SilverBullet Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 MLB announced its early initiatives to improve pace of play and changes to the instant replay system today... Pace of Play: -The batter must keep one foot in the batters box at all times except in a specified event such as (the defensive team has a mound conference, the pitcher leaves the mound, a wild pitch or passed ball, a bunt attempt, umpire grants time, a pitch forces the batter out of the box, a defensive play on a runner, or a swing) -The umpire may penalize the batter with a called strike, including multiple called strikes if the batter continues to delay play. -Umpires may give a warning if the delay is deemed brief and inadvertent. Pace of Play Timer: -From the third out of the previous half inning a clock will be displayed on the scoreboard for 2 minutes 25 seconds (corresponding to the 2 minute commercial break time of a TV broadcast). Certain activities should be occurring as the clock reaches certain intervals... With 40 seconds remaining, the batter will be announced and walk up music will be played... 30 seconds remaining, pitcher throws final warm up pitch Between 20 and 5 seconds remaining the batter must enter the batters box (this is apparently the time when the commercial break is over and the broadcast should already be live) From the time the batter enters the box to before the end of the 2:25 clock, the pitcher must begin his delivery motions. -A fine system and potential discipline for serious offenders will be used after April 2015. -An extra 20 seconds will be added to the clock for nationally televised games. Instant Replay: -To eliminate the manager's contrived slow walk to the umpires while the team decides if it will challenge a replay... a manager now can signal from the dugout that they need a moment to review the play, and then the umpires give them the allotted time to decide if a challenge will be used. -Managers only lose a challenge if it's not overturned. So in theory the team has unlimited challenges as long as the team is correct. -Postseason, All Star Games, and tiebreaker games now allow each team two challenges before the seventh inning instead of one. (Althought the previous change is still in effect here) -Tagging up is now reviewable, such as whether a runner left the base early or if their foot was on the bag or not. -Managers now have to use a challenge for plays at the plate, although umpires can still initiate a replay when they seem fit as well. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 GREAT changes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverBullet Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 I like how it doesn't seem to be forced and contrived changes that ruin the game. Its basically reinforcing what were essentially existing rules, using commercial times wisely, and also telling Big Papi to cut the crap. Good start for Manfred. With giving us the All Star game... he's already the best commissioner I've ever seen lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pollythewog Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 common sense stuff. nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Texan Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 the batters box shit should have been enforced years ago. glad they are changing that joke called last year and the way managers would initiate challenges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entendu Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 It's going to be really fucking annoying when one of our guys gets a strike called on him for stepping out of the batter's box. I think the length of games is fine as is. The allure of baseball lies partly in its laid back nature. A fucking clock ruins that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Texan Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 It's going to be really fucking annoying when one of our guys gets a strike called on him for stepping out of the batter's box. I think the length of games is fine as is. The allure of baseball lies partly in its laid back nature. A fucking clock ruins that. There is no clock with actually staying in the box after not swinging. None of these changes introduce anything related to a clock during game play. I dont see why anyone would be bothered by this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entendu Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 It's going to be really fucking annoying when one of our guys gets a strike called on him for stepping out of the batter's box. I think the length of games is fine as is. The allure of baseball lies partly in its laid back nature. A fucking clock ruins that. There is no clock with actually staying in the box after not swinging. None of these changes introduce anything related to a clock during game play. I dont see why anyone would be bothered by this. There's going to be a clock in between innings that will force a batter to get to the box within a certain timeframe, then the pitcher will need to wind up at a certain time. All of this is unnecessary. During gameplay, you can get a strike called on you for stepping out of the box. I just don't get it. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons to leave the box. It's just extra crap that everyone has to worry about and I bet it'll probably shave off 20 minutes or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Texan Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 It's going to be really fucking annoying when one of our guys gets a strike called on him for stepping out of the batter's box. I think the length of games is fine as is. The allure of baseball lies partly in its laid back nature. A fucking clock ruins that. There is no clock with actually staying in the box after not swinging. None of these changes introduce anything related to a clock during game play. I dont see why anyone would be bothered by this. There's going to be a clock in between innings that will force a batter to get to the box within a certain timeframe, then the pitcher will need to wind up at a certain time. All of this is unnecessary. During gameplay, you can get a strike called on you for stepping out of the box. I just don't get it. