Imagine standing on the mound after throwing 50 pitches. Out of breath, exhausted, and the catcher throws the ball back to you. 18.17.16.15. Take a deep breath. 14. 13. You step on the rubber and get your pitch call from the catcher. 12.11.10. The batter acknowledges you. 9.8.7. You come to set. 6.5.4.3. And BOOM you fire the pitch to repeat the whole process over again.
In 2023, MLB implemented a 20-second pitch clock to speed up the pace of your everyday baseball game. In recent events before the 2024 season, they have now reduced the pitch clock time from the short time of 20 seconds to an even shorter 18 seconds.
What’s the point of this? Why do we need it?
The pitch clock serves a dual purpose: it shortens the length of an average baseball …show more content…
From a hitters point of view, Mark Canha has stated “I like to step in and breathe and try to clear my head before I hit, and guys are getting an opportunity to go through their routine. I don't like it when I'm up there. I think the game moving faster is a good thing, but it feels rushed.”
Fielders also have opinions on the issue. Austin Hays, Baltimore Oriole outfielder, states "So much weighs on every pitch, you'd almost want the game to last longer," Hays said. You don't want the game to go quicker. You play the whole season to get to those moments. “
People may say that they like that the game is quicker and that it makes it more interesting, but at what cost? Are we willing to put a player’s health at stake just for entertainment value?
I’m not saying that a pitch clock can’t work, but why does the 30 minutes matter so much? Does the benefit of a quicker game merit the risk to the players health and the integrity of the game? Many baseball fans would appreciate taking those 30 minutes to watch the spontaneity of the game unfold. Eliminating the pitch clock would allow the pitchers and batters to recover in between pitches and permit the pitcher to set his own rhythm and pace. This is how baseball is meant to be
In 2023, MLB implemented a 20-second pitch clock to speed up the pace of your everyday baseball game. In recent events before the 2024 season, they have now reduced the pitch clock time from the short time of 20 seconds to an even shorter 18 seconds.
What’s the point of this? Why do we need it?
The pitch clock serves a dual purpose: it shortens the length of an average baseball …show more content…
From a hitters point of view, Mark Canha has stated “I like to step in and breathe and try to clear my head before I hit, and guys are getting an opportunity to go through their routine. I don't like it when I'm up there. I think the game moving faster is a good thing, but it feels rushed.”
Fielders also have opinions on the issue. Austin Hays, Baltimore Oriole outfielder, states "So much weighs on every pitch, you'd almost want the game to last longer," Hays said. You don't want the game to go quicker. You play the whole season to get to those moments. “
People may say that they like that the game is quicker and that it makes it more interesting, but at what cost? Are we willing to put a player’s health at stake just for entertainment value?
I’m not saying that a pitch clock can’t work, but why does the 30 minutes matter so much? Does the benefit of a quicker game merit the risk to the players health and the integrity of the game? Many baseball fans would appreciate taking those 30 minutes to watch the spontaneity of the game unfold. Eliminating the pitch clock would allow the pitchers and batters to recover in between pitches and permit the pitcher to set his own rhythm and pace. This is how baseball is meant to be