Will The New MLB Pitch Clock Rule Help Speed Up The Game?

I'm a fan of baseball. Especially on the professional level. Our Rumble Ponies, the AA franchise of the New York Mets are fun to watch.

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Nothing quite like spending an afternoon or evening on a warm summer day at MIrabito Stadium, watching the team, enjoying the fun promotions that they execute every home game, along with a hot dog and a beer...or two.

New Pitch Clock Rules

There are some new changes coming to the Major League teams this year and one of them has to do with the pitch clock. A new rule will be put in place giving pitchers 15 seconds to throw a pitch with the bases empty. With a runner on base, the limit will be 20 seconds. Also, batters have to be in the box with eight seconds on the pitch clock.

According to ESPN, the way it will be enforced:

If a pitcher has not started "the motion to deliver a pitch" before the expiration of the clock, he will be charged with a ball. If a batter delays entering the box, he will be charged with a strike.

The reason for this rule is to get the total time of the game down. ESPN notes that during the 2022 season, the average time of a nine-inning major league game in 2022 was 3 hours and 4 minutes.

Heading To Spring Training

I'm all for that because I get restless sitting for too long. Soon, I will get to see how well or not this new rule works out. Spring training 2023 begins February 24th in Arizona and Florida. The regular season begins on March 30th. And it just happens that I will be in Florida during the first few days of spring training.

I have to confess, I've only attended three major league baseball games in my lifetime. Two in Pittsburg to catch a Pirates game, and once in New York at Citi Field to see the Mets. I've always wanted to go to Yankee Stadium to watch a game, but for whatever reason, have never been. I feel like such a bad New Yorker.

So I decided since I'm in Florida, I'm finally going to take advantage of seeing the New York Yankees at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida for spring training. That will be a first for me, and I'm looking forward to it. Play ball!