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons to leave the box. It's just extra crap that everyone has to worry about and I bet it'll probably shave off 20 minutes or so. What legitimate reason is there to step out of the box on a pitch called a ball that isnt up and in? Or a pitch taken for a called strike? Thats when the stepping out of the batters box rule applies. The rule already exists, its just an attempt to actually inforce it. Ya there's going to be a clock between innings, its more being done due to television partners taking their sweet ass time to return to game play by and large. At one point, it was I believe a 90 second break between innings. The issue wont be with the players and really hasnt been. Rob Manfred himself has said, that all the ad buys have never been sold between inning breaks, then there have been all kind of promos that further slows things down. The idea will be for there to be no dead time when coming back from commercial breaks mostly. i.e. keep the game going. Its going to shave off 5-10 minutes probably. Its being done simply to keep the game moving along basically, not where we just sit around and wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I'm with Entendu on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enterthemadness Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Think this rule is stupid, but at least the NL still doesn't have the DH... Just fuck the DH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Undakai Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Ya'll are crazy. I mean, I like my games long too, but its the playtime I like being long, not all the piddly little shit between. That stuff getting sped up isn't going to drastically change the game or worsen the experience. And of all the HORRIBLE ideas I've seen get suggested to speed up the game, this is actually a bit of a relief, to be quite honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverBullet Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 One thing I do appreciate is that at least right now they seem to be sensitive to players habits and routines and it doesn't seem like umpires will be nonsensically giving out strike penalties left and right. There's a defined room for leeway that I think will work as long as the umps do punish some players and don't just let everyone get away from it. Also, I am a little lost as to why they think someone goes to a game and is suddenly hoping the game is done in under two hours. Of course a 3 and a half to 4 hour game is overkill but true baseball fans don't care that a game approaches three hours. If I'm on the way to a 7pm game and for some reason I need to be home at 9... I just wouldn't go to the game to begin with. At the end of the day I think intentionally speeding up the game itself is wrong... But cutting out the shit eating time wasting nothingness that today's players do is a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Beinfest Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I think the "exact" timing interval thing makes this thing sound like a damn act. Between 20 and 5 seconds the batter will enter the batter's box? Geez, I know 15 seconds is longer than it sounds, but do we REALLY need to be keeping track of that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverBullet Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 I think the "exact" timing interval thing makes this thing sound like a damn act. Between 20 and 5 seconds the batter will enter the batter's box? Geez, I know 15 seconds is longer than it sounds, but do we REALLY need to be keeping track of that? I gotta believe they won't be so exact on the timing as long as we get to the ultimate goal of having the pitch delivered within twenty seconds of the broadcast returning from commercial. Also, I think a fair question is ... Will these things be enforced during the occasional non televised games? Because in those cases there's no commercial breaks to be cognizant of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordMagnus Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I like baseball as much as the next guy, but its popularity is greatly diminishing and needs to try desperately to win people back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SongInTheAir Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I think the "exact" timing interval thing makes this thing sound like a damn act. Between 20 and 5 seconds the batter will enter the batter's box? Geez, I know 15 seconds is longer than it sounds, but do we REALLY need to be keeping track of that? I gotta believe they won't be so exact on the timing as long as we get to the ultimate goal of having the pitch delivered within twenty seconds of the broadcast returning from commercial. Also, I think a fair question is ... Will these things be enforced during the occasional non televised games? Because in those cases there's no commercial breaks to be cognizant of. I think all games are televised to some extent. Those games we see listed as "no TV" simply means it won't be shown in the Miami market. I use mlb.tv and I've been able to watch every game, occasionally on the away team's TV station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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