Major League Baseball has done a great job of screwing up the game – again.
It was bad enough that MLB had to ruin its All-Star Game, but now the 2023 season will usher in a collection of changes that boggles the mind. We can thank MLB’s joint competition committee for making the following changes that could ruin the game as we know it. Those changes are:
A pitch timer.
Restrictions on defensive shifts.
Larger bases.
These changes are being played out in spring training, and the results have been mixed among managers and players. But, I have witnessed confusion with pitchers and hitters, teams trying to find loopholes in the rules, and don’t get me started with the larger bases. I think I saw similar rules when my son was in T-ball.
According to theScore.com, the competition committee says this will improve the game’s pace of play and increase action. We’re getting our first glimpse in spring training of how this will affect the game. I think the fan base isn’t paying attention. But wait until the regular season, and these games matter.
So let’s see how things are progressing.
Pitch Timer
The pitcher must begin his motion to deliver the pitch before the pitch timer runs out. The pitcher who violates the timer is charged with an automatic ball. Batters who violate the timer are charged with an automatic strike.
Yardbarker.com
The new rule was introduced last season in the minor leagues, and, as expected, the games were shorter by an average of 25 minutes to 2 hours and 38 minutes.
MLB’s first 40 exhibition games in spring training are also significantly dropping game times. The average time is two hours and 37 minutes, 21 minutes shorter than the first 40 exhibition games played last year. Only six of the first 40 spring games have averaged more than three hours. Conversely, the Astros and Nationals took only 2:07 to complete their game.
Over three years, the average time for nine-inning games is 3:07, while the record average for nine innings (3:10) was set in 2021. That dropped by seven minutes in 2022 when PitchCom was used. Furthermore, pitchers have averaged 23 seconds between pitchers, a record.
So, there will be a strong chance that we will see shorter games this season. But let’s see how it’s affecting things on the field.
How’s it Going on the Field?
The Padres’ Manny Machado got the first strike call for not being ready in the batter’s box with eight seconds to play, while Pirates pitcher Roansh Contreras received a violation for not starting his delivery in time. How about Guardians relief pitcher James Karinchak who received a violation when he asked for a new ball, flipped it in the air a few times, and time ran out. Guardians manager Terry Francona said afterward that the clock should have been reset when Karinchak received the new ball, but it wasn’t reset.
However, nothing topped the Braves-Red Sox game, where the bases were loaded in the bottom of the ninth with a full count, two outs, and the score tied 6-6. The Braves’ Cal Conley was called for a third strike when the clock ran out.
So, explain why we needed to make this dramatic change in the first place. People understand how baseball operates or used to operate, and things seemed OK with the fans. Now you have issues like batters backing out of the batter’s box for various reasons, and will they be penalized?
Does this help the fans? They must rush through the bathroom lines and get something to eat and drink. No, because, for example, there is so much traffic in Los Angeles at night, and the next morning, it will not make a difference for Dodgers fans.
I think it’s a given that we will see a lot of controversies when the regular season begins. But what if the clock runs out in a huge game, a playoff game, or decides the World Series winner? Let’s see how you feel if your team is bounced because of a pitch timer. Is saving a few minutes worth it? I say no.
Defensive Shifts
Going into this season, infielders must avoid overloading one side of the field and position themselves on the outfield grass. This is in response to seeing overload shifts for the past few seasons; fans were getting a little tired of it.
Garden City Sports
Teams are already finding loopholes in this rule. When the Red Sox played the Twins, the Red Sox implemented a version of the shift on Twins outfielder Joey Gallo where the Red Sox put their left fielder in shallow right where the second basemen usually play. Gallo has been known for being a pull-hitter in recent years. Unfortunately, Gallo walked, so we didn’t learn much.
I’m confident we will see some creative defenses this season, but in the case of Gallo, it can be risky because giving up a slice of the outfield could lead to an extra-base hit. In other words, how aggressive will teams be in positioning their outfields and determining what works and doesn’t?
In this case, managers must figure out strategies with an overload shift, not MLB. Fans can live with shifts, and managers have often been burned by opposing hitters finding holes in the shifts. So it’s not foolproof.
Larger Bases
This change can be more significant than the rest. Bases have traditionally been 15 inches square, but MLB got the bright idea to increase the size of the bases by three inches to 18 overall.
Courier-Journal
MLB not only wants to mess with the pace of play and where players should be aligned on the field, but it’s also tweaking the offense. MLB says it wants to create more stolen base attempts. But I believe this will significantly increase offensive production overall.
Imagine how close plays to first base were with 15 inches. With a bigger base, infielders won’t have the luxury of getting set and throwing to first. Infielders better get the ball to the first baseman in a hurry. Also, baserunners are taking advantage of the bigger bases during spring training by stealing more than in recent years. Now I do admit that more stolen bases are not a big deal.
What about double-play attempts? True, the second baseman or shortstop has a bigger base for footing, but isn’t this giving the baserunners an edge on beating out the throw to first? The larger bases put pressure on the defenses and pitchers, who could lose potential outs.
In just three decisions, MLB has significantly changed the game for no apparent reason except to increase run production and game times, which didn’t need fixing in the first place. Let’s see what happens when a clock or a bigger base decides wins and losses.
Steve Dempsey has worked for a variety of news organizations for nearly 40 years. The majority of Steve's work came in sports, including covering the NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, golf, and motorsports. Steve also wrote editorials in Opinion along with hosting a live-stream online show covering many topics. Steve is also an experienced web designer and CMS operator. He recently completed a web development boot camp named Coding Dojo.
