the first new MLB rules since '96

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Well, the suspended game stuff is long overdue... I can't wait for Carl Everett's first strike for standing outta the box.

Several rule changes in effect for 2007

02/16/2007
By Tom Singer / MLB.com

Taking a red pencil to the game's rules for the first time in more than a decade, MLB's Playing Rules Committee has enacted several changes for the 2007 season.

Relax: It's still the game you know and love. Committeemen haven't messed with the game's guts. In fact, although some of the changes are substantial, the most significant aspect of Friday's announcement is that it introduced the first alterations to the Official Baseball Rules since 1996.

Potentially most consequential is the manner in which games that end in a tie, due to weather or other uncontrollable elements, will be resolved. While previously such games were considered official and replayed in their entirety from the beginning, hence they will be "suspended" and resumed at the point of stoppage.

Addressing issues relating to the pacing of games, fair play -- and even the fairer sex -- other rule changes highlight:

• Time between pitches: The allotment for delivering the ball with no one on base has been reduced, from 20 seconds to 12. The price for each violation is a ball.

• Batter's box presence: Conversely, an automatic strike will be assessed each time a batter violates the rule requiring they keep one foot in the batter's box throughout his at-bat, except for certain game-play conditions -- during which he is still not allowed to leave the dirt area surrounding the plate.

• Ball scuffing: Rule 3.02 now calls for an automatic 10-game suspension for any player who intentionally defaces the ball. (Previously, a first offense led to the pitch being called a ball, a warning to the pitcher and an announcement of violation.)

• No reason for rosin: The same Rule 3.02 now specifically prohibits placing "soil, rosin, paraffin, licorice, sandpaper, emery paper or other foreign substance" on the ball. The rule's penalty phase dictates, "The umpire shall demand the ball and remove the offender from the game. In addition, the offender shall be suspended automatically for 10 games."

• Gender objectivity: The rulebook now includes the disclaimer that references "to 'he,' 'him' or 'his' shall be deemed to be a reference to 'she,' 'her' or 'hers'" where applicable.

In addition, in a significant sidebar, the guidelines by which official scorers perform their duties have been dramatically clarified and specified, at the behest of Phyllis Merhige, MLB vice president of club relations.

The pace-of-game regulations had been in effect on a trial basis during the 2005-06 seasons in the Minor Leagues, where they gained acceptance.

The revisions reflect the collective input of people in the game during the Playing Rules Committee's long layoff from actively voting on possible changes.

These are the first amendments to the rules since interpretation of the strike zone was changed in 1996.

"It's been a number of years since they've taken stock, so they rolled up their sleeves and attacked a number of issues on which they'd been taking notes," said Ed Burns, vice president of MLB's Baseball Operations Administration.

"New members joined the committee in the interim," Burns added, "and the first thing they did in 2005 was institute the experimental pace-of-game rules for the Minor Leagues, with a degree of success."

The treatment of tie games could be quite consequential. Not because tie games have been so prevalent in the past; occasionally, players have logged 163-game seasons due to an official tie, and there have been three ties in pre-1930 World Series games halted by darkness.

But the revised rule will perhaps permit umpires to react more decisively to adverse conditions, knowing that halting a tie game will not force managers to invent pitching for an unexpected extra game.

"The general managers questioned whether it was good policy to replay games," Burns said, "and asked, 'Why not just pick up where they stopped?' This will keep managers from having to use their entire bullpen to cover for an additional game."

Tie games will resume prior to the next scheduled game between the teams, in the visitors' park if no more games are scheduled at the same site. If no more games are scheduled between the teams, the tie would stand unless an outcome would decide a playoff spot -- in which case the game would be replayed in its entirety.

At the very least, the revisions and clarifying examples included in the rule book will enable umpires at all levels to conduct games according to a uniform set of rules.

Said Sandy Alderson, the chief executive officer of the Padres, who doubles as chairman of the Rules Committee: "A number of issues about the playing rules, some more technical in nature than others, had accumulated among umpires, clubs, players and Major League Baseball for some time. The Playing Rules Committee hopes that these amendments will serve to clarify these issues and, by doing so, benefit all who play and umpire the game at all levels."

