Manfred pledges quicker pace for baseball
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Commissioner Rob Manfred says proposed rules changes to speed baseball’s pace will be in place by the start of big league exhibition games on Feb. 23.
The commissioner has hoped for an agreement with the players’ association but has the right to implement last offseason’s proposal to install 20-second pitch clocks and institute stricter limits on mound visits.
MLB made a proposal to the union last month to abandon a pitch clock for this season as part of a three-year phase-in of new rules.
“There are going to be rule changes with respect to pace of play for the 2018 season. You’ll know about those rule changes before we start playing spring training games,” Manfred said Thursday at Tropicana Field. “It’s either going to be a specific agreement on specific rule changes or there are going to be rule changes that we put in place as a result of the provision in the basic agreement that allows to make that change.”
Under baseball’s labor contract, unilateral playing rules changes can be made with one offseason of advance notice. That means only the stricter rules could be put in place absent an agreement.
While MLB could decide to implement just a pitch clock or harsher mound visit limits and not both, severing part of the proposal could trigger a grievance by the union that would leave a decision to an arbitrator.
“I don’t see anything about those pace of play discussions that should be a labor relations negative over the long haul. I really don’t,” Manfred said. “We have gone out of our way to solicit player input. We’ve delayed taking any action. We’ve made clear from the very beginning that our strong preference was to have an agreement with the players.”
Discussions have not been helped by a slow free-agent market that’s angered the union.
Dozens of free agents, including star pitcher Jake Arrieta and sluggers J.D. Martinez, Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, remain unsigned as major league spring training camps opened this week in Florida and Arizona.
“It’s just a different market this year. It just seems to be crawling at a snail’s pace,” said Las Vegan and Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant.
Manfred defended management, insisting teams are merely reacting to the market.
The commissioner reiterated that he believes “major league-quality players are going to get signed.”
“There’s a difference between not having a job and having an offer for a job and not be prepared to accept that offer. There’s a lot of activity out there in the market,” Manfred said.