The jury is still out, but early reviews this spring training are showing that MLB has succeeded in speeding up the game significantly with the pitch clock in place. Even with other new rules that primarily address beefing up offensive numbers, the pitch clock has had the biggest impact and may be the biggest change we have seen in the game since the designated hitter became a part of it in 1973.
Jeff Passan tweeted his findings on March 9th, after crunching the numbers following the first two full weeks of games. With comparisons to Spring Training 2022 his figures show that spring training games are 25 minutes quicker, even with more runs being scored, more stolen bases attempted and of greater interest, an increased batting average of ground balls in play (.235 vs .258). This last fact attributed to the nixing of the shift and the requirement that infielders have their feet on the infield dirt.
The game time reduction is quite remarkable when you consider that there is more offense, more hits, and more action on the base paths. All things that MLB has wanted in order to boost fan interest. They want more offense and quicker games. It looks like they have accomplished that. Even strikeout rates have decreased, though not remarkably so (23.9% rate in 2022, vs. 23.1% in 2023 thus far). Perhaps “K” rates over the span of a full season will decrease as well. After all, two weeks is a relatively small sample size.
With average spring training game times of two hours and 36 minutes, that number is expected to decrease as the regular season plays out because of the numerous substitutions during exhibition contests. Watch as major leaguers get accustomed to the faster pace as the season rolls on. We’ve seen some uneasy calls and even a game that was decided on an automatic strikeout called when a batter failed to get set in time as the pitch clock lapsed. Those type of events I expect to rarely occur in the regular season. Too much will be on the line and players will have gotten used to the faster pace.
As much as I have been critical of the current baseball commissioner and his propensity to change the game and disrupt the traditions of the sport, I have no problem with officials cracking down on players taking their time and adjusting every article of clothing they are wearing between pitches. It’s time to get in there and hit. The same can be said for many pitchers.
So, there you have it. The Rob Manfred way. The only major sport that didn’t have a clock that monitored when the game will end is now akin to basketball and football. You get penalized for lollygagging. Don’t lollygag and don’t be a lollygagger.
Discussion (17)
Disagree, not disagreeable
MLB.com forecasts that he Dodgers starting CF will be Heyward….
Also that Belli will bat cleanup for the Cubs, and Rios will start at DH.
Apart from the obvious guys, I think Rushing and De Paula are the most exciting hitting prospects. I hope we keep them… unless the deal is real blockbuster.
Yesterday I happened upon a teenage Yankee fan Youtuber suggesting a Yankees-Dodger trade.
One idea involved one of their two hot SS prospects–but the the kid wanted Outman, Stone and a third player for the guy.
Then he ventured Isaih Kiner-Falefa for Trayce Thompson, straight up. And today the folks at DodgersNation suggested the same deal.
It makes a lot of sense, actually. Dodgers could use another UT guy, and IKF fits the fill. He’s proved himself as a major leaguer more than Trayce has. IKF isn’t much of a hitter, but he does bat righthanded–and I assume he doesn’t have the reverse splits that Trayce has. (Unless Trayce can hit lefties better, he’s a similar weapon to Peralta, Heyward and Outman. )
Getting IKF would free Taylor more to be a platoon complement to Peralta. He’d be a good late-inning defensive replacement for Max or Vargas. He’d also be the emergency catcher. Bats righty.
Not an exciting deal, but it makes some sense.
Trading Trayce would ease the jam in OF and ensure more playing time for Outman. Plus, it would feel good to trade him to another contender.
Dodgers News: Freddie Freeman Exits WBC Game With Injury
On Tuesday, Dodgers superstar first baseman Freddie Freeman exited Team Canada’s World Baseball Classic game with an injury. He was seen running a little gingerly to first base, and was then removed from the game altogether. The broadcast called it a “slight hamstring issue.”
Pete Alonso dropped weight. Didn’t recognize him @ WBC w/o 3 day beard & thicc quads. Bet he hits 55+ dingers.
Have we ever had as many prospects with arms like this:
Miller
Stone
Pepiot
Grove
Nastrini
Sheehan
Ryan
Frasso
?
I love them all, especially Nastrini & Sheehan, but all of them are legit.
Stone has the change up of death. Grove has a polished delivery & full arsenal. Frasso has the fastball, and Ryan has the athleticism of a D1 SS.
The future is bright.
Dodger Dugout says Cartaya has light =-tower power and plus-plus bat speed
:0
Baseball shouldn’t have a clock now they play nine innings that’s their clock. What they should do if like in basketball the referees count how long it takes to get up court. Now an umpire should count when the pitcher gets on the rubber and if he doesn’t pitch in time it’s a ball. And that pitcher can only throw over two first base like three times. And if a batter takes too long to get in the box it’s a strike. But no clock there shouldn’t be one in baseball but the pitcher should pitch in so much time when he touches the rubber on the mound.
FanGraphs is estimating the Dodgers at 86 wins this year, PECOTA at 95 wins.
In the vicinity where I see them as well with 90-92 wins.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He may never pitch in MLB either.
People who said he’d never pitch for us again were right.
So happy for Trevor B that his lifelong dream of playing in the Nippon league has finally come to fruition for him!
Old friend Jose de Leon with the first perfect game of the WBC against Israel. Joc Pederson was in CF last night.
Mookie is hitting way to many fly balls, especially for a leadoff hitter.
Re rules, I grew to love the ITB during my daughters softball years. It brings the game to an end, creates excitement at the end of a sometimes dull game, requires strategy and execution.
NO Dodger Spring training game scheduled today. Kershaw on the mound tomorrow versus the Rockies at home at Glendale.
I think JDM got called out on strikes for a clock violation the other day.
I am not up on the precise rules and protocols. Do they issue a warning first? I hope so because it seems like a petty way to decide games. It would be awful if a petty clock violation ended a suspenseful game in a pennant race
I expect the rules to be tweaked a bit as issues emerge.
I like the idea of speeding up games a bit. Owners will probably keep track of how it will affect the sale of food and beverages….
And in other news, TrueBlueLA points out than Outman found a way to stand out even when he wasn’t in the lineup. He was participating in live BP in the back fields–and went deep off of Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson and Caleb Ferguson. Hudson joked something like:”It’s only the second time I faced batters in a year–and I have to go against Babe Ruth here.”
Love the new rules. MLB needed to speed up the pace of the games and create more action, Banning the shift will lead to higher batting averages and bigger bases will hopefully lead to a more aggressive running game.
Dodgers make nine additional roster cuts
C Diego Cartaya, INF Michael Busch, INF Jorbit Vivas, INF Eddys Leonard, OF Jonny DeLuca and OF Andy Pages were optioned. RHP Matt Andriese, RHP Bobby Miller and INF Jahmai Jones were assigned to Minor League camp.