The changes to Rule 10, governing official scoring, may have the most direct bearing on fans' perception of the coming season by affecting the game's lifeblood: statistics.

For instance, the guidewords for deciding whether to credit a batter with a sacrifice bunt have changed from him being possibly retired on a "perfect play" to "ordinary effort" by the defense.

And fans weary of hearing "defensive indifference" on stolen-base attempts will be heartened to learn that the scorer must now base that call on all game circumstances, not merely on whether someone covered the base or the catcher got off a throw.

Merhige, who oversees all official scorers at big-league parks, had noted several areas that needed to be improved and standardized. The work of the committee she assembled "came up with a substantial rewrite of Rule 10," Burns said.

― Dr Morbius, Thursday, 22 February 2007 14:25 (twelve years ago) Permalink

I always liked the rule in which pitchers have to deliver the ball within 20 seconds with no runners on, but it's never been enforced. I can't see a 12-second rule being realistically workable ... why not leave the rule unchanged and simply enforce it?

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Sunday, 25 February 2007 14:34 (twelve years ago) Permalink

Maybe with the 12 second limit, they'll actually keep the pitchers under 20?

― David R., Monday, 26 February 2007 02:25 (twelve years ago) Permalink

two years pass...

anyone thrilled with Bud's "improve the on-field issues" committee? O BOY, GEORGE WILL

― Rage, Resentment, Spleen (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 29 December 2009 21:39 (nine years ago) Permalink

i wish they had invited some of the brighter young managers in the game. george will can burn, obv. i don't think any players should be in there because baseball players are really dumb.

― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 30 December 2009 00:31 (nine years ago) Permalink

two years pass...

low-hanging fruit?

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/5/10/3012029/mlb-fake-to-third-throw-to-first-move-balk

― World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Friday, 11 May 2012 17:55 (six years ago) Permalink

so the idea is that would speed up the game?

― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 11 May 2012 18:11 (six years ago) Permalink

does it even happen once every 5 games?

― World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Friday, 11 May 2012 18:20 (six years ago) Permalink

maybe that?! of all the things dumb about baseball i never thought the fake to 3rd was one of them.

― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 11 May 2012 18:22 (six years ago) Permalink

Granderson fell for the banana in the tailpipe?

RHPs will step off the rubber and do the same damn thing. It will probably happen with roughly the same frequency.

― Grusin' Gang (Andy K), Friday, 11 May 2012 18:45 (six years ago) Permalink

two weeks pass...

Neyer predicts that, SOMEDAY, MLB will have to reduce strikeouts and pitching changes to shorten games.

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/5/29/3048980/ernesto-frieri-angels-strikeouts

― World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 29 May 2012 17:50 (six years ago) Permalink

Neyer's been on that soapbox for a while. Anyway, the game goes in cycles so I wouldn't assume that strikeouts are some runaway phenomenon that's going to necessitate a significant rule change.

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Tuesday, 29 May 2012 20:36 (six years ago) Permalink

seven months pass...

The fake-to-third/throw-to-first will now be ruled a balk:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20130126/pickoff-rule-change.ap/

The hidden-ball-trick's days are surely numbered.

― clemenza, Saturday, 26 January 2013 15:35 (six years ago) Permalink

ha, i used to do this all the time when i played

― k3vin k., Saturday, 26 January 2013 15:53 (six years ago) Permalink

will cut 30 seconds off the average game

― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Monday, 28 January 2013 21:43 (six years ago) Permalink

I wonder if the LV sports books are offering an o/u on the number of balks that will come of this in 2013.

― If it were up to you we'd all be eating tea and strumpets. (WilliamC), Monday, 28 January 2013 21:59 (six years ago) Permalink

ten months pass...

looking to ban collisions at home

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/12/12/5201700/mlb-banning-collisions-home-plate-winter-meetings-rules

― eclectic husbandry (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 12 December 2013 16:49 (five years ago) Permalink

one month passes...

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/1/28/5353948/baseball-padded-caps-pitchers-safety

― eclectic husbandry (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 28 January 2014 18:41 (five years ago) Permalink

four weeks pass...

