MLB, players union announce pace of play, modified replay rules
Among the changes included are making managers stay in the dugout during replay challenges, mandating that hitters keep at least one foot in the batter's box during at-bats and a quick return to play after television commercial breaks. To challenge inning-ending calls, managers are required to leave the dugout immediately in order to hold the defensive team on the field.
Managers will now have two challenges per game during postseason games, regular season tiebreaker games and the All-Star Game.
A timer will be placed near an outfield scoreboard and a smaller timer will be installed on the facade behind home place near the press box. A timer will count down from 2:25 for locally television games and 2:45 for national television games. An MLB representative will operate the clock and keep track of events.
There will be exceptions to hitters keeping a foot in the batter’s box.
I thought turning baseball stadiums into mini amusement parks, and telecasts into talk shows took care of all the people who couldn't appreciate the pace of baseball. I guess not...
Wake me up when Manfred does something that's actually constructive, like put the DH in the NL...
lb13
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:34 pm
by SpacemanSpiff
littlebeast13 wrote:Wake me up when Manfred does something that's actually constructive, like put the DH in the NL...
Has anyone called him "the Mighty Manfred" yet?
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:42 pm
by littlebeast13
SpacemanSpiff wrote:
littlebeast13 wrote:Wake me up when Manfred does something that's actually constructive, like put the DH in the NL...
Has anyone called him "the Mighty Manfred" yet?
Dishonest John, now Mighty Manfred? Where are all these long lost characters I've never heard of before coming from all of a sudden?
lb13
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:55 pm
by SpacemanSpiff
littlebeast13 wrote:
SpacemanSpiff wrote:
littlebeast13 wrote:Wake me up when Manfred does something that's actually constructive, like put the DH in the NL...
Has anyone called him "the Mighty Manfred" yet?
Dishonest John, now Mighty Manfred? Where are all these long lost characters I've never heard of before coming from all of a sudden?
lb13
From us old toonheads.
BTW, DJ inspired the AC/DC song, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap."
From Wikipedia:
...the term "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is an homage to the cartoon Beany and Cecil, which Angus watched when he was a child. One of the cartoon's characters was named Dishonest John, and carried a business card that read, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays and Special Rates."
Manfred, aka "The Mighty Manfred," was the canine sidekick for Tom Terrific, which ran on Captain Kangaroo in the early 1960s.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:13 pm
by Jeemie
littlebeast13 wrote:I thought turning baseball stadiums into mini amusement parks, and telecasts into talk shows took care of all the people who couldn't appreciate the pace of baseball. I guess not...
Wake me up when Manfred does something that's actually constructive, like put the DH in the NL...
lb13
The one foot in the box rule, from what I have heard, will really speed up the game. It's in use in high schools, I believe.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:14 pm
by littlebeast13
You learn something new every day...
Nobody will be talking about squirrels covered in possum guts 50 years from now...
Rule 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. The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball."
Rule 6.02b (with comment) - "6.02 The batter shall take his position in the batters box promptly when it is his time at bat.
(b) The batter shall not leave his position in the batters box after the pitcher comes to Set Position, or starts his windup.
PENALTY: If the pitcher pitches, the umpire shall call Ball or Strike, as the case may be.
Rule 6.02(b) Comment: The batter leaves the batters box at the risk of having a strike delivered and called, unless he requests the umpire to call Time. The batter is not at liberty to step in and out of the batters box at will."
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 3:42 pm
by TheConfessor
What's the point of the 2:45 countdown clock? What happens when it gets to 0:00? Anything? Is the game over?
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:08 pm
by Jeemie
TheConfessor wrote:What's the point of the 2:45 countdown clock? What happens when it gets to 0:00? Anything? Is the game over?
Nothing for now. They're just using it to measure.
Another change that may be coming is enforcement of time between pitches (as outlined in Vandal's post), although the penalty for delayed pitches will not be that balls will be called, but that small fines will be levied.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:16 pm
by BackInTex
Wouldn't it have been easier to change the game to 8 innings?
Or maybe 2 strikes you're out. 2 outs per inning?
Seriously, if they are concerned about the games being too long because they are losing audience, then limit the commercials. Don't change the game.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:21 pm
by mrkelley23
All of the rules they're talking about have been in place in the NFHS rules (which is the organization that governs most high school games) for quite some time. I admit that I was skeptical about the one foot in the box rule actually accomplishing anything, but I was wrong. Way wrong. If they actually enforce it, I predict a speed up of 10+ minutes per game. The trouble is, I don't think they will enforce it against the millionaires who play today's game.
But all three rules will work, with minimum disruption, if they enforce them. Compared to the shot clock and the three point basket in basketball; and the multitude of rules changes in football, these will hardly change the actual play of the game, IMHO.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 8:06 am
by jarnon
Two more changes that will make games more exciting:
Ok, ok, ok. I think I've got it now. So the "new" strike zone will be two inches higher than the two inches lower than the knees as in the past. At the "letters" it will remain the same (two inches above or below the "letters). Same to be said for "Home Plate". A "strike" will be/ not be, within two inches of the inner half of the plate and will be/ not be within two inches of the outer half of the plate.
So glad they made this so much easier to understand (insert sarcasm sign here).
Ray
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 7:42 am
by littlebeast13
And now, the ideas for "speeding up the pace of play" have officially gotten ridiculous...
Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported Wednesday that MLB will test a rule change in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League this summer that will automatically place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings.
