Stop the clock! Tanaka no fan of pitch timer

TAMPA — Masahiro Tanaka does not like the idea, but was curious to get a look at it. Jonathan Loaisiga purposefully didn’t pay attention to it Sunday and J.A. Happ has said he plans to ignore it. MLB’s proposed pitch clock is not popular among Yankee pitchers.

“For me personally, I’m not in favor of the 20-second rule,” Tanaka said through his translator.

“That time lag between a pitch, you’re thinking about what to throw next, what the next pitch is going to be and I think the hitters are thinking about what’s coming. There’s that certain time that makes baseball fun.”

Tanaka was curious to see the clock in action Tuesday, but the Yankees’ game against the Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field was rained out.

Happ, who generally works quickly, said he will ignore it unless it becomes an issue and he is forced to deal with it. Loaisiga on Sunday just tuned it out and focused on the work he needed to do.

“That’s what I have told them to do,” Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. “I told them to do what they have to do and if it’s going to be an issue, we’ll work with it then.”

Rothschild said that it adds a lot of considerations for pitchers, catchers and coaches.

“You have to figure into it

how they get signs and a lot of other things,” Rothschild said. “I don't anticipate it being an issue, but we'll have to figure it out.”

MLB issued a statement Friday saying the timer will begin in three stages this spring, but “no decision has been made” whether they will use it in the regular season this year.

This week the timer will operate “without enforcement.” Next week, “umpires will issue reminders to pitchers and hitters who violate the rule, but no ball-strike penalties will be assessed. Between innings, umpires are expected to inform the club's field staff of any violations.”

Later in spring, “and depending on the status of the negotiations with the Major League Baseball Players Association,” umpires will be instructed to begin assessing ball-strike penalties for violations.

The rule is already in effect in the minor leagues. The rule requires the batter to be in the batter's box and alert to the pitcher with at least five seconds remaining on the timer. The pitcher has to begin his windup or in a set position before the 20-second timer expires.

The timer is not used on the first pitch of any at-bat. The timer begins when the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher on the second pitch of an at-bat.

SANCHEZ DEBUTING

Gary Sanchez will make his spring debut on Friday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. The catcher, who is coming off a difficult season, had offseason surgery to clean out his left shoulder. He has been eased into spring training.

Boone and the Yankees have seen a healthy Sanchez this spring, but it's hard to see a difference in batting practice.

Sanchez hit just .186 with a .406 slugging percentage with 18 homers and 94 strikeouts in 323 at-bats last season.

SABATHIA CLOSING IN

CC Sabathia got on a mound for some short work on Monday and is progressing towards his first full bullpen session on Friday. The 38-year-old lefty had an angioplasty to insert stents in his artery this winter, pushing back his normal offseason conditioning work.

While the Yankees haven't said that he will not break camp with the team, it seems likely he will stay behind for a week or so.