MLB Pitch Clock

[unassuming]

Was watching the Jay's spring training game vs the Pirates, I like this pitch clock. The avg. game in 2022 lasted 3 Hrs 30mins.
Jays won the game 9-7, so lots of runs, but the game time was 2 Hrs 47 mins.

 

[downbound123]

Was watching the Jay's spring training game vs the Pirates, I like this pitch clock. The avg. game in 2022 lasted 3 Hrs 30mins.
Jays won the game 9-7, so lots of runs, but the game time was 2 Hrs 47 mins.

Sounds like a change that will be beneficial. If they need to get people to monitor the clock I can suggest a number of providers who are very good clock watchers..

 

[shack]

I didn't realize how fast 15 seconds is. It almost seems like not enough time.

I wonder what the average time between pitches was last year.

 

[The Oracle]

Nomar Garciaparra used to drive me up the wall with his routine in between pitches.

Jason Frasor was known as the human rain delay when he pitched for the Jays.

There was guy who played first I think for the indians in the 70's too. Can't remember his name.

Found it. Mike Hardgrove. He'd take about a minute in between pitches....

 

[glamphotographer]

I don't care about pitch clocks to speed up the game if they have more characters like this in baseball.

 

[unassuming]

Those bases look huge, 3 inches wider. A base runner will have a 6 inch advantage in stealing, gonna be a lot of stolen bases this year.

 

[shack]

Those bases look huge, 3 inches wider. A base runner will have a 6 inch advantage in stealing, gonna be a lot of stolen bases this year.

It's supposed to 90 feet between bases, regardless of the size of the bases. Logic would dictate that they'd make adjustments to where the bag is to maintain that. If it's measured from the centre of the bag/the hole in which the bag is placed as opposed to the edge of the bag, then they've changed the parameters.

This is an interesting question.

 

[unassuming]

It's supposed to 90 feet between bases, regardless of the size of the bases. Logic would dictate that they'd make adjustments to where the bag is to maintain that. If it's measured from the centre of the bag/the hole in which the bag is placed as opposed to the edge of the bag, then they've changed the parameters.

This is an interesting question.

IIRC, the dist. between home to first is 90' from the apex (the pointy tip of the plate that points directly to the back stop) of home to the back of first base. The dist. between first and second is 90' from the edge of first base that is on the foul line to the centre of base second base. So the true distance is less than 90'.

ononmatopaeia: need your expertise here!

 

[onomatopoeia]

IIRC, the dist. between home to first is 90' from the apex (the pointy part of the plate that points directly to the back stop) of home to the back of first base. The dist. between first and second is 90' from the edge of first base that is on the foul line to the centre of base second base. So the true distance is less than 90'.

ononmatopaeia: need your expertise here!

Baseball Field Dimensions Guide [2023 Edition]

Looking to build your own baseball field? In today’s baseball field dimensions guide, I’m going to help you get started!

thechamplair.com

The starting point for your measurements would be the home plate. You should measure the distance between the home plate and the following points:

• The backstop. Depending on the league, the backstop should be 20 to 60 feet away from the home plate’s back tip. To measure the home to backstop distance, you need to locate the center of the backstop with measuring tape and measure the distance from it.
• The pitching mound. The pitching mound is located 38 feet to 60 feet 6 inches (again, depending on the league) away from the home base՛s back tip.
• The second base. The second base should be located in front of the home-plate past the pitching mound. The distance between the second base and home plate should be from 70 feet 8-1/2 inches to 127 feet 3-3/8 inches.

Once you’ve got these marked, you can locate the position of the first base. To do this, run a string from the second base toward the location where the first base should be. Measure 60 to 90 feet from the center of the second base and draw a line with chalk.

Do the same from the home plate to the location of the first base. The back right corner of the first base will be where the chalk lines intersect.

Repeat these steps to find the third base, but note that it’s the back left corner that should be placed at the chalk lines’ intersection.

