Major League Baseball’s new pitch clock rules are already leading to controversial moments.
Take Saturday’s spring training game between the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves. With the game tied 6-6, bases loaded and a 3-2 count in the bottom of the ninth inning, Red Sox relief pitcher Robert Kwiatkowski got ready to deliver to Braves infielder Cal Conley., the home plate umpire John Libka interrupted: Conley did not get set in time, thus an automatic strike was called, ending the inning and the game in a tie, per spring training rules.
Conley was hit with a strike because he wasn’t set and “alert” to the pitcher in the batter’s box when the pitch clock ticked to 8 seconds. Pitchers will also be affected by a myriad of new rules the MLB added in for this season to make the game quicker. If a pitcher doesn’t throw the ball in a certain amount of time — 15 seconds if no runners are on base and 20 seconds if there are — hitters will have an automatic ball added to their count.
Bottom of the ninth. Tie game. Bases loaded. Full count. The dream scenario. And … Cal Conley didn't get set in the batter's box with 8 seconds left on the pitch clock.
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