{"id":2194,"date":"2023-02-15T19:18:18","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T03:18:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=2194"},"modified":"2023-02-15T19:18:18","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T03:18:18","slug":"mlb-rule-changes-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2023\/02\/15\/mlb-rule-changes-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB Demos Rule Changes for Spring Training"},"content":{"rendered":"

2023 Rule Changes Demonstrated and Explained by MLB Representatives<\/h2>\n

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, Feb 14 \u2014 Officials from Major League Baseball demonstrated Tuesday the three major rule changes going into effect when spring training games begin February 24 \u2014 larger bases, no shift, and the pitch clock.<\/p>\n

In a media briefing prior to the on-field demonstration, Morgan Sword, the Executive Vice President of Operations, said the rule changes are \u201cprobably the biggest change that\u2019s been made in baseball in most of our lifetimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what are the changes? Why did the league feel the need to implement them? Where did they get the ideas in the first place? How did the changes come about? Were the rules tested? Sword and Chief Operations\/Strategy Officer Chris Marinak briefed the media on all this immediately prior to the on-field demonstration.<\/p>\n

Current State of the Game and Desire to Improve<\/h3>\n
\"SCOTTSDALE,<\/a>
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Feb 14) \u2014 Major League Baseball Executive Vice President of Operations Morgan Sword explains the 2023 rule changes to members of the media in the Colorado Rockies training facility at Salt River Fields.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marinak opened with a report on some positives for the league. The final weekend of 2022 was the highest attended final weekend of the regular season since 2015. Furthermore, September, 2022 saw the highest September attendance since 2014. Marinak said the most likely reason for these numbers was the addition of the third wild card team in each league. Wild Card Round viewership ratings were up 73%, and every round afterward (combined) saw a 10% increase in viewership. Streaming subscriptions were up 13%, and there were roughly a record 11 billion total minutes watched through streaming.<\/p>\n

The league feels it is in a good place, but still wants to improve. They have polled self-described baseball fans on what the ideal game time is. The poll results came in at around 2:30. In 2021, the average major league game time was 3:11. In 2022, it was 3:07. When asked which plays fans want to see more of, the top four responses were stolen base attempts, triples, doubles, and great defensive plays. The top four responses for what fans want to see less of were walks, mound visits, pitching changes, and pickoff attempts.<\/p>\n

Creating the Rule Changes<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Feb 14) \u2014 A front-to-back size comparison of the 15-inch bases, used through 2022, and the 18-inch bases entering use in 2023. (Photo by Evan Thompson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A brainstorming group took these results, and sat down \u201cwith a blank sheet of paper\u201d to figure out the best way to incorporate the fan poll responses. After hundreds of hours, this group came up with a pitch timer, shift restrictions, and bigger bases. According to Sword, these ideas were tested in over 8,000 minor league games before being presented to the competition committee, who voted in late 2022 to implement these rules beginning in 2023.<\/p>\n

Bigger bases were implemented mainly to reduce the probability of collisions, especially at first base. But there is an offshoot effect that could lead to more of the plays the poll respondents mentioned. While the distance between bases will still be 90 feet, that 90 feet is measured from the back point of home plate down the foul lines to the back edges of first and third base. With 15-inch bases, that means the distance between the back corner of home plate and the front edge of first base is 88 feet, 9 inches. With 18-inch bases, that distance becomes 88 feet, 6 inches.<\/p>\n

The measuring point for second base, however, is the middle of the base. So bringing the edge of second 1.5 inches closer to first\/third base and the edge of first\/third three inches closer to second will have a net effect of the bases being 4.5 inches closer together \u2014 something that could make for closer plays on steal attempts.<\/p>\n

No Shift<\/h3>\n

For months it\u2019s been known that the league is banning the shift starting in 2023. This means that all four infielders must have both feet \u201cwithin the outer boundary of the infield.\u201d Two infielders must be positioned on either side of second base when the pitch is released. Teams are, however, permitted to bring in an outfielder to act as a fifth infielder.<\/p>\n

There is a third provision, one that came because it became known that teams would try it. In the words of the slide show, \u201cIn a given inning, infielders may not switch sides \u2014 e.g. placing the best defender on the side the batter is more likely to hit the ball) or move to the outfield unless there is a substitution.\u201d<\/p>\n

To aid in enforcement of the outer boundary provision, all fields must have the infield boundary set at a 95-foot arc from the front center of the pitching rubber. The \u201ceither side of second base\u201d provision means, specifically, that both feet must be \u201cclear of the perimeter\u201d of second base. Teams may not try to circumvent the spirit of this rule by having an infielder running toward the opposite side of second as the pitch is released \u2014 akin to a receiver going in motion at the snap in football \u2014 or by having an infielder sprinting back towards the outfield as the pitch is released.<\/p>\n

Pitch Clock<\/h3>\n
\"A<\/a>
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz (Feb 14) \u2014 A view of the pitch clocks behind center field at Salt River Fields, spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. (Photo by Evan Thompson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The biggest change of all will be the implementation of the pitch clock. Sword showed the media a table illustrating its’ effects across the minors. Total runs per game mostly held steady, increasing from 5.11 to 5.13. Batting average went up by two points, from .247 to .249. Home run percentage dipped slightly from 2.8% to 2.7%, and hit-by-pitch percentage stayed the same, being 1.6% both seasons. But the two biggest changes came in game time, and in the combined strikeout and walk percentage. Average game time for a nine-inning game dropped by 25 minutes, from 3:03 to 2:38. In 2021, strikeout percentage was 25.4% and walk percentage was 10.2%, a combined total of 35.6% of all plate appearances. That dropped to 34.9% of all plate appearances in 2022, with a 24.4% strikeout rate and 10.5% walk rate.<\/p>\n

The pitch clocks will be positioned on either side of center field in addition to the already-existing timer sitting on the mezzanine level of center field in every ballpark. Two more will be on either side of home plate at the field level. Every clock will be out of view of the broadcast cameras. The broadcasts will receive a data feed from the clock, and will display the data feed on screen.<\/p>\n

The Rules<\/h4>\n

There was already a time limit between half-innings and on pitching changes. For 2023, the limits will be 2:15 for most games, 2:40 for a national broadcast, and 3:10 for a postseason game. Between batters, the limit will be 30 seconds. For the actual pitch clock, the limit will be 15 seconds with the bases empty and 20 seconds with one or more runners on base.<\/p>\n