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SPORTS Wednesday 21 February 2018
MLB imposes stricter mound limits, defers on pitch clocks

By RONALD BLUM MLB has the right to make
NEW YORK (AP) — Ma- playing rules changes ab-
jor League Baseball has sent an agreement with
imposed stricter limits on one year notice and made
mound visits by players in proposals during the 2016-
an effort to speed games 17 offseason for a pitch
but decided against clock and more restrictions
20-second pitch clocks for on mound visits.
2018. "My strong preference is
After more than a year to continue to have ongo-
of negotiations, the Ma- ing dialogue with players
jor League Baseball Play- on this topic to find mutu-
ers Association refused to ally acceptable solutions,"
agree to the changes but Commissioner Rob Man-
also signed an agreement fred said in a statement.
that it will not oppose the Union head Tony Clark not-
rules. ed the sides technically did
The amendments to the not reach a deal.
playing rules announced "The focus on mound visits
Monday include a general and/or the level of commit-
limit of six mound visits per ment on the other pieces
nine-inning game without a simply didn't focus enough
pitching change, whether attention on the areas the
by a manager, coach or players wanted to address
player. — so no agreement was
"We'll have to just figure out reached," he said in an
a more non-verbal method email to the AP.
of communication," Chi- "While a number of pitch-
cago Cubs manager Joe ers will acknowledge that
Maddon said. "We're not some mound visits are un-
going to be texting, I prom- necessary, a limitation
ise you that, even if we combined with what the
could." experience has been of
Detroit catcher James Mc- late in regard to techno-
Cann objected. logically enhanced sign
"Some people may say that stealing means that there
a catcher visiting with the are concerns about how
pitcher isn't a big deal," he this will work ... or not work." In this Oct. 9, 2017, file photo, Houston Astros relief pitcher Justin Verlander, left, and catcher
said, "but what if you've al- Until now, the only restric- Brian McCann talk during the fifth inning of Game 4 of baseball's American League Division Series
against the Boston Red Sox in Boston.
ready had five mound visits tion on mound visits was a Associated Press
and you got your closer on second visit to the same
the mound in the ninth in- pitcher during an inning by to keep between-inning tions relating to injury and player was 20 seconds over
ning, and you're facing the a manager or coach result- breaks to 2:05 for most if the pitcher or catcher the inning-break limit. Play-
three and four hitters with ed in an automatic pitch- games, 2:25 for regular- finishes the previous half in- ers have been fined for
guys on second and third, ing change. The number season games on national ning on base, at bat or on pace violations in each of
bases loaded? You can't of visits by catchers during television and 2:55 for tie- deck. the last three seasons, but
go out and talk to him?" games has increased in re- breaker and postseason Last year, a system of fines individual names have not
To assuage players' con- cent years, contributing to games. There are excep- was not enforced until a been made public.q
cerns about sign stealing, the average time of a nine-
MLB will install new tele- inning game stretching to
phone lines from dugouts a record 3 hours, 5 minutes
to video replay rooms. MLB last season, up from 2:46 in
said the lines will be moni- 2005.
tored, and a person famil- Under the new rule, each
iar with the decision told team would get an addi-
The Associated Press all tional mound visit without a
conversations on the lines pitching change for each
will be recorded. The per- extra inning. Trips will not
son spoke on condition of count against the limit fol-
anonymity because that lowing an offensive substitu-
detail was not announced. tion, to check on potential
"If you're really like steal- injuries or to clean spikes on
ing signs from up top with wet fields. If a team is out
the video and transmit- of visits, the plate umpire
ting them somehow in may give permission for ad-
that nanosecond you'd be ditional trips by the catcher
more concerned," Mad- in the event of a cross-up
don said. "Otherwise. It'll just on pitch signals.
be entertaining. You don't MLB is eliminating the
even have to do that, you rules guaranteeing eight
could run up and down the warmup pitches before
tunnel." a half-inning in an effort