"Just reading through it, the main thing it does is eliminate the malicious collision," Posey told ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" on Tuesday morning. "If the catcher is not set up right on top of the plate, it doesn't allow the runner to run through him."

Posey said the tweak to the rule would not alter the way he prepares for the season as a catcher or as a baserunner.

"For the most part, I think it'll stay pretty much the same," Posey said. "We've never been taught to set up right on top of the plate; we've always been taught to give the runner a little bit of the plate.

"[As a baserunner], my mindset, when I'm coming around third, is to slide hard and late."

Texas Rangers catcher J.P. Arencibia said the new rule "takes away the malicious intent behind the play at the plate."

"It stops guys just going out of their way just to try to dislodge the baseball when [catchers] have the plate," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

Hall of Famer George Brett, the Kansas City Royals' vice president of baseball operations, said he doesn't like the rule even though he understands that the objective is to reduce injuries.

"I'm not a big fan of it," Brett told ESPN.com. "Catchers are taught to put their foot right in front of home plate, and the plays are bang-bang. I like the collision.

"I don't sit around at home at night and think about it. This is the first time I've thought about it since two months ago when somebody told me, 'They can't run into catchers anymore.' I said, 'That sucks. I love that play.'"

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10512206/mlb-bans-home-collisions-1-exception

― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 25 February 2014 16:02 (five years ago) Permalink

one month passes...

so without amending the rulebook, MLB has redefined a legal catch

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/transfer-rule-focus-of-cleveland-replay?ymd=20140409&content_id=71485458&vkey=news_mlb

― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 10 April 2014 16:26 (five years ago) Permalink

two weeks pass...

I'm sure you've heard, they've fixed this idiotic transfer thing

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/mlb-makes-1st-major-adjustment-of-replay-era-tweaks-transfer-rule-042514

― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 26 April 2014 16:59 (four years ago) Permalink

four months pass...

Rules quiz:

http://www.sbnation.com/2014/8/27/6075321/obscure-mlb-rules-quiz

I got 7/10.

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Friday, 29 August 2014 07:02 (four years ago) Permalink

one month passes...

In the Arizona Fall League this year:

http://deadspin.com/baseball-will-test-out-six-new-rules-to-speed-up-the-ga-1641283166

Hitters must keep at least one foot inside the batter's box at all times, barring exceptions like foul balls, wild pitches, or if the umpire grants him time out.

Pitchers must throw a pitch within 20 seconds of receiving the ball. Clocks posted in each dugout will count down the 20 seconds.

There will be a maximum break between innings of 2:05, with a clock keeping track. Hitters must be in the batter's box by 1:45. If the hitter's not ready, the umpire can call a strike. If the pitcher doesn't throw a pitch by 2:05, the umpire can call a ball.

Teams will have a maximum of 2:30 to change pitchers, with the clock starting as soon as the reliever enters the playing field.

Teams are limited to a maximum of three mound visits per game, not including pitching changes. This applies to trips to the mound by managers, coaches, and catchers.

Pitchers no longer have to deliver four balls for an intentional walk. The manager can simply signal to the umpire.

― it's taco science, but it works like taco magic (WilliamC), Wednesday, 1 October 2014 22:33 (four years ago) Permalink

four months pass...

new pace rules for MLB this year

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/2/20/8075545/mlb-pace-of-play-changes-effective-2015

― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Friday, 20 February 2015 17:10 (four years ago) Permalink

one year passes...

MLB, MLBPA ADOPT SLIDE RULE ON DOUBLE PLAYS, PACE OF GAME CHANGES
Interference Rule Governing Double Play Slides Clarified;
Mound Visits, Break Times Adjusted in Pace of Game Program

― mookieproof, Thursday, 25 February 2016 17:09 (three years ago) Permalink

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/165429062/pace-of-game-changes-new-slide-rule-adopted

― mookieproof, Thursday, 25 February 2016 17:23 (three years ago) Permalink

“People watch the UFC. But they get mad when a guy breaks his ankle at second base because of a hard slide. I don't get it." -- Ian Kinsler, future Fox analyst

― Andy K, Saturday, 27 February 2016 17:00 (three years ago) Permalink

one month passes...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ce_iquoVAAELtrm.jpg:large

― mookieproof, Saturday, 2 April 2016 00:13 (three years ago) Permalink

three months pass...

