It will take some getting used to the new MLB rules, including the shot clock.
Saturday’s spring training game between the Boston Red Sox and the atlanta braves is the perfect example.
It was the situation that every kid who grows up playing baseball dreams of. Game tied at 6, bottom of the ninth inning, bases loaded and a 3-2 count. Atlanta infielder Cal Conley was at the plate, facing Boston relief pitcher Robert Kwiatkowski. Kwiatkowski started on the catcher’s signal from him and came ready to throw a critical pitch on a full count.
But then, this happened:
Conley was charged with an automatic strike for not being ready on time under the new shot clock rules, and the strike was called.
Under spring training rules, there is no additional baseball, so the game ended tied 6-6.
In new rules introduced for this MLB season, hitters must be in the batter’s box and “on alert” with at least eight seconds remaining on the shot clock. The shot clock is not visible at this angle, but under the new rules, the home plate umpire wears a chiming belt to keep the umpire informed of the time rules.
That buzzer must have gone off, because home plate umpire John Libka called an automatic strike and the game ended in a tie.
Not…exactly how kids dreamed that situation would play out when they played in the backyard growing up, but this is the new normal in MLB. Fortunately, everyone has spring training to adjust before this happens in the regular season.
