On the Clock: A Reminder of MLB's New Rules for the 2023 Season

Shifts = gone, bases = enlarged, clocks = ticking as baseball tries to save itself from problems it doesn't really understand

MLB commish Rob Manfred (who's either the sport's savior or Gozer the Destructor depending on who you ask) has shepherded through a series of rule changes for the impending season that are designed to shorten the length of games (that seems to be the big one) and increase the amount of non-homer action that takes place. These rules have been in force throughout spring training and have already produced some memorable moments.

Just to remind anyone who wasn't tuned in during the spring, let's go over what's changed.

RIP Defensive Overshifts

The increasingly common practice of placing three infielders on the same side of second base (often with one of them positioned well out into the outfield grass) has been essentially eliminated. SI's Tom Verducci breaks down a lot of shift data here, though you will find wildly conflicting opinions on the effectiveness of shifts if you look elsewhere on the internet. Personally I think they largely worked as intended, and I feel like this rule change is an arbitrary reaction to teams figuring out that one tenet of baseball orthodoxy didn't really hold up to scrutiny.

The change is now that two infielders must be on each side of second base and all four infielders have to have both feet on the infield dirt as the pitch is thrown. They can begin moving once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. You'll still see less extreme versions of the shift, but how much infielder movement you'll see as the ball is traveling to home plate remains to be seen.

As for how it affects the Braves specifically, Verducci singled out Matt Olson as one of the most likely benefactors of the shift dying, as his pull-heavy swing should see more of his groundballs and line drives find their way to the outfield. Batting averages will likely go up across the board, but again that's purely speculation. I still expect most teams to continue to prioritize the long ball.

The Pitch Clock

Far and away the rule that's received the most attention so far is the introduction of the pitch clock. The commissioner's stated goal of shortening game times is the driving force behind both this rule and the next one I'll come to (though the unspoken part of all rule changes in all sports meant to shorten game length is that commercial breaks will continue to be as long as they've ever been, perhaps even longer).

The gist of it is that the pitcher now has 15 seconds to make his next pitch if no one is on base, and 20 seconds with runners on. The clock will start once the pitcher receives the ball back from the catcher or the umpire. The ball doesn't have to have left his hand within the time limit, he just needs to have begun his pitching motion. If the clock runs out, the umpire calls a ball. Conversely, the batter has to be in the box and "ready to hit" when eight seconds are left on the clock. If he isn't, the umpire calls a strike. (It was actually a batter who ran afoul of the rule first in the spring.) The clock resets when the pitcher steps off or attempts a pickoff, but more on that momentarily. It also resets if the batter is granted timeout.

Most of the digital ink regarding the rule changes will be spilled over this one. I don't mind a more crisply-paced game, but I do worry about MLB's often performatively hard-nosed umpires not exercising any kind of discretion when enforcing this thing. And I know I'm not the only one.

Limited Pickoff Attempts

Strictly speaking, this new rule limits "disengagements", which include pickoff attempts as well as any other kind of stepping off the rubber by the pitcher (unless it's due to injury or a mound visit, which will continue to be governed by their own rules).

The key thing to know, though, is the pitcher can only step off/attempt a pickoff twice per plate appearance. He could try a third time, but it he doesn't actually pick the runner off, then all runners are awarded a base (essentially it's a balk). Note - this also includes any kind of defensive timeout, which aren't super common, but fielders are going to need to adjust their cleats or whatever before the pitcher toes the rubber going forward. Also this rule does not apply to pickoff attempts by catchers.

This rule is a hybrid of the two things Manfred wants to achieve, as it should help jumpstart the flagging base-stealing aspect of the game and it should cut down on game length. It will definitely cut down on the amount of loud booing you always hear when a visiting pitcher tries multiple lame pickoff attempts in a row. Strategically, it could impact the amount of times no-chance pick plays are called just to see if a batter will tip his hand regarding a bunt, though bunting itself has also sharply decreased in the current game. This rule also dovetails nicely into the next one.

Bigger Bases

While home plate will stay the same, the other bases will now be three inches longer on all sides, going from 15x15 to 18x18. This shaves 4.5 inches off the distance between the bases and is designed to encourage stealing. It could also potentially make it easier for both the runner and the player covering first to safely get their feet to the bag without stepping on each other. (Recall how a play like that ended Tim Hudson's season back in 2013.)

On the stealing side, this should generate more action, as aggressive runners like Ronald Acuña, Jr. should only be further emboldened to run. It also should force teams to value stronger throwing arms from their catchers, which is one of the things reflected in the Braves' acquisition of Sean Murphy. The real question is going to be if teams, many of whom have largely abandoned the running game due to its risk, will decide to give their players the green light more often now. The number-one sequence that will sicken many modern front-office types is the sequence where a player is thrown out on the bases immediately before a home run. The aversion to that scenario may still persist even with this rule change.

Position Players Pitching

Likely the least controversial move made is the one that limits the circumstances of when a position player can pitch. It can now only happen when a team is ahead by ten or more runs in the ninth inning or when a team is trailing by eight or more runs at any point. This is an increase from the previous six-run rule that was adopted in 2020, but largely waived due to Covid concerns.

Position players pitching used to be a humorous novelty, but the novelty quickly wore off when teams started going to the well to an almost ridiculous degree. Plus players were growing concerned about how it could affect their statistics, which often play so heavily in their business dealings with clubs.

Summary

These rule changes are significant enough, and many teams are data-driven enough, that it will likely be some time before we can really judge them. And, of course, what Manfred and the league are really after here is an increase in viewers. He was talking as recently as yesterday about how they would restore baseball to when it was most popular. On that I am certainly highly skeptical, and I certainly feel the new balanced schedule will be much more attractive to fans than these rule changes. There's a whole long tangent to go into about baseball's perceived ills, but that's for another time. For this time, enjoy the game, ever-changing as it is.

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