MLB 2015 News, Rumors: MLB and MLBPA Announce Changes to Pace of Play Rule
Major League baseball and its players union have announced a number of rules changes that will take effect in Spring training games scheduled to begin in March. Most of the new rules center around pace of play with the most significant changes coming to when a batter can step out of the batter box and when a pitcher must be ready to make the first pitch.
Keeping the hitter in the box is essential since a pitcher cannot get set and get a sign from his catcher until that batter is in the box ready to hit. Under the new rules a batter must keep one foot in the box after every pitch. There are a number of exemptions to this rule that all revolve around a specific baseball activity. However the new rules seem like a step in the right direction.
MLB Umpires are also going to be stricter with the time pitchers get between innings and after pitching changes. Those rules are complex and can be read here but the thing to know is timers will be installed that will measure the time of these breaks. MLB plans to enforce these rules by a warning/fine system for the players.
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"I suspect that batters stepping out of the box after every pitch is the biggest driver of slow games. We talk about slow pitchers more often, but they can't get set and look in for a sign until the batter is ready," Craig Calcaterra said for NBC Pro Hardball Talk. "Forcing the batter to stay in the box will force him to get ready more quickly which will speed the pitchers up too."
"All of that said, I think starting conservatively is always a good idea when it comes to rules changes. And I do think that even having a limited number of situations in which a batter must stay in the box will encourage a lot more staying-in-the-box than we expect," he added.