In the 9th last night vs the Mets, Jayson Werth was called out for interference making a late slide on a DP breakup attempt. I'm getting a little sick of Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling grousing about the new unmacho world (Keith sneered about "the geniuses" who effected the rule). Nats GM Rizzo also got into a shouting match with the umps after the game. Tough shit, dinosaurs.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/watch-ninth-inning-slide-rule-call-plays-a-big-part-in-mets-win-over-nats/

https://www.sny.tv/mets/news/nats-gm-ump-argue-over-call-on-werth-slide/188622326

― helpless before THRILLARY (Dr Morbius), Friday, 8 July 2016 16:57 (two years ago) Permalink

seven months pass...

oh go fuck yourselves

"Major League Baseball plans on testing a rule change in the lowest levels of the minor leagues this season that automatically would place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings, a distinct break from the game’s orthodoxy that nonetheless has wide-ranging support at the highest levels of the league, sources familiar with the plan told Yahoo Sports."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb-plans-to-test-new-extra-innings-rules-in-rookie-ball-with-joe-torres-approval-224914115.html

― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 9 February 2017 12:24 (two years ago) Permalink

What in the blue hell is that all about.

Honestly, I would prefer ties in baseball to a dumb rule change like that.

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Thursday, 9 February 2017 13:55 (two years ago) Permalink

“It’s not fun to watch when you go through your whole pitching staff and wind up bringing a utility infielder in to pitch.

gotta disagree with you there, Joe.

― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 9 February 2017 15:22 (two years ago) Permalink

i will give you each $1000 if this ever becomes a major league rule

― mookieproof, Thursday, 9 February 2017 15:25 (two years ago) Permalink

twist: the free runner on second base is bartolo colon

― Karl Malone, Thursday, 9 February 2017 15:28 (two years ago) Permalink

Anthony Castrovince @castrovince
This idea has uncovered quite a number of rookie ball purists.

― mookieproof, Thursday, 9 February 2017 16:43 (two years ago) Permalink

first they came for rookie league, and i said nothing

― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 9 February 2017 16:45 (two years ago) Permalink

gonna need one for this, because c'mon

https://twitter.com/AJCassavell/status/831916548369510400

― mookieproof, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 18:42 (two years ago) Permalink

that's even worse than jordan walden

― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 18:53 (two years ago) Permalink

no one ever calls traveling anymore

― na (NA), Wednesday, 15 February 2017 18:58 (two years ago) Permalink

that is a fucking weird delivery.

― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 15 February 2017 19:12 (two years ago) Permalink

Cater Crapps

― Andy K, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 19:42 (two years ago) Permalink

@JeffPassan
Rob Manfred: There will not be substantive rules changes in 2017 due to "lack of cooperation from the MLBPA."

― mookieproof, Tuesday, 21 February 2017 21:13 (two years ago) Permalink

@EricFisherSBJ
And Manfred then reveals a new chestnut in new labor deal: a unilateral ability by the league to impose rules changes as soon as next yr
@JeffPassan
Among the rules changes MLB could impose, per Manfred: a pitch clock, a smaller strike zone, fewer visits to the mound, auto-intentional BB.

― mookieproof, Tuesday, 21 February 2017 21:14 (two years ago) Permalink

yay lack of cooperation

― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 February 2017 21:35 (two years ago) Permalink

As part of its initiative to improve pace-of-game play, Major League Baseball has approved a change to the intentional walk rule, going from the traditional four-pitch walk to a dugout signal, team and union sources told ESPN's Howard Bryant.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18737245/mlb-union-agree-get-rid-traditional-intentional-walkwill-use-signal-dugout

― Andy K, Wednesday, 22 February 2017 02:01 (two years ago) Permalink

this will save nearly 12 seconds per game

― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 22 February 2017 02:40 (two years ago) Permalink

i'm so pissed that the miggy cabrera intentional walk single will never happen again

― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 22 February 2017 03:04 (two years ago) Permalink

ugh

― na (NA), Wednesday, 22 February 2017 03:13 (two years ago) Permalink

what about the Johnny Bench WORLD SERIES fake-IBB strikeout?

