Minor Leagues Make Major Changes

Its a debate that has been raging on in the sport of baseball for quite some time now. Is there a way to speed up the pace of the game? Is there a way to draw in new fans? Minor League Baseball thinks they may have come up with a solution. The new rules will take place at the Triple A and Double A levels. Those new rules are as follows, as announced by Minor League Baseball Thursday afternoon.

EXTRA INNINGS
-At all levels of Minor League Baseball, extra innings will begin with a runner on second base. The runner at second base will be the player in the batting order position previous to the leadoff batter of the inning (or a substitute for that player).
-By way of example, if the number five hitter in the batting order is due to lead off the 10th inning, the number four player in the batting order (or a pinch-runner for such player) shall begin the inning on second base. Any runner or batter removed from the game for a substitute shall be ineligible to return to the game, as is the case in all circumstances under the Official Baseball Rules. For purposes of calculating earned runs under Rule 9.16, the runner who begins an inning on second base pursuant to this rule shall be deemed to be a runner who has reached second base because of a fielding error, but no error shall be charged to the opposing team or to any player.

PITCHER'S MOUND VISITS
-Visits by coaches and position players will be limited based on the classification level. Triple-A clubs will be allowed six (6) visits per team, Double-A clubs will be allowed eight (8) visits per team, Single-A clubs will be allowed 10 visits per team and there will not be a limit on mound visits for Short Season and Rookie-level clubs.
-These mound visit limits will apply whether the game is scheduled for seven or nine innings.
-For any extra-innings played, each club shall be entitled to one additional non-pitching change mound visit per inning.
-Official Baseball Rule 5.10(l), which governs mound visits by a manager or coach, remains in effect (i.e., a pitcher must be removed on the second visit by a manager/coach in an inning).

Definition of Mound Visit:
-A manager or coach trip to the mound to meet with the pitcher shall constitute a visit. A player leaving his position to confer with the pitcher, including a pitcher leaving the mound to confer with another player, shall also constitute a mound visit, regardless of where the visit occurs or the length of the visit, except that the following shall not constitute mound visits:
-a. Discussions between pitchers and position player(s) that (i) occur between batters in the normal course of play and do not require either the position player(s) or the pitcher to relocate
-b. Visits by position players to the mound to clean spikes in rainy conditions
-c. Visits to the mound due to an injury or potential injury of the pitcher and
-d. Visits to the mound after the announcement of an offensive substitution.

15-SECOND PITCH TIMER
-Pitchers at the Triple-A and Double-A levels will be allowed 15 seconds to begin their wind-up or the motion to come to the set position when no runners are on base.
-The pitcher does not necessarily have to release the ball within 15 seconds, but must begin his wind-up or begin the motion to come to the set position to comply with the 15-second rule with no runners on base.
-With runners on base, the pitch timer will go from 15 to 20 seconds.
-The timer shall start when the pitcher has possession of the ball in the dirt circle surrounding the pitcher's rubber, the catcher is in the catcher's box and the batter is in the dirt circle surrounding home plate.
-The timer will stop as soon as the pitcher begins his wind-up, or begins the motion to come to the set position.
-If the pitcher feints a pick off or steps off the rubber with runners on base, the timer shall reset and start again immediately.
-Umpires have the authority to stop the pitch timer and order a reset.
-Following any event (e.g., pick-off play) that permits the batter to leave the batter's box, the timer shall start when the pitcher has possession of the ball in the dirt circle surrounding the pitcher's rubber, and the catcher is in the catcher's box.
-Following an umpire's call of "time" or if the ball becomes dead and the batter remains at-bat, the timer shall start after the next pitch or play.
-Should the pitcher fail to begin his wind-up or begin the motion to come to the set position in 15 seconds with no runners on base, or 20 seconds with a runner on base, a ball will be awarded to the count on the batter.
-Should the batter fail to be in the batter's box and alert to the pitcher with seven (7) or more seconds remaining on the pitch timer, a strike will be awarded to the count on the batter.

Phew, that's a lot of information to try and ingest. So here's how I feel about this whole situation. I know they want to try and speed up the game and to a degree that makes sense, you want to try to have the pace of football and hockey and basketball I get it. At the same time, the pace of the game is what made baseball so great. It made it easier to understand and take in all the action at a leisurely pace.

Sometimes, the pitchers do take a long time to get the ball thrown to the plate, which kind of makes sense to have a bit of a pitch clock. Same thing with mound visits, having too many of them was more of an annoyance then anything to some watching the game in the stands.

The biggest problem I have with is the extra innings rule. That has got to be one of the stupidest rules that have ever been put into a rule book. Its such an unfair advantage it goes beyond description. I get that you want to try and end games as quickly as possible and you want to make things more enjoyable for the people in the crowd. This is so un-baseball like it goes beyond description. The fact that they are also considering doing something like this at the Major League level is one of the most mind numbingly stupid decisions that have ever been suggested. It makes me almost sick to read something like this as a lifelong baseball fan. The way the game is being played now works pretty well I think. If you really want to try and get new fans, not only should you leave the game the way it is, how about make it cheaper for fans to try and attend Major League games. Prices are so out of wack right now its ridiculous. It would cost you an arm and a leg to try and go have a night out at the ballpark.

Baseball had some good ideas, but for the most part, the rules they've put through at the minor league level are just plain dumb.