SLOPPY PROS
Eiland: Limits will create messy game
PORT ST. LUCIE — The new rules imposed to speed up the game could create as many problems as they solve from Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland’s perspective.
Limiting trips to the mound by the manager or pitching coach isn’t as much Eiland’s beef as the number of interactions between the pitcher and his teammates.
Under the new rules only six mound visits will be permitted (excluding pitching changes). Trips to the mound by a catcher, infielder, pitching coach and manager are all weighted equally.
“I am not worried about pitching coach mound visits,” Eiland said Tuesday. “I am not too concerned about that because if I am going out there six times we are in bad shape that night. It’s more the catcher.”
With high-tech video making it easier than ever to steal signs, Eiland said most teams have multiple sets of signals. But if a catcher can’t communicate directly with the pitcher it could lead to confusion over which sets of signs are in use.
And even with umpires having the discretion to let catchers work out signals with the pitchers if the six visits have been used, there could be issues that arise, negating the time savings.
“The catcher gets crossed up, what happens if the umpire gets hit, he’s going to have to shake it off,” Eiland said. “Passed balls — sloppier game. That takes away from being Major League Baseball.”
Eiland also mentioned bunt plays, before which the third baseman often walks to the mound to discuss strategy.
With a runner on second base, Eiland said it wouldn’t be unusual to change signs in the middle of a count. Such a tactic will likely become less common with the new rules.
“We are going to have to do a better job of changing signs within the inning and without being able to verbalize it,” Eiland said. “But it is going to get sloppy.”