(1972)

― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 22 February 2017 03:15 (two years ago) Permalink

i was not alive but that sounds tremendous

― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 22 February 2017 03:18 (two years ago) Permalink

Skipping 111 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

wow I actually remember that Brewer game

― frogbs, Tuesday, 12 February 2019 19:09 (two months ago) Permalink

MLB ANNOUNCES FORMAT OF PITCH TIMER DURING SPRING TRAINING

Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced the format of a pitch timer that will be used during 2019 Spring Training games. No decision has been made on whether the timer will be used in regular season games.
A 20-second pitch timer will begin in three phases during Spring Training:
1) In the first Spring Training games, the 20-second timer will operate without enforcement so as to make players and umpires familiar with the new system.
2) Early next week, umpires will issue reminders to pitchers and hitters who violate the rule, but no ball-strike penalties will be assessed. Between innings, umpires are expected to inform the club’s field staff (manager, pitching coach or hitting coach) of any violations.
3) Later in Spring Training, and depending on the status of the negotiations with the Major League Baseball Players Association, umpires will be instructed to begin assessing ball-strike penalties for violations.
Like the rule in Minor League Baseball, the rule requires: (i) the batter to be in the batter’s box and alert to the pitcher with at least five seconds remaining on the timer; and (ii) the pitcher to begin his windup or motion to come to a set position before the 20-second timer expires (the pitch itself does not need to be thrown before the expiration of the timer). The timer will never be used on the first pitch of any at-bat and will begin running prior to the second pitch when the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher.

― mookieproof, Friday, 22 February 2019 20:03 (one month ago) Permalink

how has it affected base-stealing and pickoffs in the minors? anyone know?

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Friday, 22 February 2019 20:09 (one month ago) Permalink

with runners on, the clock stops when the pitcher comes set. you can stay in the set position as long as you want, so the runner(s) can't time it

― mookieproof, Friday, 22 February 2019 20:17 (one month ago) Permalink

ahhh

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Friday, 22 February 2019 20:23 (one month ago) Permalink

i guess this could be a thing, but i have not heard any complaints about it in the minors

So the pitch clock almost incentives batters to not stand in until five seconds are remaining. Get your practice hacks in, ice the pitcher, and then make him rush, etc.
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) February 22, 2019

― mookieproof, Friday, 22 February 2019 20:35 (one month ago) Permalink

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/foul-balls-are-the-pace-of-play-problem-nobodys-talking-about/

― k3vin k., Monday, 25 February 2019 18:31 (one month ago) Permalink

Another 538 piece. Nate Silver's prescription for too many strikeouts/pitchers and slow pace of play: 10-man staff plus one "emergency" pitcher.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/relievers-have-broken-baseball-we-have-a-plan-to-fix-it/

― clemenza, Tuesday, 26 February 2019 01:07 (one month ago) Permalink

mlb announced an agreement with the independent atlantic league in which the latter will serve as a testing ground for various rules and perhaps equipment changes.

no timetable or specific changes have been mentioned yet, but i think at some point we're gonna see them test what happens when you move the mound back a couple feet. (i'm not sure how effective this will be because i doubt there are too many guys with a mid-90s fastball pitching in the atlantic league)

― mookieproof, Wednesday, 27 February 2019 20:14 (one month ago) Permalink

I was looking to see how far back they are moving it — is it really two feet? That seems extreme.

― Rhine Jive Click Bait (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, 27 February 2019 20:16 (one month ago) Permalink

don't know any specifics, but 3% doesn't seem like an outrageous place to start testing

― mookieproof, Wednesday, 27 February 2019 20:20 (one month ago) Permalink

two feet would just seem to radically alter a hitter's read on breaking pitches especially, if it's that much I would expect offensive numbers to go through the roof

― Rhine Jive Click Bait (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, 27 February 2019 20:26 (one month ago) Permalink

yeah two feet would be nuts. maybe a couple of inches - I think the issue is that it's not really physically possible to identify and hit a 105 mph fastball, right?

