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Tuesday 16 May 2023

MLB’s new pitch clock may be leading to more blown saves

By RONALD BLUM fielders on either side of
AP Baseball Writer second base and within
NEW YORK (AP) — The pitch the outer boundary of the
clock has sped up baseball infield, as well as an in-
as hoped and it might be crease in the size of bases
leading to more exciting to 18-inch squares from 15-
endings, too. by-15.
A quarter of the way The big league batting av-
through Major League erage of .247 was up from
Baseball’s first season with .236 at this point last sea-
the pitch timer, relief pitch- son, when final average
ers seem to be bearing the was .243. Offense usually
most stress from it, with save increases in warmer sum-
conversions dropping to mer months, and last year’s
61.4% from 67.8% at a simi- first month was plagued
lar point last season. by unusually cold and wet
The save percentage is weather in a significiant
near the bottom range of number of cities.
the past decade, which Left-handed batting aver-
averaged 65.1%, MLB said age is up 14 points to .245,
Monday. The high was 70% and there are more runs
in 2015 and the low 61% in per game (9.1 from 8.4)
the pandemic-shortened and stolen bases per game
2020 season. The pitch clock is visible as Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer winds up to deliver (1.4 from 1.0).
“Whenever relievers are during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, April 24, 2023, in Baltimore, The stolen base success
Md.
coming in, it’s mostly a Associated Press rate of 78.4% was the high-
stressful situation,” said To- est on record, up from
ronto Blue Jays closer Jor- is on track to be the fastest in 500 save chances a so big at that point.” 74.1% at a similar point
dan Romano, whose time since 1984 and would result 10-year-high in opportuni- Starters have been impact- last year. “Pace of play,
between pitches dropped in an everyday player be- ties. ed, too. Lucas Giolito of the pro. Dislike everything that
from to 14.8 seconds from ing on the field about 80 Pitchers have 15 seconds Chicago White Sox has cut leads to more stolen bases,
20.5 last season. “It was fewer hours this season. to deliver a pitch with the his time between pitches to hate that,” said Cleveland
nice before when you did Batting average is up 14 bases empty and 20 sec- 16.4 seconds from 20.7. pitcher Shane Bieber, the
have those extra few sec- percentage points for left- onds with runners on base, “It’s been useful for just like 2020 AL Cy Young Award
onds. handed hitters and nine with a limit of two disen- developing rhythm, not let- winner. “For myself, obvi-
“Now you’ve just got to get percentage points overall. gagements from the rub- ting myself think too much ously, but for catchers, as
your thoughts together and Scoring has increased 8% ber per plate appearance. and take too much time,” well, it sucks. People look
go,” the 2022 All-Star add- and stolen bases are up “I think back-end relievers, he said. “It’s like you’ve got at the stolen base rate and
ed. “I haven’t noticed it 40%. The clock has caused guys that have closed in to get the ball back and go directly to catchers, but
too much but yeah, I guess an average of 0.72 viola- the past, I think that’s been get it going and fire it. You there’s so much more that
in the times I’ve struggled, tions per game. the biggest adjustment for can’t be overthinking.” goes into it.”
a couple extra seconds Just over a quarter of the them, just because they Other rules added for this Of 437 timer violations,
would have been nice.” season had been played can’t reset,” Baltimore season also seem to be 287 were called on pitch-
The average time of nine- through Sunday, 610 of manager Brandon Hyde having intended results, ers (65.7%), 126 on batters
inning games fell to 2 hours, 2,430 scheduled games. said. “There’s so much including a limit on infield (28.8%) and five on catch-
37 minutes from 3:05. That There had been 307 saves adrenaline, the moment’s shifts that requires two in- ers (1.1%).q

Damar Hamlin honored with PFWA Halas Award

The Associated Press televised game on Jan. 2 commotio cordis occurs
Buffalo Bills safety Damar after making a tackle on when a severe blow to the
Hamlin, who is working on a Cincinnati Bengals re- chest causes the heart to
his return to the field after ceiver. He got up but col- quiver and stop pumping
having gone into cardiac lapsed and had to be blood efficiently, leading to
arrest during a game in resuscitated on the field. sudden cardiac arrest.
January, has been select- The 24-year-old player was Hamlin has been cleared
ed as the winner of the taken to the University of to resume playing and
2023 George Halas Award. Cincinnati Medical Center took part in the Bills’ volun-
The Professional Football in critical condition and tary workout program last
Writers of America on Mon- spent a week there before month.
day announced the 55th being flown to Buffalo for The other Halas finalists
winner of the award, which further treatment. He was were Giants running back
is given to an NFL player, released Jan. 11. Saquon Barkley, 49ers run-
coach or staff member He said last month that his ning back Christian McCaf-
Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin speaks in front of University of who overcomes adversity doctors have conclud- frey, Commanders running
Cincinnati Medical Center staff during the NFL Honors award to succeed. ed that a hit to the chest back Brian Robinson Jr. and
show ahead of the Super Bowl 57 football game, Thursday, Feb.
9, 2023, in Phoenix. Hamlin went into cardiac caused his heart to stop. Seahawks quarterback
Associated Press arrest during a nationally The rare condition called Geno Smith.q