Rule Changes Coming in '23

[Guy Incognito]

Pitch timer, shift restrictions among announced rule changes for '23

A pitch timer, limits on defensive shifts and bigger bases are coming to Major League Baseball in 2023. Following recent experiments in the Minor Leagues, the recently formed Joint Competition Committee voted Friday in favor of three rule changes aimed at improving pace of play, action and...

www.mlb.com

No shifts, pitch timer, larger bases.

Personal thoughts:

1) No shifts: don't really care, they can still overshift pretty hard. Might see a few more singles to right since the 2B can't play in shallow RF any more.

2) Pitch timer and throw-over maxes: I like that there's a requirement that hitters have to be ready. Hopefully it limits the fiddling with batting gloves crap. Was slightly concerned about the limit on throwing over as it could lead to runners going all the time after the 2 "disengagements", but the pitcher can still try to pick off a runner if he breaks after 2 throw-overs. Runner gets the next base if he makes it back safely.

3) Larger bases. Meh. Apparently it reduces collisions and increases risk taking on the basepaths. If that's the case, I'm for it.

 

[navamind]

Still think the shift ban is dumb. Why not make the hitters adjust? Fine with the other two though.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Source: Extra-inning, extra-runner rule to remain

MLB's joint competition committee has voted to keep the rule that places a runner at second base at the start of extra innings, and a separate set of rules that puts parameters on when position players can pitch, a source told ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

www.espn.com

 

[bamafan4evr12]

Source: Extra-inning, extra-runner rule to remain

MLB's joint competition committee has voted to keep the rule that places a runner at second base at the start of extra innings, and a separate set of rules that puts parameters on when position players can pitch, a source told ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

www.espn.com

 

[Guy Incognito]

Pitch timer, shift restrictions among announced rule changes for '23

A pitch timer, limits on defensive shifts and bigger bases are coming to Major League Baseball in 2023. Following recent experiments in the Minor Leagues, the recently formed Joint Competition Committee voted Friday in favor of three rule changes aimed at improving pace of play, action and...

www.mlb.com

No shifts, pitch timer, larger bases.

Personal thoughts:

1) No shifts: don't really care, they can still overshift pretty hard. Might see a few more singles to right since the 2B can't play in shallow RF any more.

2) Pitch timer and throw-over maxes: I like that there's a requirement that hitters have to be ready. Hopefully it limits the fiddling with batting gloves crap. Was slightly concerned about the limit on throwing over as it could lead to runners going all the time after the 2 "disengagements", but the pitcher can still try to pick off a runner if he breaks after 2 throw-overs. Runner gets the next base if he makes it back safely.

3) Larger bases. Meh. Apparently it reduces collisions and increases risk taking on the basepaths. If that's the case, I'm for it.

They're also going to emphasize the balk rule more on deceptive deliveries.

 

[RubinRock]

 

[Guy Incognito]

Honestly, if that's all it takes, I'm for it. I don't need 25 seconds of adjusting batting gloves after every pitch.

 

[RubinRock]

Honestly, if that's all it takes, I'm for it. I don't need 25 seconds of adjusting batting gloves after every pitch.

Agreed. I actually really like it. And apparently the players in the minors last year adjusted to it pretty easily.

 

[fordman84]

Honestly, if that's all it takes, I'm for it. I don't need 25 seconds of adjusting batting gloves after every pitch.

That was always the worst. I thought at one time there was a rule that you couldn't step out if you hadn't swung the bat, but I may have made that up. If you don't take a swing then you don't need to step out and adjust your helmet then your gloves then a couple of practice cuts then get the signs then get in the box with your back hand up...after every dang pitch.

 

[Guy Incognito]

That was always the worst. I thought at one time there was a rule that you couldn't step out if you hadn't swung the bat, but I may have made that up. If you don't take a swing then you don't need to step out and adjust your helmet then your gloves then a couple of practice cuts then get the signs then get in the box with your back hand up...after every dang pitch.

I remember only being allowed out of the box if you were granted time, if you fouled a pitch off, or if you got dusted by a pitch.