― frogbs, Wednesday, 27 February 2019 20:35 (one month ago) Permalink

fwiw, i watched jordan hicks throw quite a few 103, 104, 105 mph pitches last year, with very few strikeouts. even at 60'6", hitters seemed able to at least make contact.

― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 27 February 2019 21:36 (one month ago) Permalink

New Atlantic League rules in some detail: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26190498/robot-umps-shift-ban-coming-atlantic-league

• Extending the distance between the pitching rubber from 60 feet, 6 inches to 62 feet, 6 inches in the second half of the season

^Again this seems so completely OTT! I think I could bunt my way close to with the Mendoza line at that distance

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:00 (one month ago) Permalink

"we're experimenting with raising the height of the rim to 12 feet"

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:46 (one month ago) Permalink

on the one hand moving the mound midseason seems like a jarring change for players
on the other hand it would provide much better data for people evaluating how moving the mound would affect the game, because you'd have two samples with roughly the same players in similar gameshape, rather than two separate sesaons
on the other hand it seems kinda rude to MLB teams with atlantic league teams, because they have to deal with both their pitchers/hitters making changes to their technique/timing

― but i'm there are fuckups (Karl Malone), Saturday, 9 March 2019 20:52 (one month ago) Permalink

no MLB teams have atlantic league teams, it's an independent league

― Screamin' Jay Gould (The Yellow Kid), Saturday, 9 March 2019 20:55 (one month ago) Permalink

nice! that leaves me with two hands again

― but i'm there are fuckups (Karl Malone), Saturday, 9 March 2019 20:56 (one month ago) Permalink

whoa, i didn't realize there were all these other new rules in the atlantic league, too (i should have read hadrian's link):

The slate of rule changes to be implemented in the Atlantic League are as follows:
Home plate umpire assisted in calling balls and strikes by a TrackMan radar tracking system.
No mound visits permitted by players or coaches other than for pitching changes or medical issues.
Pitchers must face a minimum of three batters, or reach the end of an inning before they exit the game, unless the pitcher becomes injured.
Increase the size of 1st, 2nd and 3rd base from 15 inches square to 18 inches square.
Require two infielders to be on each side of second base when a pitch is released (if not, the ball is dead and the umpire shall call a ball).
Time between innings and pitching changes reduced from 2:05 to 1:45.
Distance from pitching rubber to home plate extended 24 inches, in the second half of the season only; with no change to mound height or shape.

― but i'm there are fuckups (Karl Malone), Sunday, 10 March 2019 22:33 (one month ago) Permalink

Time between innings and pitching changes reduced from 2:05 to 1:45.

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Sunday, 10 March 2019 23:25 (one month ago) Permalink

^ this would be great but seems highly unlikely

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Sunday, 10 March 2019 23:25 (one month ago) Permalink

Wouldn't moving the mound back shorten leads and discourage base stealing? Pick-off attempts will come at a shallower angle, seems like that would cut down on runners going first-to-third, taking an extra base, etc.

I just can't believe they are even considering monkeying with the geometry of the game like this! I mean just lower the mound again if you want more contact/action.

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Sunday, 10 March 2019 23:35 (one month ago) Permalink

Lots of @mlb rule changes for 2019 and 2020: pic.twitter.com/Bn89KReec0
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 14, 2019

― mookieproof, Thursday, 14 March 2019 15:13 (one month ago) Permalink

ok pitching to a minimum of three hitters or until the end of a half inning makes this more palatable

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Thursday, 14 March 2019 15:20 (one month ago) Permalink

Only five mound visits now instead of six--they're getting serious about speeding things up.

― clemenza, Thursday, 14 March 2019 15:22 (one month ago) Permalink

"Position players will be prohibited from pitching in games that don’t go into extra innings, unless a team is ahead or behind by at least eight runs." - i mean, fine, but i don't really get why this has to be a rule

― na (NA), Thursday, 14 March 2019 15:25 (one month ago) Permalink

I think it has something to do w/ preventing teams from manipulating the new pitcher/position player designations?