New Changes for MLB in 2023 Are Awful
Major League Baseball has done a great job of screwing up the game – again.
It was bad enough that MLB had to ruin its All-Star Game, but now the 2023 season will usher in a collection of changes that boggles the mind. We can thank MLB’s joint competition committee for making the following changes that could ruin the game as we know it. Those changes are:
These changes are being played out in spring training, and the results have been mixed among managers and players. But, I have witnessed confusion with pitchers and hitters, teams trying to find loopholes in the rules, and don’t get me started with the larger bases. I think I saw similar rules when my son was in T-ball.
According to theScore.com, the competition committee says this will improve the game’s pace of play and increase action. We’re getting our first glimpse in spring training of how this will affect the game. I think the fan base isn’t paying attention. But wait until the regular season, and these games matter.
So let’s see how things are progressing.
Pitch Timer
The pitcher must begin his motion to deliver the pitch before the pitch timer runs out. The pitcher who violates the timer is charged with an automatic ball. Batters who violate the timer are charged with an automatic strike.
The new rule was introduced last season in the minor leagues, and, as expected, the games were shorter by an average of 25 minutes to 2 hours and 38 minutes.
MLB’s first 40 exhibition games in spring training are also significantly dropping game times. The average time is two hours and 37 minutes, 21 minutes shorter than the first 40 exhibition games played last year. Only six of the first 40 spring games have averaged more than three hours. Conversely, the Astros and Nationals took only 2:07 to complete their game.
Over three years, the average time for nine-inning games is 3:07, while the record average for nine innings (3:10) was set in 2021. That dropped by seven minutes in 2022 when PitchCom was used. Furthermore, pitchers have averaged 23 seconds between pitchers, a record.
So, there will be a strong chance that we will see shorter games this season. But let’s see how it’s affecting things on the field.
How’s it Going on the Field?
The Padres’ Manny Machado got the first strike call for not being ready in the batter’s box with eight seconds to play, while Pirates pitcher Roansh Contreras received a violation for not starting his delivery in time. How about Guardians relief pitcher James Karinchak who received a violation when he asked for a new ball, flipped it in the air a few times, and time ran out. Guardians manager Terry Francona said afterward that the clock should have been reset when Karinchak received the new ball, but it wasn’t reset.
However, nothing topped the Braves-Red Sox game, where the bases were loaded in the bottom of the ninth with a full count, two outs, and the score tied 6-6. The Braves’ Cal Conley was called for a third strike when the clock ran out.
So, explain why we needed to make this dramatic change in the first place. People understand how baseball operates or used to operate, and things seemed OK with the fans. Now you have issues like batters backing out of the batter’s box for various reasons, and will they be penalized?
Does this help the fans? They must rush through the bathroom lines and get something to eat and drink. No, because, for example, there is so much traffic in Los Angeles at night, and the next morning, it will not make a difference for Dodgers fans.
I think it’s a given that we will see a lot of controversies when the regular season begins. But what if the clock runs out in a huge game, a playoff game, or decides the World Series winner? Let’s see how you feel if your team is bounced because of a pitch timer. Is saving a few minutes worth it? I say no.
Defensive Shifts
Going into this season, infielders must avoid overloading one side of the field and position themselves on the outfield grass. This is in response to seeing overload shifts for the past few seasons; fans were getting a little tired of it.
Teams are already finding loopholes in this rule. When the Red Sox played the Twins, the Red Sox implemented a version of the shift on Twins outfielder Joey Gallo where the Red Sox put their left fielder in shallow right where the second basemen usually play. Gallo has been known for being a pull-hitter in recent years. Unfortunately, Gallo walked, so we didn’t learn much.
I’m confident we will see some creative defenses this season, but in the case of Gallo, it can be risky because giving up a slice of the outfield could lead to an extra-base hit. In other words, how aggressive will teams be in positioning their outfields and determining what works and doesn’t?
In this case, managers must figure out strategies with an overload shift, not MLB. Fans can live with shifts, and managers have often been burned by opposing hitters finding holes in the shifts. So it’s not foolproof.
Larger Bases
This change can be more significant than the rest. Bases have traditionally been 15 inches square, but MLB got the bright idea to increase the size of the bases by three inches to 18 overall.
MLB not only wants to mess with the pace of play and where players should be aligned on the field, but it’s also tweaking the offense. MLB says it wants to create more stolen base attempts. But I believe this will significantly increase offensive production overall.
Imagine how close plays to first base were with 15 inches. With a bigger base, infielders won’t have the luxury of getting set and throwing to first. Infielders better get the ball to the first baseman in a hurry. Also, baserunners are taking advantage of the bigger bases during spring training by stealing more than in recent years. Now I do admit that more stolen bases are not a big deal.
What about double-play attempts? True, the second baseman or shortstop has a bigger base for footing, but isn’t this giving the baserunners an edge on beating out the throw to first? The larger bases put pressure on the defenses and pitchers, who could lose potential outs.
In just three decisions, MLB has significantly changed the game for no apparent reason except to increase run production and game times, which didn’t need fixing in the first place. Let’s see what happens when a clock or a bigger base decides wins and losses.
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About The Author
Steve Dempsey
Steve Dempsey has worked for a variety of news organizations for nearly 40 years. The majority of Steve's work came in sports, including covering the NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, golf, and motorsports. Steve also wrote editorials in Opinion along with hosting a live-stream online show covering many topics. Steve is also an experienced web designer and CMS operator. He recently completed a web development boot camp named Coding Dojo.