Three thoughts on the pitch clock

[Just Regular]

Fred Merkle and Bill Buckner would love that.

[Jagwar]

13 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

That would be sweet.

Or even the inverse... a bases loaded walk because the pitcher didn't deliver a pitch in time. 

Ya, that would even be far worse than the All Star game that ended in a tie. 

[deward]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m not over correcting you. I’m merely stating that MLb doesn’t care about YOU in this instance.

YOU (you meaning the big fan, like we all are here) will watch either way.

They don’t care if we do or don’t like the change. They want the fan who isn’t watching or stops watching quickly because they are bored.

I was referring to MLB over-correcting the issue by going with too short a clock. I'm fine with a pitch clock in principle, but my first impression is that I'd like to see more time added to it, as it made the game feel a bit rushed, and I don't want that. I'll have to give it some time and see how it sits over the course of a season, and in person. I'm under no illusion that MLB cares at all about my personal preferences in this (or any other) matter.

[SilverRocket]

I've just had a couple spring training games on in the background so far, and it's felt noticeably quicker, forcing me to follow the game more closely. I can imagine the commentary becoming more game-focused with fewer side stories. The mid-game interviews have also felt a lot shorter. I expect to get used to it, like most of the players have.

I tend to watch 100+ games a year, and having 50 hours of my life back is a definite plus.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, SilverRocket said:

I've just had a couple spring training games on in the background so far, and it's felt noticeably quicker, forcing me to follow the game more closely. I can imagine the commentary becoming more game-focused with fewer side stories. The mid-game interviews have also felt a lot shorter. I expect to get used to it, like most of the players have.

I tend to watch 100+ games a year, and having 50 hours of my life back is a definite plus.

Will be nice to catch more of the west coast games.

[rm5678]

1 hour ago, Jagwar said:

Personally I can't wait until the World Series ends on a called strike three because a batter didn't get ready in time. 

I'm not in favor of the pitch clock at all, but at the very least if MLB is going to insist on using it then it needs to be for the regular season only and not for the post-season.

[rm5678]

2 hours 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.  

He was referring to Tyler Wells, and yes I completely agree with Ben (and with you).

[HakunaSakata]

Implementing the pitch clock is just as much about making the game the way it used to be as it is trying to appeal to a younger generation.  Sure it will take some getting used to, but the baseball purist argument really doesn't hold any water based on the average length of games over time. 

 

• The average length of a MLB game in 1940 was about 2 hours and 4 minutes. 
• The average length of a MLB game in 1980 was about 2 hours and 33 minutes. 
• The average length of a MLB game in 2022 was about 3 hours and 2 minutes. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, rm5678 said:

I'm not in favor of the pitch clock at all, but at the very least if MLB is going to insist on using it then it needs to be for the regular season only and not for the post-season.

I'm not in favor of one set of rules for the regular season and a different set for the playoffs.

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, Jagwar said:

Personally I can't wait until the World Series ends on a called strike three because a batter didn't get ready in time. 

Only if it happens to the Yankees or Red Sox. 

[Ripken]

It's great and was long overdue.  The only thing we're losing is 20-30 minutes of... absolutely nothing.  They've eliminated the black hole of grandstanding.  Wonderful.  I don't see anyone being rushed.  It seems like most of the pitches today were being thrown with 6-8 seconds on the clock.  That's plenty of extra time to shake off a sign, take a breath, adjust a cup, or do whatever, and the pitcher and hitter can still pause during the AB, just not over and over and over.  The pitcher and hitter know what the plan of attack is before the game starts and will still be able to adjust as needed.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Ripken

[Aristotelian]

I'd like a system of lights and buzzers to let everyone know what's going on, like the NBA shot clock. Clock turns yellow at :10, buzzer goes off and turns red at :08 and batter isn't set, otherwise it makes a gun loading sound and clock goes back to white. Then clock turns yellow at :03 and buzzers and lights at :00.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, deward said:

I was referring to MLB over-correcting the issue by going with too short a clock. I'm fine with a pitch clock in principle, but my first impression is that I'd like to see more time added to it, as it made the game feel a bit rushed, and I don't want that. I'll have to give it some time and see how it sits over the course of a season, and in person. I'm under no illusion that MLB cares at all about my personal preferences in this (or any other) matter.

Well I do think the players, fans, etc..will adjust and we won’t even know it’s happening.

That said, if they determine that it should be 20 instead of 15 seconds, so be it. I think for that to happen you will need the players to complain about it.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

39 minutes ago, SilverRocket said:

I've just had a couple spring training games on in the background so far, and it's felt noticeably quicker, forcing me to follow the game more closely. I can imagine the commentary becoming more game-focused with fewer side stories. The mid-game interviews have also felt a lot shorter. I expect to get used to it, like most of the players have.

I tend to watch 100+ games a year, and having 50 hours of my life back is a definite plus.

Uh oh Melanie Newman isn’t going to like this there are innings where she seemingly talks about everything but the game. Also Kevin Brown is going to have to get tighter with his obscure movie references. 

[Going Underground]

3 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Uh oh Melanie Newman isn’t going to like this there are innings where she seemingly talks about everything but the game. Also Kevin Brown is going to have to get tighter with his obscure movie references. 

Alfred E's daughter is a little long in the tooth. Must run in the family