Three thoughts on the pitch clock

[interloper]

Overall, I think I like it but these 3 thoughts keep rattling around my brain:

1. I do miss being able to really luxuriate in a sleepy inning of baseball. Especially day baseball. I just like the drone of a baseball broadcast, and I've never really minded the sort of sleepy nature of a baseball game. I think my listening brain will adjust to the pace, but it's just something I found immediately noticeable, especially while watching the game as opposed to just listening. Jim Palmer may struggle with his stories!

2. I'm a little worried that psychologically, it's going to make hitters more aggressive. Even though it shouldn't have any reason to, I think just being in the box more, the increased pace of everything, I could see some guys being more anxious in the box and swinging early in counts. It will take a whole season of sample size to really determine if that's the case, and it might not be, but I can't stop feeling like everyone is more aggressive in these games. Whether they are or not, can't really say yet. 

3. Somewhat related to #2, I feel like the clock will benefit the pitchers more than the hitters. Just based on what happens when a hitter is called for a violation vs a pitcher. A strike is more impactful than a ball. An out is more impactful than a walk (most of the time, unless it results in a run). 

 

[Sanfran327]

Good points. Personally, I am annoyed that MLB is more concerned about making baseball more attractive to non-fans than hardcore fans. Your #1 is an absolutely valid non-competitive, cultural concern. The occasional stare-down, request for a timeout, or stepping off the rubber by the pitcher, all of those little games that go on between the pitcher and the batter during an AB are potentially out the window now. This is a bigger deal than simply making sure guys hustle.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Sanfran327

[RVAOsFan]

I agree with above that the clock certainly takes some of the gamesmanship out of the game but overall I think I like the idea of it.  I think even the hardcore fans can still appreciate a little bit of a faster pace.

During the broadcast Ben Macdonald mentioned that college baseball has a 20 second clock to improve pace of play.  I watch quite a bit of college baseball and I honestly didn't even realize there was a clock.

So my thought here is that the clock can serve a good purpose but 15 seconds is a bit aggressive.  Hopefully they consider pushing it back to 20 seconds before regular season starts.

[deward]

I've always enjoyed that baseball had a more relaxed pace than football or basketball. I don't want it turned into a frantic action-fest in order to appease people with short-attention spans. From a "theater of baseball" standpoint, this version of the pitch clock seems awful on first impression. Pitchers slowing the game down to a glacial pace with runners on was a big problem that needed to be fixed, but I fear this solution will suck much of life out of those classic, dramatic late-inning scenarios. I don't see why it wouldn't have made more sense to start with a less drastic approach; even a 30 second clock would have eliminated all of the worst issues.

[Sports Guy]

It’s wonderful. 

If you want it to be 20 instead of 15, that’s fine. It won’t really hurt the length of the game imo.

But it’s awesome overall. Taking away 30 min of nothing is fantastic.

[Moose Milligan]

It's a bit too fast, IMO.  I'm sure it'll take some getting used to but it felt very rushed.  I didn't like it, I didn't hate it...it's just different.

McDonald made a good point about how he thinks pitchers might not have enough time to shake off a catcher, I think that's something important to look at.  He said one of our guys (can't remember who) threw a pitch because he felt rushed and couldn't shake off the catcher and gave up a homer.  

So I think they could give back 3-5 seconds and still make an improvement on the pace of play in general.

I would also argue that they should do away with the pitch clock in the 9th inning and extra innings.  With the game on the line, I don't think they should be rushed.  

[InsideCoroner]

I can’t see that a pitch clock will prove a disadvantage to good hitters, except perhaps in the very short term. Both sides are accustomed to having more time — once hitters realize that pitchers are also under equal pressure, I think the smarter, more patient hitters will see it as an overall advantage. Good hitters live off mistakes, after all, and even if you can’t adjust your batting gloves and/or jock every pitch (Nomar style) you can still capitalize on a hanger. 

[Going Underground]

What happens if you need the rosin bag on those summer nights in Baltimore? Also on cold nights to grip a baseball.  Don't want a pitcher to be flinging a baseball with no control of where it is going to go 

[Aristotelian]

I'd like them to make some kind of PA announcement when a violation is called. Maybe I just wasn't used to looking for it, but the times I have seen it, it happens quickly, there is no explanation, and the audience has to figure out what happened.

[AnythingO's]

Isn't it a 20 second clock when there are runners on base?

[RVAOsFan]

16 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

It's a bit too fast, IMO.  I'm sure it'll take some getting used to but it felt very rushed.  I didn't like it, I didn't hate it...it's just different.

McDonald made a good point about how he thinks pitchers might not have enough time to shake off a catcher, I think that's something important to look at.  He said one of our guys (can't remember who) threw a pitch because he felt rushed and couldn't shake off the catcher and gave up a homer.  

So I think they could give back 3-5 seconds and still make an improvement on the pace of play in general.

I would also argue that they should do away with the pitch clock in the 9th inning and extra innings.  With the game on the line, I don't think they should be rushed.  

I already said above I think moving it back to 20 seconds needs to happen and fixes a lot of issues around feeling rushed.  The 9th inning and extra innings is a great idea, the clock could really hurt the late inning chess match.

[Can_of_corn]

11 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

I already said above I think moving it back to 20 seconds needs to happen and fixes a lot of issues around feeling rushed.  The 9th inning and extra innings is a great idea, the clock could really hurt the late inning chess match.

I think that once players and fans get acclimated it won't seem overly short.

They don't need more time.

[deward]

28 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

It’s wonderful. 

If you want it to be 20 instead of 15, that’s fine. It won’t really hurt the length of the game imo.

But it’s awesome overall. Taking away 30 min of nothing is fantastic.

I like a little nothing in my baseball games. I don't need everything in my life to have a frantic, non-stop rhythm to it. Baseball having a more leisurely rhythm was a good thing, imo. What I hated was the tendency for the last three innings of close games to turn into a parade of mound visits, pitching changes, pitchers stepping off, batters stepping out, etc, etc. There was no rhythm to that, it was just painful to watch. The pitch clock is certainly one way to eliminate that, so I'm generally supportive of it, but I hope adjustments will be made.

[Ven6]

Irvin had a great point today on the broadcast: install a clock up the line behind first base. Pitchers are holding runners etc and don’t look to the home plate area until they are in delivery mode. It would be helpful, especially for lefties but also for anyone looking at a runner on first as they try to vary their timing to the plate. 

[Ohfan67]

The guys in the minors got used to it and so will the ML's. Personally, I love it. The pace of play had gotten ridiculously long.