Major league baseball announced
some new pace of play changes to take place starting this season and also
replay modifications. The changes will
be mostly about in between innings and batters not being allowed to step out
unless they have one of several excuses that are allowed. MLB will be implementing clocks above the
stadiums to count down in between innings and they want everyone to be ready to
go once the game comes back from commercial break.
The batter needs to keep one foot
in the box at all times unless he has one of a few allowed excuses. The umpires need to enforce these rules and
it will also be done by a warning and
fine system. Immediately following the
third out of each half inning a clock will count down from 2:25 for locally
televised games and 2:45 from nationally televised games. A MLB representative attending each game will
operate the timers from the ballpark and will track the following:
40 seconds-PA announces batter and
begins to play the walk up music
30 seconds-Pitcher throws his final
warm up pitch
25 seconds-Batters walk up music
ends
20 seconds-5 seconds-Batter enters
the batter box
20 seconds to 0 seconds-pitcher
begins motion to deliver pitch
Pitchers will be permitted to throw
as many warm up pitches as they wish prior to the point when 30 seconds
remain. Pitchers however will be deemed
to have forfeited any of their traditional eight warm up pitches that they are
unable to complete prior to the 30 second deadline. Exceptions to these rules will be made in a
variety of circumstances including if the pitcher or catcher ended the prior
half inning at bat or on base.
Batters will be encouraged to get
into the batter's box with 20 seconds remaining on the timer. This is the same time that the broadcasters
return from commercial. The pitcher is
expected to begin his motion to deliver the pitch as soon as the batter gets
into the batter's box. and becomes alert to the pitcher. Batters who do not enter the box prior to
five seconds remaining on the timer and pitchers who do not begin the motion to
deliver the pitch prior to zero seconds remaining on the timer will be deemed
to have violated the break timing rules.
Discipline will result for flagrant
violators but no fines will be issued in Spring Training or April of 2015. Donations will be made to the Major League
Baseball Players Trust charitable foundation based on the level of adherence to
the new rules.
Instant replay changes: Managers
may now invoke instant replay from the dugout and will no longer be required to
approach the calling umpire to challenge a call. Managers may hold play from the top step of
the dugout by signaling to players and the home plate umpire that he is
considering a challenge. A decision can
be communicated verbally or with a hand signal.
To challenge an inning ending call, managers will be required to leave
the dugout immediately in order to hold the defensive team on the field.
Whether a runner left the base
early or properly touched a base on a tag up play will be reviewable.
A manager will retain his challenge
after every call that is overturned.
Last year, a manager retained his challenge only after the first
overturned call.
A manager must use a challenge in
order to review whether a play at home plate included a violation of the rule
governing home plate collisions.
However, in the event that a manager is out of challenges after the
start of the seventh inning, the Crew Chief may still choose to review whether
there was a violation of the rule.
During postseason games, regular
season tiebreaker games and the All-Star game, managers will now have two
challenges per game.
Instant replay will not be utilized
during 2015 Spring Training, but it will be in place for exhibition games at
Major League ballparks prior to the start of the 2015 regular season.
