The new MLB rules, together with the pitch clock, are going to take some getting used to.
Saturday’s spring coaching recreation between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves is the proper instance.
It was the state of affairs that each little one rising up taking part in baseball desires of. Recreation tied at 6, backside of the ninth inning, bases loaded and a 3-2 depend. Atlanta infielder Cal Conley was on the plate, going through Boston aid pitcher Robert Kwiatkowski. Kwiatkowski began in for the signal from his catcher and got here set to throw a crucial pitch on a full depend.
However then, this occurred:
Conley was charged an automated strike for not being prepared in time beneath the brand new pitch clock guidelines, and the strike out was known as.
Beneath spring coaching guidelines, there isn’t a further baseball, so the sport resulted in a 6-6 tie.
Within the new rules launched for this MLB season, batters are required to be within the batter’s field and “alert” with at the least eight seconds remaining on the pitch clock. The pitch clock isn’t seen on this angle, however beneath the brand new guidelines, the house plate umpire is carrying a belt that buzzes to maintain the umpire knowledgeable of the timing guidelines.
That buzzer should have gone off, as a result of residence plate umpire John Libka known as the automated strike, and the sport resulted in a tie.
Not … precisely how youngsters dreamed of that state of affairs unfolding when taking part in within the yard rising up, however that is the brand new regular in MLB. Fortunately everybody has spring coaching to get adjusted earlier than this occurs within the common season.
