(Milwaukee) The dial to time each pitch can annoy hitters when they come to bat, but they appreciate it so much more after they grab the mitt and jump downfield on defense.
It is true that the rule change adopted this season to speed up the progress of a game caused a lot of ink to run, especially with regard to the impact on the performance of batsmen and pitchers, but some players, as well as managers, believe that this innovation has contributed for improving defensive play.
The dial in particular – an idea developed to keep fans focused on the game – would play an important role for defensive players.
“I think it helps defensive play a lot because it eliminates the pauses where you’re trying to have fun,” said Seattle Mariners second baseman Kolten Wong, a two-time Gold Glove winner. You don’t dust your uniform, you move and move and move constantly. I love this new rule. »
The dial adopted this season — along with regulations to limit special saves and other similar measures — gives the pitcher 15 seconds between pitches if there are no runners on the trails, and 20 seconds if there are.
The course of a match has obviously accelerated. The average length of matches reached two hours and 40 minutes, similar to that observed in 1984. Matches averaged at least three hours each season from 2012 to 2022.
This change was expected. But some players, as well as several managers, admitted to being pleasantly surprised by the dial’s impact on defensive play.
Milwaukee Brewers coach Craig Counsell, when asked earlier this season about outfielder Christian Yelich’s improved defensive play, made no bones about the fact that he considers the field clock to be a crucial factor at this level. After finding himself in the top 10 worst left fielders in the Under-5 “Outs Above Average” (OAA), Yelich is now third with 3 OAA, according to Baseball Savant.
“I didn’t pay attention to that, but I think it’s easier to play defense now that the pace of the game is under control,” Counsell said. Good for defensive players. I think hitters are still reluctant, to be honest with you. And pitchers hate that. But I think it’s good for defensive players. »
Counsell said the long pauses between pitches in previous seasons sometimes made it difficult for players to stay focused on the game.
“It’s still their job, but (the slow pace) made it very difficult, especially for the outfielders,” Counsell said.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker says it also affected the players’ inside play.
“When you’re there for 15 or 20 minutes and all of a sudden a ground ball is coming your way, I know it’s been a challenge in the past on the long runs to stay focused on the game,” he said.
It is difficult to prove or disprove these theories on the basis of numbers. Major League defensive game success rate was 98.6% on Tuesday, the highest in Major League Baseball history, but that may not be the most reliable statistic.
This rate has been continuously increasing over the decades, namely due to the improvement of playing conditions on the field and equipment, having reached 98.5% last year. This statistic is also based on the subjective decisions of the official scorers, and does not take into account the movements made by the defensive players.
It is also very difficult to spot trends in advanced defense stats as the number of special inside defenses was capped between the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Which means you should trust your intuition to determine the evolution of the situation.
