How MLB’s new rule could change baseball games this season

Major League Baseball will see some key rule changes this season, but one of them is already confusing players.

Spring practice games in Florida and Arizona feature new pitching clocks that give pitchers a certain amount of time before they have to throw the ball.

The timer is set to 15 seconds if the bases are empty, or 20 seconds if there are runners on the base, and the hitter must be in the batter’s box with eight seconds remaining on the clock.

MLB officials say field hours can help cut game lengths, which have averaged over three hours in recent years. But the new rule drew some criticism, and puzzled diamonds over the weekend.

During a spring practice game between the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, Braves forward Cal Conley was called out for failing to hit the batter’s box in time. The game, which was at the end of the ninth inning with a full score, two strikeouts, and bases loaded, ended in a tie. Conley reacted with shocked laughter.

The clock on the field is not the only new rule that has appeared this season.

First, second and third bases have increased in size from 15 inches square to 18 inches square, which MLB says will reduce player injuries. The league also requires two infielders on each side of the second baseline before the field is thrown, preventing them from crowding one side or the other in a defensive maneuver known as “infield change”.

League officials say the rule changes did not happen on their own, but were developed in response to player and referee feedback and were first tested in the minor leagues.

“These moves are designed to improve the pace of the game, energize action and reduce injuries — all of which have tremendous support among our fans,” MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. said in a September statement when the new rules were approved.

“Through extensive testing in recent years, Little League staff and a wide range of fans, from the most dedicated to the casual observer, have recognized the collective impact of these changes in making the game even better and more enjoyable,” Manfred added.

For example, last year in the minor leagues, field hours helped reduce average game length by 25 minutes, and larger bases resulted in a 13% reduction in “injuries” near the bases, according to MLB.

These teams will be able to get used to the new rules, especially the hours on the field during spring training. And despite the resistance, some pitchers have suggested that the new timer could actually give them an edge.

“I can work really fast, I can work really slow,” New York Mets star pitcher Max Scherzer told reporters after his first spring practice. “There’s another layer here to be able to mess around with the striker’s timing.”

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