(New York) Major League Baseball officials are reportedly ready to announce a time limit on throwing at home and restrictions on defensive measures next season, in an effort to reduce duration of matches and to improve the attack.
Posted at 8:40 p.m.
Major League Baseball’s 11-person competition committee is expected to confirm on Friday the implementation of a 15-second countdown to make a pitch when there are no runners on the trails, and a 20-second countdown when there will be.
The time limit to make a pitch in Major League Baseball will be a little longer than what has been experienced in Minor League Baseball this season, at 14 seconds with empty trails and 19 seconds with runners on the trails at the AAA level. In the lower levels of minor baseball, the limits were 14 and 18 seconds, respectively.
In terms of defensive strategies, the new rule provides that four players, other than the pitcher and the receiver, must be in front of the outfield turf when a pitch is made, and there must be no more than two defensive players. on each side of the second cushion.
Also, during each at-bat, a pitcher will not be able to remove his foot from the plate at the mound or throw to a cushion to catch a runner at fault more than twice, which Major League Baseball officials call “disengagement”.
If a pitcher goes for a third attempt and it fails, an illegal balk will be declared. The limit will be reduced to two if a runner advances.
Finally, the size of the goals will be increased from 15 square inches to 18 square inches. Initially, the measure will provide a little more security for the first baseman, who will run less risk of being cramped in the foot by the batter. In addition, it could make it possible to increase the number of bases stolen since the distance between cushions will be slightly reduced.
The plan, first reported by The Athletic, was detailed by two Major League Baseball officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the changes are to be announced Friday.
The changes would go into effect at the next training camp.
In the minor leagues, the addition of a stopwatch has reduced the average length of nine-inning games from three hours four minutes in 2021 to two hours 38 minutes this season.
The average length of a nine-inning Major League baseball game is three hours and six minutes this year. According to Elias Sports, it was two hours 46 minutes in 1989.
” It’s slow. It’s boring,” New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia said of a 2017 game televised.
“It’s so hard to watch when you have no interest in it. »