So it's 90 feet between bases, measured from the centers of the bases, and less from edge to edge.

 

[shack]

So it's 90 feet between bases, measured from the centers of the bases, and less from edge to edge.

So shortening the distances could have an effect on the integrity of historical stats, in particular singles and stolen bases. I know it's not a huge deal, but I don't like the fact that the distance is shorter. It's like lowering the net in basketball by an inch or two.

Ricky Henderson's record may be in imminent jeopardy.

 

[shack]

As to the pitch clock, shorter games means less concession sales.

 

[blueray]

As to the pitch clock, shorter games means less concession sales.

Which means higher concession prices

 

[funstick]

The pitch clock should reduce game times and improve the pace of games. I welcome it although 15 seconds may not be enough. Closer bases and a max of two pick off attempts favours speedy teams/players that run well. I expect many rosters to transition this way and more games resembling the type of ball that was played in the 1970s and 1980s.

 

[Ref]

Major league baseball needs to market and address the game to today's younger'ish fans. Tomorrow's market has no patience for a 3+ hour game that is played daily. Even older fans are tuning out due to the length of some games.

I love baseball simply for the purity of the game. It is the best game that listening to or viewing are almost equal (I used to prefer to listen to the game with Tom & Jerry). It's also the only game you can have on while you are doing other shit. You can step out for a couple of innings and be up to speed instantly when you come back. I also enjoy the statistics and analysis the game, the insight and historical references, the fans, and the tradition of the game.

So when they can grow the market, it only makes it better.

 

[shack]

The pitch clock should reduce game times and improve the pace of games. I welcome it although 15 seconds may not be enough. Closer bases and a max of two pick off attempts favours speedy teams/players that run well. I expect many rosters to transition this way and more games resembling the type of ball that was played in the 1970s and 1980s.

As in more stolen bases?

 

[funstick]

Yes more stolen bases, but also more sacrifice hits, hit and run plays and more agressive base running overall.

 

[shack]

Yes more stolen bases, but also more sacrifice hits, hit and run plays and more agressive base running overall.

So the next question is, will this all result in more offense/more scoring?

 

[funstick]

So the next question is, will this all result in more offense/more scoring?

Too early to know if it will result in more total runs scored but I expect it to create a more constant stream of offensive action and a more even run distribution throughout the game. With bigger leads there will be more attempts to move to another base, and more attempts to score instead of holding up at 3rd. With infield shifting eliminated, there should be more singles punched through infields. That means a lot of plays at the plate when there is a guy on 2nd. A close play at the plate is arguably the most exciting play in baseball.

 

[bluecolt]

If they really wanted to shorten the games, they could reduce the time between innings by several minutes. I know that valuable commercial time will be eliminated, but the game will be shortened considerably. The players don't need all the warmup between innings.

 

[onomatopoeia]

Major league baseball needs to market and address the game to today's younger'ish fans. Tomorrow's market has no patience for a 3+ hour game that is played daily. Even older fans are tuning out due to the length of some games.

I love baseball simply for the purity of the game. It is the best game that listening to or viewing are almost equal (I used to prefer to listen to the game with Tom & Jerry). It's also the only game you can have on while you are doing other shit. You can step out for a couple of innings and be up to speed instantly when you come back. I also enjoy the statistics and analysis the game, the insight and historical references, the fans, and the tradition of the game.

So when they can grow the market, it only makes it better.

My family moved to Montreal in July, 1969, when I was eight, so I grew up with National League/ 1970's baseball. I definitely prefer a faster paced game; nine inning games that were completed in under two hours were fairly common when I was a kid, and sometimes September games when it was cold and both teams were eliminated from the post season were over in an hour and a half.

At Jarry Park, tickets in the left field bleachers were 50 cents each for kids 12 and under. When the Expos played home games in April, kids used to stand on top of huge mounds of snow behind the center and right field fences to watch the games for free.