Info on new MLB rules

[RussBLib]

Good article.

All of your questions about the new rules, answered
February 6th, 2023
Anthony Castrovince

Snip

What are the new rules?
There are three, and we’ll break them down in detailed sections below.

1. Pitch timer: The length of games will still be determined by innings, not minutes. But to create a crisper pace, there will be a 30-second timer between batters and then a shorter time limit between pitches. Pitchers will be required to begin their motion 15 seconds after receiving the ball with the bases empty or 20 seconds after receiving the ball with runners on base. If they don’t, they will be charged with an automatic ball.

Pitchers will also be limited to two disengagements from the mound (i.e. pickoff attempts or step-offs) per plate appearance with a runner on first. The disengagements reset the clock.

Batters, meanwhile, must be in the batter’s box and alert to the pitcher by the 8-second mark on the clock, or else be charged with an automatic strike.

Snip

What if the pitch timer reaches zero as the pitcher is in his motion? Is he charged with a ball?
No. As long as the pitcher begins his motion prior to the expiration of the pitch timer, he is not charged with a ball. Umpires will wear a device on their wrists that will buzz when the clock expires, so it will be on them to call the violation, as opposed to a horn throughout the stadium you might hear for a shot-clock violation at an NBA game.

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-new-rules-for-2023-faq?partnerID=mlbapp-android_article-share

https://russblib.blogspot.com/

[Faux pas]

1. ...

[Mr.Bill]

2. Thanks for the information.

I think the bigger bases will have more impact than they might think. Not only the safety factor, but I think it will actually raise batting averages. It seems in every game there are several batters that are thrown out at first by a matter of an inch or two. Also more bases stolen for the same reason. I think all of this is a good thing. My favorite part of the game is base running, and this should increase it. Not going to be good for pitching stats, though.

[RussBLib]

3. will be interesting

...to see how such small distances will affect batting averages and stolen bases.

The distance between first base and second base and second base and third base is reduced by 4.5 inches. The distance between home plate and first or third base is reduced by three inches.

I wonder if they are adding an extra ump or two? They seem to be piling more work on umps, and they are already under a lot of pressure.

If umpire calls on a runner being safe or out at a particular base can be challenged with instant reply, why don't they go ahead and automate, somehow, balls and strikes? There are WAY too many bad calls on balls and strikes by home plate umpires. If we could eliminate that human failing, wouldn't the game be better? Much more accurate batting averages, ERA's, SO's, etc etc etc. Maybe take some graft out of the game too.

Oh, one last thing … what about the so-called “robot umps”?
Experimentation with the automatic ball-strike system -- and, relatedly, the ball-strike challenge system – will continue in the Minor Leagues in 2023, but the system is not in place at the Major League level and there is currently no timetable for it to be added to MLB games.

https://russblib.blogspot.com

[ProfessorGAC]

4. There Was A Study Many Years Ago...

...that tested the foresight of making the bases 90 feet
IIRC, if the bases were 29 paces apart instead of 30, league batting averages would go up by nearly 10 points and double plays went down by something like 1/6th. So, runs would go up.
If the bases were 31 paces apart, the averages fell by about the same & nearly every attempted double play would be completed. (The attempt to get the 2nd out is very rarely 3 feet late.)
I'm not recalling the numbers showing the impact on stolen bases, but it was huge.
So, this 4.5 inches has to have some effect, especially encouraging stolen bases.