RADIO
In a generation where everything is at your fingertips with a click of a button and instant gratification rules all, baseball has rarely adjusted to fulfill that "I want it and I want it now" attitude. That is about to change, even if it's just a slight shift at first, with the new pace of game rules that the MLB has put into effect for the upcoming 2015 season.
ESPN's Jayson Stark reports that team's were briefed by League officials early this week on the new pace of game rules and how they would be implemented. The new rules seem to provide three main takeaways:
- An attempt to limit "stall ball" - With the replay rules broadened last year, fans got used to seeing managers meander out to the field to "argue" close calls while waiting for a signal from the dugout as to whether or not they should challenge the call. This season, managers no longer are required to verbally confront the umpire that made the call. They can now simply challenge the play from the dugout by getting the home plate umpires attention. Additionally, umpires will be instructed to approach the dugout rather than waiting for the manager to come out in order to speed up the process of any verbal challenges.
- No more loitering - Players will no longer be allowed to leave the batter's box after each pitch. Batters will still have the luxury of adjusting their gloves, helmet, and any other equipment, but they will be expected to keep one foot in the batter's box.
- Run on and off the field - This has been a mantra that many players have heard since Little League and now MLB players will be held accountable. The time spent between innings and during pitching changes will be timed and players will be expected to be ready for play to resume by the time the countdown hits zero.
Enforcing these rules will be a subjective determination made by the umpires and they have been instructed not to impede the pace of the game while administering them. Instead, umpires will be asked to note the infraction, and a fine up to $500 will be assessed after league officials have reviewed the issue.
While baseball purists may oppose the rule changes and some fans may miss the four-and-a-half hour Yankees and Red Sox marathons, the belief is that these changes will shorten game times and make the sport more attractive to the casual fan. Ultimately more fans means more opinions, more banter, and more baseball talk around the water cooler and no true baseball fan can resent that. Maybe this is a case where less actually is more.
