good timing for Josh Beckett.

Watched a game where Beckett and Benoit both pitched once... lord have mercy on my soul.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

what would the time limit be??

 

[podsox]

max scherzer with a runner on base is the worst thing to watch in baseball but it works

 

[broncosmitty]

max scherzer with a runner on base is the worst thing to watch in baseball but it works

It can drive a man insane.

His lack of a move is pathetic.

 

[Loneranger]

If it gets to MLB and they enforce it, it could be the best thing that has happened to baseball in a long time as far as increasing fan interest.

The interminable delays are the number one reason I hear from people who don't like watching baseball as the reason they don't watch or follow teams anymore.

THIS is absolutely spot on and the pitch clock either has to come to the game or the umps enforce the rule already in place. I don't agree with Steve that the offense will decline. Not saying it improves but this will have no impact at all. Pitchers will NOT like this becuz these punks today are taught to take 30 sec between pitches no matter what the situation. This is long overdue and will improve the game tremendously. The pace of play today has made MLB nearly impossible to watch for even the most die hard fans. The casual fan can't last 3 inn. today just becuz the game is too slow. I look forward to it coming to MLB asap.

 

[steveringo]

what would the time limit be??

from the rule book:

8.04 When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.”


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[Montalban]

THIS is absolutely spot on and the pitch clock either has to come to the game or the umps enforce the rule already in place. I don't agree with Steve that the offense will decline. Not saying it improves but this will have no impact at all. Pitchers will NOT like this becuz these punks today are taught to take 30 sec between pitches no matter what the situation. This is long overdue and will improve the game tremendously. The pace of play today has made MLB nearly impossible to watch for even the most die hard fans. The casual fan can't last 3 inn. today just becuz the game is too slow. I look forward to it coming to MLB asap.

Yep. remember the old days when you had to ask permission of the umpire to step out of the box? Now the hitter steps out on every pitch and adjust his gloves, and at least in Sandoval's case, his dick, and then the pitcher wanders behind the mound after each pitch. Its terrible.

 

[Loneranger]

from the rule book:

8.04 When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.”

this should have been enforced LONG ago. The game right now is nearly unwatchable and something needs to happen asap.


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[steveringo]

THIS is absolutely spot on and the pitch clock either has to come to the game or the umps enforce the rule already in place. I don't agree with Steve that the offense will decline. Not saying it improves but this will have no impact at all. Pitchers will NOT like this becuz these punks today are taught to take 30 sec between pitches no matter what the situation. This is long overdue and will improve the game tremendously. The pace of play today has made MLB nearly impossible to watch for even the most die hard fans. The casual fan can't last 3 inn. today just becuz the game is too slow. I look forward to it coming to MLB asap.

I think pitchers will realize a quicker pace will help their game. I also thing catchers will be more important. Some still look to the dugout to call pitches. They'll need to be making decisions themselves... I just hope they don't start holding the ball before they toss it back.

As for batters, no more stepping out with each pitch. Less time to adjust....

 

[Loneranger]

I think pitchers will realize a quicker pace will help their game. I also thing catchers will be more important. Some still look to the dugout to call pitches. They'll need to be making decisions themselves... I just hope they don't start holding the ball before they toss it back.

As for batters, no more stepping out with each pitch. Less time to adjust....

ok I see where you're coming from so I'll add my 2 cents becuz I know you're dying to hear it. Catchers holding the ball is going to be the very 1st thing we see from this. Minor leaguers will be taught this in a matter of a couple weeks. It'll be interesting becuz in the minors every pitch is called from the dugout so there's gonna have to be someone there who's thinking and making decisions immediately - or this rule won't be enforced. As for the impact on MLB play. If a pitcher/catcher can't make a decision on a pitch in a matter of a couple seconds then they don't belong at that level. The pitch calling from the dugout should stop and stop now. It's ridiculous a ML level catcher has to look to the dugout to find out what pitch needs to be thrown next. Today pitches come from the dugout the overwhelming % of time , it's nearly a given.
Now onto the adjustments for pitchers and batters. I'll tell you what I've always believed and always will. When athletes have time to "think it out" bad things happen more often than good things. All the nonsense in the game today regarding pitch calling , stepping out of the box EVERY SINGLE PITCH etc. has taken the natural reaction part of the game away. By that I mean a guy just reacts and does what comes naturally. Here we have the absolute best baseball players in the world at the highest level and they're taught to slow down and think it over , every 2 seconds. People who're as talented as these guys do not slow down and think it over naturally. What comes to them is 'throw it' or for a batter " swing , let it go" etc. They play by feel and what comes to them without thought. The best players will be better players if this rule is enforced , I guarantee it. I played a lot of baseball in my life and was fortunate enough to play professionally. I spent a lot of my time watching pitchers , watching everything they did , how they reacted to pitches hit , missed , bad calls etc - everything you can imagine. What I paid closest attn. to was the guy who played "catch and throw" , these guys were dangerous. They simply didn't need time to decide, it was natural and they knew exactly what they were doing. The guys who took a lot of time were dead meat , they don't look, act or play confidently and it showed.
ok that's more than you bargained for but that's how I see it.