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Thursday, 14 March 2019 15:30 (one month ago) Permalink

Elimination of 40 player roster, too!

― but i'm there are fuckups (Karl Malone), Thursday, 14 March 2019 18:02 (one month ago) Permalink

Interesting changes! I'm really excited to see how the relief pitcher / opener rules pan out (in 2020).

No more waiver trades too! The trade deadline just got even more exciting.

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Thursday, 14 March 2019 18:40 (one month ago) Permalink

The fact that the 40-man Sept. roster expansion doesn't reduce to 28 until 2020 increases Tim Tebow's chances of being a big leaguer.
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) March 14, 2019

― mookieproof, Thursday, 14 March 2019 21:06 (one month ago) Permalink

I call this "overmanaging"

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 14 March 2019 21:54 (one month ago) Permalink

playing Seymour Skinner re position players pitching particularly

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 14 March 2019 22:21 (one month ago) Permalink

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/mlb-announces-major-rule-changes-for-2019-and-2020/

A commenter asks:

"Not that this will be [a frequent] occurrence but I’m still waiting to see how it will be handled if a team makes two mound visits before a pitcher faces three batters. We would have one rule requiring the pitcher be removed from the game and another stating that he is not allowed to be removed. Is baseball just broken at that point?"

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Friday, 15 March 2019 22:14 (one month ago) Permalink

Oof.

What about a pitcher feigning injury? We know it doesn't count as a mound visit. But will it also allow managers to skirt 3-hitter rule? Will said pitcher be obliged to do a DL stint? So much unnecessary dumbness.

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Friday, 15 March 2019 22:32 (one month ago) Permalink

dl il stint

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Friday, 15 March 2019 22:32 (one month ago) Permalink

supposedly the three-batter rule will be implemented in the (affiliated) minors this season. i don't think it will come up too much, though -- there aren't really minor league LOOGYs or convoluted platoon matches because the games don't mean anything

― mookieproof, Friday, 15 March 2019 22:57 (one month ago) Permalink

RIP pitch clock?

― Van Horn Street, Friday, 15 March 2019 23:32 (one month ago) Permalink

yeah :/

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 16 March 2019 00:37 (one month ago) Permalink

seems like overkill

MLB is at Nationals’ camp today workshopping a new communication device for pitchers and catchers. It would allow catchers to type a pitch call (with location) into a watch that is connected to a watch the pitcher is wearing on the mound. An effort to eliminate sign-stealing.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) March 18, 2019

― mookieproof, Monday, 18 March 2019 14:50 (one month ago) Permalink

ugh

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Monday, 18 March 2019 15:01 (one month ago) Permalink

real galaxy brain shit right there

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Monday, 18 March 2019 15:49 (one month ago) Permalink

sign stealing is the best

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 18 March 2019 16:15 (one month ago) Permalink

a good way to speed up the game is to have the catcher text the pitcher on his apple watch before every pitch

― na (NA), Monday, 18 March 2019 16:18 (one month ago) Permalink

yeah wtf

― k3vin k., Monday, 18 March 2019 17:07 (one month ago) Permalink

a century from now MLB will have "evolved" into 162 home run derbies + a midseason "old school" classic w base running, fielding, etc

― heinrich boll weevil (Hadrian VIII), Monday, 18 March 2019 18:04 (one month ago) Permalink

classy

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D2wy5U4WkAAuvkb.jpg

― mookieproof, Thursday, 28 March 2019 18:05 (three weeks ago) Permalink

the shark has pearly teeth

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 28 March 2019 18:30 (three weeks ago) Permalink

apparently the mound will *not* be moved back in the atlantic league this season after all

good news for new long island duck jon niese

― mookieproof, Thursday, 11 April 2019 15:54 (one week ago) Permalink

that did seem the most harebrained

― d'ILM for Murder (Hadrian VIII), Thursday, 11 April 2019 17:49 (one week ago) Permalink

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