In an effort to find ways to speed up the game of baseball, Commissioner Rob Manfred has openly discussed the possibility of adding a pitch clock to Major League Baseball.
Manfred is no stranger to discussing innovative ways to improve the game he now sees over. Manfred has brought on the idea of expansion time and time again, but his on-the-field focus remains trying to keep the game going. We have already seen a running clock between innings to help keep the pace of the game from being bogged down by corporate sponsorships and advertising packages, which has been nice, but could baseball really see the addition of a play clock pitch clock? Yeah, maybe. And you know what? You might not even know the difference.
https://twitter.com/Joe_TOC/status/766361204809883648
The addition of a pitch clock may have minimal effect on the game as we watch it. Pitchers can still slow things down by throwing pickoff throws to first base. Catchers and pitching coaches can still make their visits to the mound. These things will not go away. And it is entirely possible pitches are being thrown within a certain amount of time anyway, so the pitch clock is just an added formality in the grand scheme of things.
The minor leagues have been experimenting with the pitch clock for a little while now, and Manfred has been paying close attention to the results. From USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale;
“Our view of the pitch clock is that we feel it’s been effective in the minor leagues,’’ Manfred said, “we really do. I think when you look at our experience with the effort we undertook last year, and you look month-by-month in terms of where we were in terms of game time, we did really well early and kind of regressed the second half of last year, and certainly this year.
“Our evaluation of that is, the more we can have on the field, constant reminders so it’s in front of people’s minds, the better off we are in terms of continuing to move the game along. And I think the clock is probably the quintessential example of the reminder that keeps pace in people’s minds.
“And, quite frankly, the data shows that people don’t violate the 20-second. With or without a clock. It’s a reminder that moves things along.”
So there you have it. Manfred says the pitch clock works and it could very well be making its way to the big leagues soon. Perhaps in 2017?