It took just two days of spring training games for confusion regarding MLB's new pitch clock to abound.
Braves shortstop Cal Conley was called out on strikes for not being set in the batter's box in time on Saturday against the Red Sox. The K ended the game as the teams agreed to a 6-6 tie after nine innings. Conley was digging in with the bases loaded, two out and a full count. Home plate umpire John Libka ruled he still wasn't alert to the pitcher with seven seconds left on the clock.
Conley wasn't the first batter to be called for an infraction this weekend. The Padres' Manny Machado was; he started down 0-1 in the count Friday against the Mariners' Robbie Ray when he wasn't ready in time. Other hitters were called for violations Saturday as well.
The calls highlighted the fact that the pitch clock will require adjustments from hitters as well as pitchers.
Although he didn't vehemently protest the call at the time, Conley did express confusion with the rule following the game.
"The umpire said I was looking down," he said, per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I was looking down at the catcher as he was standing up. Not really sure if the pitcher was ready to go, catcher definitely wasn’t."
Bottom of the ninth. Tie game. Bases loaded. Full count. The dream scenario. And ... Cal Conley didn't get set in the batter's box with 8 seconds left on the pitch clock.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 25, 2023
Umpire calls an automatic strike. At-bat over. Inning over. This is the new reality. pic.twitter.com/Bv5k2xJ06j
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Braves manager Brian Snitker said it's difficult for batters to maintain concentration with what might be going on behind them.
"You’ve got to forget about (what the catcher’s doing)," he said after the game, per The Athletic's David O'Brien. "You'd better be attentive to the pitcher like the rule says. And that’s distracting. That’s something, heck, we might try it. . . . I don’t think they were intentionally trying to do it, but it worked.”
Snitker also said that a call ending a game goes against the spirit of the rule.
"I don’t think this was intended for a game to end like that," he said, per O'Brien.
What are MLB's new pitch clock rules?
As it turns out, "pitch clock" is a bit of a misnomer. The timer also puts pressure on batters to be ready faster than before.
MLB is implementing a pitch clock in 2023 to speed up the pace of play. It first tested the rule for several years in the minor leagues. The time limits are:
- 15 seconds with no runners on base.
- 20 seconds with runners on.
- 30 seconds between batters.
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Batters have to be in the box and ready to hit with eight seconds left on the clock, meaning that when the clock hits seven, the batter can be called for an infraction. The penalty for batters not being ready is a called strike. Pitchers must begin their motion before the 15 or 20 seconds expire. A ball will be called if they violate the rule.
What is the catcher's role in the pitch clock rule?
Conley and Snitker's confusion stemmed from how the catcher factored into the call.
The batter must be "alert" to the pitcher within a certain amount of time, but the rule is less clear with regards to the catcher.
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According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, the catcher is required to be in the catcher's box with nine seconds left on the clock. However, the batter still must be independent of the catcher, who is not required to be crouched at that time.
Like anything else, there will be an adjustment period for MLB players with the pitch clock. Spring training is the time to make those adjustments.
