The major leagues this season are predicting upheaval. Introduce a ‘pitch clock’ that limits pitching time, and limit the number of runner checks. Defensive shifts that change the position of the fielder according to the batter are also prohibited. The goal of this rule revision is clear. It’s a ‘time saver’. It reflected the sense of crisis that the fans could not be tied down without reducing the game time. It is not an exaggeration to say that the major leagues have recently staked their lives on reducing time.
The players union expressed their opposition early on to the sudden rule change, but the major leagues did not care much. They put forward the cause that fans want change. We have also gathered evidence to prove this.
The major leagues tested the new rules in more than 8,000 minor league games last year before revising the rules. The results were satisfactory. When the pitch clock was introduced to minor league games last season, the game time was shortened by 25 minutes compared to the previous season. It was reduced from 3 hours 3 minutes to 2 hours 38 minutes. The average length of a Major League game last season was 3 hours and 4 minutes. You can expect a similar level of game time reduction to the minor leagues.
Fans also supported the introduction of the pitch clock. The more devoted the fan, the stronger the approval. Earlier this year, Major League Baseball conducted a survey of 15,000 Minor League fans asking whether they were in favor of Pitch Clock. 80% of those who watched more than 10 Minor League games last year agreed to introduce the pitch clock. 68% of those who did not even watch a game agreed. The higher the number of observations, the higher the approval rate. It is the result of overturning the prejudice that ‘long-time baseball fans hate change’. 바카라
Major League Baseball predicts that the confusion caused by the introduction of the pitch clock will be resolved in a short time. It is also the result obtained through the minor league experiment. In the first two weeks after introducing the pitch clock to minor league games last year, the combined pitching time violations for both teams were 1.73. In the third week, it decreased to 1.29 cases, and in the fourth week, it fell to 1.01 cases. In Week 24, there were less than one per game with both teams totaling 0.41.
ESPN, an American sports media outlet, said in a recent phone interview that Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred emphasized ‘fans’ intention’ as the top priority, saying, “There will not be a small amount of criticism at the beginning of the change, but once you get used to the change, there will be a lot more positive reactions.” said on the 14th (Korean time). Regarding concerns about adapting to rapid change, he said, “All major leaguers are excellent athletes. Most of the players have already experienced changes in the minor leagues,” ESPN said, showing confidence.