Why not just have the team captains play a game of rock paper scissors at the end of regulation to decide who wins a tie game? That would be as true to the American pastime as idiotic rules like this would be...
#AlterantiveBaseball
lb13
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:26 pm
by Appa23
littlebeast13 wrote:And now, the ideas for "speeding up the pace of play" have officially gotten ridiculous...
Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported Wednesday that MLB will test a rule change in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League this summer that will automatically place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings.
Why not just have the team captains play a game of rock paper scissors at the end of regulation to decide who wins a tie game? That would be as true to the American pastime as idiotic rules like this would be...
#AlterantiveBaseball
lb13
Works in softball.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:41 pm
by littlebeast13
Appa23 wrote:
littlebeast13 wrote:And now, the ideas for "speeding up the pace of play" have officially gotten ridiculous...
Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported Wednesday that MLB will test a rule change in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League this summer that will automatically place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings.
Why not just have the team captains play a game of rock paper scissors at the end of regulation to decide who wins a tie game? That would be as true to the American pastime as idiotic rules like this would be...
#AlterantiveBaseball
lb13
Works in softball.
So does having four outfielders, seven innings, mercy rules and a cooler full of beers. I'm not sure I'd like to see any of those ideas implemented in MLB either...
lb13
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:28 pm
by silverscreenselect
littlebeast13 wrote: So does having a cooler full of beers. I'm not sure I'd like to see any of those ideas implemented in MLB either...
lb13
It depends on who gets the beer.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:37 pm
by Estonut
littlebeast13 wrote:#AlterantiveBaseball
It would be great if this were intentional...
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:02 pm
by T_Bone0806
I'll tell you one of the main culprits in the lengthening of today's game: the changing of pitchers every stinkin' batter. And the manager of my team, "Notebook Joe" Girardi, is one of the worst offenders. Maybe if we didn't carry a hundred freakin' pitchers in our bullpen, we'd have a bench to call on. The constant pitching changes drive me nuts. Otherwise, to those complaining about the pace of the game, feel free to return to the comfort of your Playstation. Baseball was made for a summer day (or evening)..it's a long distance run, not a sprint. Those with short attention spans need not apply, and MLB should not be selling its soul to try to hook those folks...even if they come to the stadiums, they'll be texting and taking selfies 80% of the time anyway. Who needs 'em.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:55 pm
by Vandal
T_Bone0806 wrote:I'll tell you one of the main culprits in the lengthening of today's game: the changing of pitchers every stinkin' batter. And the manager of my team, "Notebook Joe" Girardi, is one of the worst offenders. Maybe if we didn't carry a hundred freakin' pitchers in our bullpen, we'd have a bench to call on. The constant pitching changes drive me nuts. Otherwise, to those complaining about the pace of the game, feel free to return to the comfort of your Playstation. Baseball was made for a summer day (or evening)..it's a long distance run, not a sprint. Those with short attention spans need not apply, and MLB should not be selling its soul to try to hook those folks...even if they come to the stadiums, they'll be texting and taking selfies 80% of the time anyway. Who needs 'em.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:14 pm
by Bob78164
I don't mind them trying out these rule changes in the low minors, but I really hope they reject them. Over the years, we've seen good moments when planned intentional walks go awry. And as for starting extra innings with a runner on second (or anywhere else), blech! Anyway, how many games last season actually went past, say, 11 innings? --Bob
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 4:08 pm
by littlebeast13
Bob78164 wrote:I don't mind them trying out these rule changes in the low minors, but I really hope they reject them. Over the years, we've seen good moments when planned intentional walks go awry. And as for starting extra innings with a runner on second (or anywhere else), blech! Anyway, how many games last season actually went past, say, 11 innings? --Bob
None of the proposed rule changes even deal with the stated goal of increasing the "pace of play". Intentional walks take maybe a minute's worth of time, and aren't even that common to have a dramatic effect on average game time. Adjusting the strike zone will just lead to more walks (Just as "boring" as a strikeout) and has zero to do with helping a batter's contact rate (since the purpose of this change is to somehow increase "balls in play"). And most egregious of all, the extra inning rule serves only to artificially shorten ballgames... not get rid of any of the dead time which was what everyone was complaining about in the first place.
Manfred seems to be all about trying to make sure every game lasts less than three hours now so each game will finish before the apathetic, short attention span youngsters all begin to leave in droves around the 8th inning. The new regime will turn baseball into a beer league softball experience before we know it...
lb13
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:33 pm
by mrkelley23
I'm sure I've said it before, but I"ll say it again: you want to shorten the games, adopt the high school visit rule. You get three over the first 9 innings, one per inning if it goes extras. After 3, you have to change pitchers every time. And as much as I like Yadi, I'd count catcher visits, too. Because with a catcher like Yadi, it's just like a manager visit. Don't understand why they'd go to the softball extra innings rule before this one.
Re: New rules to speed up MLB games
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 2:23 am
by Bob78164
mrkelley23 wrote:I'm sure I've said it before, but I"ll say it again: you want to shorten the games, adopt the high school visit rule. You get three over the first 9 innings, one per inning if it goes extras. After 3, you have to change pitchers every time. And as much as I like Yadi, I'd count catcher visits, too. Because with a catcher like Yadi, it's just like a manager visit. Don't understand why they'd go to the softball extra innings rule before this one.
I saw a similar suggestion on MLB Network a couple of days ago. Allow five time outs per game. You can use one for a mound visit or for a challenge. Once they're gone, no more challenges and every mound visit means a pitching change. --Bob
