According to Ken Rosenthal, Major League Baseball is expected to announce pace of play rule changes tomorrow.
MLB expected to announce pace of play rules changes tomorrow, sources tell me and @jonmorosi. Three key points will be included:
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 20, 2015
1. Managers must challenge replays from dugout. 2. Batters must keep one foot in box unless an established exception occurs . . .
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 20, 2015
3. Play to resume promptly once broadcast returns from commercial break.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 20, 2015
All of these sound simple, although the second rule about batters is the only one that might draw problems with players. Most players have a specific routine after each pitch, which is definitely a huge reason why games get extended. You’d have to wonder how these new rules would impact the concentration of players at the plate, since their routine for most of their career would need to be changed instantly.
It will be interesting to see the changes tomorrow, along with any further details with the expected rule changes.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
nothing here I disagree with – what is interesting to me is what is NOT here, which is anything that would even slightly pressure the pitcher to throw faster. I would support a pitching clock at some point, but I wonder if there’s something short of that which could be done now – particularly given that one of the new rules impacts batters.
I worry about Josh Harrison. He may not have time to tap both feet with the bat after his practice swings. For this reason, I’m now predicting an offensive regression for him. The new rules however may benefit Pedro. He may be forced to shorten-up his loopy practice swing, and not have much time to think, which may result in an offensive explosion. : )
I said last year that now that ped’s are out of the game baseball would revert to a style reminescent of the 60’s and 70’s. That seems to be happening and it looks like mlb thinks so to by making things that were the norm then into rules now. I think the game will benefit from this and be much more entertaining.
I agree I think these are good rule changes. I especially love the first one and the last one.