MLB Releases Details Of Spring Training Pitch Clock Rules

The question is whether it will make its way to the regular season in 2020.

While we don’t know how the rule will be working in Spring Training 2019, we know how it’s supposed to, the clock will start when the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher. Batters will be expected in the box with five seconds left on the clock, and a pitcher must begin his delivery before the clock expires to escape potential ball-or-strike penalties.

And the league announced over the weekend how they will phase it in in a three-part process.

First the clock will operate with zero enforcement to so as to familiarize the players with the system.

Early next week, umpires will issue warnings to the pitchers and batters who violate the rules but will not enforce the penalty of assessing actual balls and strikes.The umpires will inform the club’s field staff in between innings of which players violated what.

Finally, later in Spring Training, umpires will assess penalties.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has said previously that he would like to eventually implement a similar pitch clock for regular-season games, potentially as soon as this season. Expect its use in spring training to be something of a trial run.

Especially when all hell breaks loose the first time a penalty is actually assessed.

Source:Larry Brown Sports


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content