By Jordan Long
Major League Baseball is adding a pitch clock and a ban on defensive shifts starting next season. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred wants to make the game of baseball more exciting. According to sportingnews.com, Manfred said, “These steps are designed to improve pace of play, increase action, and reduce injuries, all of which are goals that have overwhelming support among our fans.”
They have already added a signal for an intentional walk rather than have a catcher stand outside the zone for a pitcher to throw 4 balls. Sure that saves a little time but now they will add a pitch clock.
The pitch clock has been experimented at the minor league level. It has helped speed up the game. The problem with Major League pitchers is sometimes they take a lot of time to deliver the ball. They shake off the catcher because that is not the pitch they want or look back at a base runner.
The pitch clock is going to speed up this process. When there is nobody on base, a pitcher will have 15 seconds to throw a pitch. Of course, that number will increase with a runner on base to 20 seconds. This should help the pace of play. If a pitcher though doesn’t start to throw the baseball before the clock runs out, it’s a ball. On the other hand, if a batter fails to be in the box in those seconds, it will be charged a strike to the count.
This rule makes a lot of sense. Baseball is a slow game and it’s all about making it a bit faster. This should cut down on the average time a baseball game takes. Foxsports.com stated the average baseball game this year takes 3 hours and 7 minutes. That figure with the pitch clock could be less. I have no problem with MLB trying to speed up the game.
The ban on the shift makes less sense. It is going to require the shortstop and 2nd basemen to be placed on either side of second base. They can’t move from that position and must have both feet on the infield dirt meaning they can’t move into the outfield at all.
I don’t like this rule at all. The shift is all about defensive strategy. They know which side of the diamond a player normally smacks the baseball for an easy ground out rather than hitting the ball to the opposite field. They are taking it away just to add more possible offense which may increase scoring.
MLB is trying to change the rules and they should receive credit for that. They are normally slow to change. It will be interesting to see how much this impacts the game of baseball moving forward and if these rules will stay in place for years to come.
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