 

[Deep Dish Pizza Goat]

Pitch clock violation with bases loaded ends game

With the bases loaded and two outs in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, Cal Conley was called for a pitch clock violation for not being set in the box with less than eight seconds left.

www.espn.com

 

[Guy Incognito]

Pitch clock violation with bases loaded ends game

With the bases loaded and two outs in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, Cal Conley was called for a pitch clock violation for not being set in the box with less than eight seconds left.

www.espn.com

Batter thought he was walking off on a clock violation, too.

 

[RubinRock]

Batter thought he was walking off on a clock violation, too.

Pretty dumb when the pitcher wasn’t ready either but the batter was the one penalized. Stupid shit like this needs to be hammered out, but overall I like the clock. My guess is mlb is pushing umps to be extra picky about it all in spring training as well.

 

[Deep Dish Pizza Goat]

It’s gonna be really awesome when these things decide games that actually matter.

In all sincerity why does pace of play even matter? Diehards will sit there with their scorecards for five hours, while casuals will now leave in the seventh instead of the sixth. At the park, they’ve already got my money after the first pitch and on TV, you’re only giving advertisers less product.

 

[Guy Incognito]

It’s gonna be really awesome when these things decide games that actually matter.

In all sincerity why does pace of play even matter? Diehards will sit there with their scorecards for five hours, while casuals will now leave in the seventh instead of the sixth. At the park, they’ve already got my money after the first pitch and on TV, you’re only giving advertisers less product.

This is a bit extreme, but you cannot tell me that what happened on the right is more entertaining than what happened on the left.

There may be one less commercial or something, maybe fewer "this step-off attempt brought to you by BlueChew" or whatever, but I don't pay to watch people adjust batting gloves.

 

[Deep Dish Pizza Goat]

This is a bit extreme, but you cannot tell me that what happened on the right is more entertaining than what happened on the left.

There may be one less commercial or something, maybe fewer "this step-off attempt brought to you by BlueChew" or whatever, but I don't pay to watch people adjust batting gloves.

I guess.

I probably fall into the “whatever” category of fan. I don’t watch baseball for the action, because there’s never much of it. Going to games is just awesome, I don’t even notice the batter adjustments and I’ll probably just get bored and leave before the game is over anyway. On TV it’s mostly background noise that I’ll “watch” until the end of the game.

I guess these adjustment for my consumption means I’ll leave in the 7/8th instead of the 6th in person.

 

[Guy Incognito]

I guess.

I probably fall into the “whatever” category of fan. I don’t watch baseball for the action, because there’s never much of it. Going to games is just awesome, I don’t even notice the batter adjustments and I’ll probably just get bored and leave before the game is over anyway. On TV it’s mostly background noise that I’ll “watch” until the end of the game.

I guess these adjustment for my consumption means I’ll leave in the 7/8th instead of the 6th in person.

They've pretty much shaved 20 minutes off the game.

There are obviously going to be some things that aren't "action-packed" about baseball, and I'm still not exactly sold on the limit of step-offs, but anyone complaining about the pitch clock needs to go back to the 50s already.

 

[RubinRock]

They've pretty much shaved 20 minutes off the game.

There are obviously going to be some things that aren't "action-packed" about baseball, and I'm still not exactly sold on the limit of step-offs, but anyone complaining about the pitch clock needs to go back to the 50s already.

Shit. The Sunday night Sox-Yankees games that espn loves so much might go from 4 to 3 hours now.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Shit. The Sunday night Sox-Yankees games that espn loves so much might go from 4 to 3 hours now.

I might actually watch more games this year. If a regular game is 2:30-2:45, I can see myself putting on a West coast game after the Phillies game ends.

 

[Deep Dish Pizza Goat]

They've pretty much shaved 20 minutes off the game.

There are obviously going to be some things that aren't "action-packed" about baseball, and I'm still not exactly sold on the limit of step-offs, but anyone complaining about the pitch clock needs to go back to the 50s already.

I'm not personally complaining about it, I just don't see a huge benefit for it. Similar to the free baserunner in extra innings thing.

I grew up watching the Red Sox and Garciaparra fucking with his hands for 5 minutes between every single pitch, I guess I don't watch enough baseball enough to know if that shit is the norm for a lot of batters or not. I also just know baseball is a crazy routine oriented game, so if a dude needs to adjust his gloves to get a good feel and head space, whatever.