Before today’s All-Star Game, Commissioner Rob Manfred and Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark each met with reporters. The interviews covered various topics on the state of the game.
Clark indicated that the MLBPA would like to discuss the possibility of relaxing some pace-of-play rules during the postseason (link via Jesse Rogers of ESPN). Things like adding time to the pitch clock or increasing the number of mound disengagements for pitchers could be of interest to the union.
“Given that you just played a 162 game season, no one is looking to play 3:30 to 4 hour games.“, Clark told reporters. “I don’t think a few seconds here or there is going to create a 3.5-4 hour game.“Pitchers are allowed 15 seconds to start throwing without anyone on base and 20 seconds to start throwing with a baserunner on board. Batters must be ready by the time the clock hits the eight-second mark. Pitchers are allowed two releases from the mound per plate appearance.
The MLBPA does not have the authority to change these provisions. Changes to on-field rules are at the discretion of a competition committee composed primarily of league officials. Manfred suggested that MLB might be willing to adjust the pitch clock for the postseason, but didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about the idea.
“We don’t want a playoff game to be decided by a rules violation, and I understand that’s a possibility.“, declared the commissioner (link via Bob Nightengale of USA Today). “As far as doing something for the playoffs, we’re going to continue to talk to the players. I think you should play the playoffs the same way you play the regular season. There are exceptions. I am open-minded on this subject. But I prefer to keep the same rules in the regular season and in the playoffs.»
Of course, the league has already approved a major change between the regular season and the playoffs. The extra runner in the inning is strictly a regular season provision; there are no free baserunners in the postseason.
Manfred also touched on a few other important points. Regarding the potential implementation of an automatic strike zone, the commissioner reiterated his preference for the challenge system rather than a complete move to computer ball calls/attack (link via Associated Press). MLB has experimented with both potential avenues in the minor leagues.
The challenge setup relies primarily on the home plate umpire to call balls and strikes. Pitchers, batters and catchers have a limited number of times they can challenge a decision. Manfred previously suggested that the setup better struck a balance between preserving the receiving component of the receiver’s defense while reducing the chances of a very significant missed call at important stages of the game. As noted by AP, the challenge system was in place for last weekend’s Futures Game. Four appeals were contested; three have been confirmed.
Either way, it doesn’t look like any changes will be made to the strike zone next season. Nightengale is told by a league official that no autozone likely will be in place until the 2025 campaign at the earliest, as MLB continues to refine tracking technology.
Although on-field rule changes have garnered a lot of attention in recent years, one could argue that the biggest story of the 2023 MLB season has been the A’s efforts to relocate to Las Vegas. Manfred said this afternoon that the franchise has begun providing the league with information regarding its relocation request, but has yet to submit a full proposal (link via Alden González of ESPN). This is the last important step after the A’s. secure $380 million in public funding for a baseball stadium in Las Vegas last month.
Once the A’s have finalized their proposal, it will be submitted to a three-person resettlement committee. As first reported last week Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Phillies owner John Middleton and Royals owner John Sherman join Milwaukee’s Mark Attanasio on the committee. The proposal will then be put to a vote by the 30 owners. The A’s need 75% approval to officially move, which they are expected to receive.
