With a reduction in average game length, Major League Baseball has officially entered a new era. The smiles were also numerous at the season opener this Thursday afternoon, be it at Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park or Wrigley Field.
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Of the first four games of the season, played in the early afternoon, the Cubs beat the Brewers 4-0 in Chicago, the shortest: two hours and 21 minutes. In New York, pitcher Gerrit Cole and the Yankees beat the San Francisco Giants 5-0 in two hours and 33 minutes.
When asked if he felt the effects of the stopwatch rule between each throw, Cole quickly did as well. His first answer was one word: “No”.
Half an hour less
According to first estimates, this new rule alone allows more than 25 minutes to be slaughtered per game on average. Overall, it’s a good half-hour difference per game if we compare the average length of 2022 regular-season games to that of the most recent training camp (see below).
At the other end of the spectrum, the game the Baltimore Orioles won 10-9 over the Red Sox in Boston on Thursday afternoon went unfinished for three hours and 10 minutes. In that case, starter Corey Kluber allowed the Orioles five earned runs in just three and a half innings… No Boston fan seemed to have found the game too long, however, as the Red Sox unsuccessfully made a comeback in scoring five runs in the last two innings
time and money
There was a time when Earl Weaver, famed manager of the Orioles in the 1970s and 1980s, explained why baseball was the most beautiful sport, saying, “You can’t sit on a leash and do a few moves at the time to kill. . You have to get the ball to home plate and give the other man in front of you a chance.”
The famous quote isn’t entirely wrong, but it’s becoming somewhat obsolete with the new rules. The pitcher now has to make each shot sooner rather than later, and the batsman is also in a hurry to prepare. Welcome to 2023, where time and money rule the world! For better and for worse.
It was Atlanta Braves’ Collin McHugh who was first caught for a time violation during his warm-up in Washington without much repercussion. So the next hitter started his presence with a ball on the counterattack. The Braves eventually beat the Nationals 7-2.
rejuvenate customers
Change is scary. But we have to admit that with the introduction of its new regulations, baseball is well on its way to winning its bet. Even purists find that the game becomes more dynamic without adulterating the sport.
The trend now appears to be spreading to games on the current regular schedule as well. The dawn of a new era of happiness that will reach younger audiences? Perhaps…
In the meantime, Earl Weaver, who died in 2013, still has to turn in his grave.
AVERAGE LENGTH OF GAMES
- Training camp 2022: 3:01 a.m
- Regular Season 2022: 3:03 a.m
- Training camp 2023: 2:35 p.m
- 4 first games of the 2023 season: 2:48
- Game on Thursday at Wrigley Field: 2:21 a.m
A TIMER FOR POT… AND BATTERS
- 30 seconds are allotted to the different players between the presence of two clubs at the stroke.
- The clock is set to 15 seconds between each pitch to the batsman. The duration increases to 20 seconds when there are one or more runners on the trails.
- The batsman must be in the box and alert for the next shot with at least eight seconds remaining on the clock.
- If a pitcher cannot get the ball out in the allotted time, the batter is awarded a ball.
- If a batter is not ready, he is automatically awarded a strike. Each batsman may call a timeout only once per batting time.
Can’t wait for the stolen bases… and already a home run for Judge!
The Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. wasted no time in taking advantage of some of the changes taking place in Major League Baseball this season. He stole second base after hitting a leadoff single in the game against the Nationals Thursday afternoon in Washington.
Speaking specifically of the timer present between fields, increasing the number of goals is likely to increase the number of steals in Major League Baseball.
Acuna Jr. failed to cross the plate in the opening inning, but he contributed to a three-run attempt for the Braves in the next round at bat. The Atlanta team was on course to a 7-2 win.
In New York, Aaron Judge hit a solo homer on his first bat to put the Yankees ahead, who eventually won 5-0 over the San Francisco Giants. With 62 long balls last season, Judge became the first to achieve such a feat in the 2023 season.
Then it was rookie Anthony Volpe who delighted the 46,172 fans who had gathered at Yankee Stadium late in the third inning with a stolen base. He was later imitated by Gleyber Torres, also a circuit author.
Launchers under control
In six innings of work, starter Gerrit Cole knocked out the Giants and made 11 strikeouts. This is a new record for a Yankees pitcher in a season opener.
The old mark was nine and was set by Tim Leary in 1991. Apparently Cole didn’t mind that he had to shoot quickly. On the other hand. Rather, it was the thugs who bit the dust.
Despite the setback, Giants pitcher Logan Webb hit out 12 times, also in six innings.
♦ In the late afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays started their season with a visit to the Cardinals in St. Louis. Jays starter Alek Manoah was roughed up after conceding five earned runs in three and a third innings of work, but the Jays won 10-9, thanks in part to three RBIs from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and contributions of five and a half, four hits from George Springer and Bo Bichette.
what they said
“I was skeptical, but it quickly became clear to me: This is exactly what baseball needs”
— Raul Ibanez, former MLB player and Senior Ent, on the introduction of the clock between courts
Photo archive, Agency QMI
“It wasn’t the pitchers that bothered me over the last few years, it was the hitters who adjusted their helmets, little gloves and bionic elbow pads between pitches.”
– Claude Raymond, former Quebec pitcher and baseball legend
“I think it will be a relatively easy transition for the pitchers and it will add some rhythm to the games.”
– Karl Gélinas, former pitcher and analyst at TVA Sports
“I’m going to watch a lot more baseball this year”
– Ron Guidry, former pitcher and Cy Young Trophy winner with the Yankees in 1978
“There are pitchers who like to take their time and conserve their energy. I think the rule will particularly penalize pitchers who burn out faster.
– Abraham Toro, Quebec player in the Brewers organization