MLB to test rule changes in Arizona Fall League

[Dback Jon]

Mostly aimed at speeding up the game

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...mes-during-arizona-fall-league-000916732.html

The six experimental rules range from "incremental to dramatic," according to Selig. Here they are, with descriptions directly from MLB:


• Batter’s Box Rule: The batter shall keep at least one foot in the batter’s box throughout his at-bat, unless one of a series of established exceptions occurs, in which case the batter may leave the batter’s box but not the dirt area surrounding home plate. (Exceptions include a foul ball or a foul tip; a pitch forcing the batter out of the batter’s box; “time” being requested and granted; a wild pitch or a passed ball; and several others.)


• No-Pitch Intentional Walks: In the event a team decides to intentionally walk a batter, no pitches shall be thrown. Instead, the manager shall signal to the home plate umpire with four fingers, and the batter should proceed to first base to become a runner.


Others at link

 

[unseenaz]

Those rules suck.

The intentional walk one is ridiculous. It's an execution play, that can't be made automatic

 

[Dback Jon]

Those rules suck.

The intentional walk one is ridiculous. It's an execution play, that can't be made automatic

I like them all - I am tired of seeing batters step out of the box between every pitch and put on a dance.

The one I like the least is the intentional walk one - make the pitcher throw if there are runners on base. If no runners on, no reason to throw (very rarely do you intentionally walk someone with no runners on).

 

[Phrazbit]

They need to limit catch/pitcher mound visits (some teams abuse this to an absurd extent, I remember Posada used to visit seemingly every 3rd pitch in big situations), batter time outs and pick off attempts.

 

[Dback Jon]

They need to limit catch/pitcher mound visits (some teams abuse this to an absurd extent, I remember Posada used to visit seemingly every 3rd pitch in big situations), batter time outs and pick off attempts.

Those are all covered in the proposed rules (except pick off attempts)

Three “Time Out” Limit: Each team shall be permitted only three “Time Out” conferences per game (including extra innings). Such conferences shall include player conferences with the pitcher (including the catcher), manager or coach conferences with the pitcher, and coach conferences with a batter. Conferences during pitching changes, and time outs called as a result of an injury or other emergency, shall not be counted towards this limit. A manager, coach or player will not be permitted to call a fourth time out in violation of this Rule. In such cases, the game will continue uninterrupted, and offenders may be subject to discipline.

 

[BC867]

Those are all covered in the proposed rules (except pick off attempts)

Three “Time Out” Limit: Each team shall be permitted only three “Time Out” conferences per game (including extra innings). Such conferences shall include player conferences with the pitcher (including the catcher), manager or coach conferences with the pitcher, and coach conferences with a batter. Conferences during pitching changes, and time outs called as a result of an injury or other emergency, shall not be counted towards this limit. A manager, coach or player will not be permitted to call a fourth time out in violation of this Rule. In such cases, the game will continue uninterrupted, and offenders may be subject to discipline.

I wonder how that is going to affect Goldy, who always walks a Pitcher back to the mound to give a him a breather if he came over to cover 1B.

It seems to me that it was beneficial. But, then again, no one walks a Catcher back to home plate when he runs up the 1B line to back up a throw. With all that squatting, I don't know how the Catchers do it throughout the game.

 

[don7031]

They should have made the 20 second clock a 12 second clock. Twelve seconds is the rule already on the books that isn't being enforced.

Keeping the batter in the box will make the greatest impact. The entire game stops when the batter steps out.