I'm fairly certain the pitcher is allowed two disengagements per at-bat. However, that covers timeouts and pickoff attempts. When they say the pitcher is allowed two pickoff attempts I believe they're really referring to disengagements, so my understanding is that if he's already used those, he would no longer be permitted a timeout. I'm not sure if that covers stepping off and asking for a new baseball or not, since the clock is only paused in that circumstance.
We've been over this; pitchers don't want to throw a baseball a hundred miles an hour toward a person who isn't paying attention.
At the spring training games I attended it wasn't unusual for the pitcher to begin his windup at around 10 seconds (5 seconds left) with the bases empty. But one problem I did notice is that when the pitcher got a new ball he really didn't have time to rub it up.
Pitchers not named Max Scherzer, perhaps.
Batters will adjust. Better to have 2-3 additional strikeouts over 162 games than having a batter get killed while they "learn to pay attention".
There’s no problem. Just get in the box and look by :08. It’s not rocket science.
False choice. The absence of a batters’ clock won’t lead to batters being killed. That’s just silly. As far as I know, no NCAA batters have ever been killed due to the absence of a batters’ clock. But you’re right that batters will adjust. Either way.
Why would pitchers refrain from throwing a strike to an “unaware” batter? Are you suggesting batters will pretend not to pay attention to game the pitch clock?
It’s an unnecessary complication and requires an umpire to make a subjective call he’s often not in a good position to make. Like bad balls-and-strike calls, It doesn’t much matter most of the time.
It's not subjective. It will be obvious when the batter is ready, and the umpire will be able to see it as well.
Because sometimes you mess up the pitch, and once it's left your hand you can only hope the batter can get out of the way, which is hard when they didn't see you throw it.
I'm amazed that the New Yorker would feature 3 Red Sox players on its cover and only one Yankee.
It was never, ever about commercials, pitching changes, intentional walks, etc. It was always about time between pitches. So glad they finally made this change because not only are games played in less time, they are more fast-paced and enjoyable to watch.
Yes. More action = a more fun product to watch.
Agreed. Though honestly, the drawn out drama of the 2004 ALCS when Sox-Yanks were going 4+ hours was......unfathomably great theater.
Yes. Completely. Once the playoffs start I don't care nearly as much. A Saturday afternoon in June against the Rangers...four hours is too m uch.
Not saying I disagree, but back then that was more the exception than the rule. It's fine over a week or so, but consistent 3.5+ hour games makes a 162 game season a major slog.
Yep. I know a lot of people thought it was about money, but the issue was always batters taking half the length of a commercial before they step in the box and the pitcher taking the other half of that length to pitch the ball.
Joe Posnanski on this (not sure if this is paywalled but here is the relevant part):
You don't have to apologize for appreciating a textbook fist pump.
Justin Turner
I can't find a HBPIF stat on baseball reference but I went back to 2015 looking at HBP per MLB game:
This is why any pitcher complaining about a sticky stuff crackdown who says they need it for control should set off your bullshit detectors. Hit by pitches went up significantly during the Spider Tack era. When you try to throw 95 MPH sliders at a million RPMs, you're going to lose control and hit someone no matter how much adhesive is on your fingers.
