Days and tweaks: MLB alters rules ahead of openers

Major League Baseball, after listening to input from players and managers, made several adjustments to their new rules that will go into effect this season, but the pitch clock remains the same, according to a memo sent to clubs Wednesday morning that was obtained by USA Today Sports.

The clarifications were made largely to prevent clubs from circumventing rules on instant replays involving the shift, fake PitchCom malfunctions, providing hitters time to collect themselves after being knocked down or taking a particularly large cut, and reducing an advantage pitchers could have after a batter timeout.

It will be the final modifications made before Opening Day, vice president Mike Hill told general managers in the memo.

Certainly, MLB is encouraged by players adapting to the changes this spring. Rule violations have dropped from 2.03 per game in the first week of spring training to 1.03 per game this past week. Game times have plummeted, going from 3:01 to 2:26, although last spring was different considering players had just three weeks of spring training because of the lockout.

Now, after a month of spring-training games and Opening Day one week away, MLB wanted to make sure there were no loopholes.

MLB officials, worried that teams could try to circumvent the new rules by creating more time for their pitchers, now are preventing managers from needlessly holding up play. They can challenge an illegal shift only if the play directly involves the player fielding the ball.

MLB also is cracking down on pitchers who may deliberately forget their PitchCom device on the bench to start an inning. Time will be called if the device malfunctions, but if the pitcher simply comes to the mound without the device, there will be no extra time allotted.

The biggest clarification involves the hitter. The field timer now will delay starting the clock if a hitter is not only knocked down by a pitch, but also if he takes an aggressive swing, causing him to fall down or lose his helmet.

Hitters now will be able to determine when to start the clock if he uses one of his allotted timeouts. Instead of the timer automatically resetting at 15 or 20 seconds, permitting the pitcher to hold the ball as long as he chooses, the hitters can decide when the clock starts.

Pitchers will continue to get extra time to return to their position if they back up home, first or third base, with the timer not starting until he reaches the infield grass.

The catcher also will receive additional time if an inning ends when he’s on base, at bat, or in the on-deck circle, but the new element provides the catcher to have one warmup throw to second before the clock starts.