MLB, players' union trying to find compromise on pitch clock
Major League Baseball will consider the opinion of its players before implementing a pitch clock, according to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Representatives from each side met in August to try and come together on a joint solution for introducing a pitch clock to the majors.
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According to Rosenthal’s report, that meeting was a brainstorming session. It was a chance for the players to make suggestions on how they would prefer the pitch clock be utilized, and express their concerns.
Some solid points were raised:
Must the clock be 20 seconds between every pitch, as proposed by the commissioner’s office last offseason? Could it be turned off with men on base, when both the hitter and pitcher might require more time?
Commissioner Rob Manfred said the meeting was “very positive.” Player representative Brad Ziegler agreed with that assessment.
As Rosenthal notes, this represents progress between the two sides. That wasn’t the case a few months ago, when Manfred suggested he would charge ahead with rule changes even if the Players Association was against them.
Everyone agrees a pitch clock is coming, probably soon. Manfred has already implemented it throughout the minors, and has really stressed pace of play since taking over as the league’s commissioner. Other issues were discussed during the meeting, as Rosenthal outlines in his piece, though the pitch clock is the one that seems the most pressing.
Getting the players to offer meaningful critiques and provide input seems like a solid idea. It’s up to Manfred to decide the best ways to utilize their comments and concerns.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
