BRADENTON, Fla. — After months of discussion and debate, Major League Baseball announced its pace of play initiatives for the 2018 season on Monday, but it opted for minor tweaks over wholesale change.
After surveying the players union and all 30 clubs, MLB decided against implementing a pitch clock, but there will be a limit on mound visits, as well as a rule designed to limit the time required for inning breaks and pitching changes. The rules, which will be implemented in time for spring training games, do not include a between-batter timer.
The Pirates were in the middle of their first full-squad workout of spring training at Pirate City when the changes were announced, so Clint Hurdle, Neal Huntington and players declined comment until they had more time to look at the rules. But Hurdle told reporters last week that it would benefit players to have the rules in place before spring training games begin Friday.
"I like the fact that every time we’ve engaged on something new, there’s been conversation, in-depth conversation, with everyone involved," Hurdle said. "When we get to the point of the games, being given the opportunity to go ahead, get the definitions, get the actuality of what we’re going to deal with and the opportunity to work through it [will be beneficial]."
Additionally, new phone lines connecting the video review rooms and the dugout will be installed and monitored to try to limit the ability of teams to steal signs. Rules instituted last season to govern when players can and cannot leave the batter's box between pitches remain in effect.
Players, though, are waiting for clarity on the new limit for mound visits. Each team is allowed six per nine innings with an additional visit for every extra inning played. Any manager, coach or player going to the mound having direct communication with the pitcher will count as a mound visit.
There are exceptions, though.
Visits to the mound to clean cleats, to check on an injury or potential injury or after the announcement of an offensive substitution are exceptions. Also, normal communication between player and pitcher that do not require either to vacate their position on the field do not count as a visit.
If a team is out of visits and there is a miscommunication with signals, the catcher can ask the umpire for permission to visit the mound. The umpire will simply prevent a mound visit if a team tries to exceed its limit.
Also, a timer will count down between innings from 2:05 for breaks in locally televised games, from 2:25 in nationally televised games and from 2:55 for tiebreaker and postseason games.
The change, though, is at the 25-second mark the umpire will signal for the final warmup pitch and the pitcher must throw it before the clock hits 20. The batter will be announced at the 20-second mark and the pitcher must begin his windup to throw the first pitch of the inning as the clock hits zero.
A pitcher is also no longer guaranteed eight warmup pitches between innings, but he can take as many as he wants within the countdown rules. Those rules also apply to pitching changes. Repeat offenders of the rule could be subject to a fine, although there won't be any punishment for violating the rule during a game.
Each team's video review room will now receive direct slow-motion camera angles in order to speed up challenges and the resulting review.
"(Players) are committed to playing a crisp and exciting brand of baseball for the fans, but they remain concerned about rule changes that could alter the outcome of games and the fabric of the game itself — now or in the future," Tony Clark, executive director of MLBPA, said in a statement.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Pirates spring training, Bradenton, Fla., Feb. 19, 2018. - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS