NORTH PORT, Fla. — The importance of both pitchers and hitters adapting to baseball’s new pitch-timer rules became evident Saturday afternoon when an automatic batter resulted in a 6-6 tie between the Braves and Red Sox in the CoolToday Park finished.
Plate umpire John Libka ended the game when he issued the automatic strike with loaded bases, two outs and a full count against Braves second baseman Cal Conley. Libka decided Conley wasn’t ready to strike in time.
The rules being implemented for the 2023 season state that a batter must be in the box and alert the pitcher when eight seconds are on the clock. The catcher must be in the box behind home plate with nine seconds on the clock, standing or crouching.
The batsman must be ready on his own – he does not depend on the catcher to crouch. Therefore, as a league official confirmed, the right decision was made.
“Those are the things that tell you why we’re starting this right now,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “You never know what might happen. That case over there shows you what could happen.”
Red Sox reserve Robert Kwiatkowski was ready on the mound when catcher Elih Marrero went slightly off the plate and adjusted something on his wrist as the pitch timer hit eight seconds. Libka threw up his arms and pointed at Conley, who was moving toward first base, thinking an automatic four had been called.
“We talked about it,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We looked at the clock and thought, ‘Something’s going to happen here.’ Actually, because Elih goes out, 3-2, two outs, he tells the infielders, runners go, go first. But he has to be back in position nine seconds ago. And then this happened.”