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A16 SPORTS
Thursday 30 March 2023
What did players learn about MLB’s new rules this spring?
By DAVID BRANDT but Thursday when all 30
AP Sports Writer teams play their first game.
PHOENIX (AP) — It was the For many fans, it’ll be the
defining moment of the re- first time seeing the sport’s
cently finished World Base- sizable list of rules changes,
ball Classic: Japan’s star including a pitch clock, lim-
pitcher Shohei Ohtani vs. its on infield shifts and big-
United States slugger Mike ger bases. They’ve been
Trout. Ninth inning. Two tested in spring exhibitions
outs. One-run game. but weren’t used in the
Team USA pitcher Mer- WBC. “This is the next level
rill Kelly said the storybook having the rules applied in
scene was just as dramatic games that matter,” said
for the players in the dug- Diamondbacks three-time
out as it was for fans watch- All-Star Evan Longoria.
ing. But he also admitted “Nobody’s getting num-
there was a thought that bers stamped on the back
crept through his head. of a baseball card during
“How are we possibly go- spring training.
ing to put a pitch clock on “I think this is going to be a
a situation like this?” Kelly huge adjustment.”
said. Well, we’re about to The limitations on the infield
find out. The pitch clock runs as New York Mets’ Daniel Vogelbach (32) warms up on deck during the fifth shift haven’t been a par-
Major League Baseball’s inning of a spring training baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday, March 25, 2023, ticularly big concern. The
new rules package is set in Port St. Lucie, Fla. bigger bases which could
for its regular-season de- Associated Press help curb collisions and
injuries have hardly been
noticed.
MLB has also shown a will-
ingness to listen to feed-
back from players. Last
week, the commissioner’s
office sent a memo trying
to clarify some rules issues
from spring training.
But everyone knows the
real test begins Thursday.
“I think there will be a
lot more gamesmanship
during the regular sea-
son,” Cubs pitcher Drew
Smyly said. Some of that
showed in spring training.
New York Mets ace Max
Scherzer and other pitch-
ers tried weaponizing the
pitch clock, hurrying hitters
or waiting them out within
the bounds of the 15-sec-
ond timer 20 seconds with
someone on base to mess
with their timing.
“Really, the power the
pitcher has now I can
totally dictate pace,”
the three-time Cy Young
Award winner said.
The cat-and-mouse game
between pitchers and
would-be base stealers
will be particularly intrigu-
ing during the season’s
opening weeks. Pitch-
ers can only disengage
from the rubber twice in
each at-bat, meaning lim-
ited chances for pickoff
attempts. If a pitcher dis-
engages a third time and
doesn’t record an out, a
balk is called and all run-
ners advance one base. q
