A look at the new MLB rules to speed up the game

Last spring training, baseball was dealing with the new instant replay rules and the catcher/runner collisions at home plate.

This spring training, baseball is emphasizing speed-up rules. The average time of game was 3 hours, 4 minutes last year. Major League Baseball would like to see that fall to 2:45. In the 1980s, the average time of game was 2:33.

A 20-second pitch clock that was set up in the Arizona Fall League, and will be used in Double-A and Triple-A leagues this season, is not part of the plan to speed up games - but, hey, that could happen.

The new commissioner, Rob Manfred, is intent on getting younger fans and more families to attend games. He believes that shorter games, without affecting the natural rhythms, will do that. And he's thinking that a quicker game is more in line with a faster-paced society.

Here's what going to change starting with Cactus and Grapefruit League games during spring training:

* Umpires will enforce Rule 6.02 (d) that requires batters to keep one foot in the box during an at-bat, subject to exceptions, such as swinging at a pitch or being forced out of the box for whatever reason.

* Timers will be used to make sure that games start on time after each half-inning break.

* Managers will no longer come out of the dugout to initiate a replay challenge. A manager will also keep his challenge after a call that is overturned. Last season, a challenge was retained only after the first overturned call.

Baseball doesn't expect the average pace of the game to improve immediately. It's more of a cultural change over the long term that baseball would like to have.

The biggest adjustment for the players will be to keep one foot in the batter's box. An umpire has the right to call an automatic strike if the batter doesn't follow the rule.

Players are constantly stepping out, taking a break, adjusting batting gloves, pounding their shoes with the bat, checking out signs and fixing their helmet. Those types of moves have become routine and are going to be difficult for players to change instantly. It's the same thing for pitchers, who seem to constantly step off the rubber to think between pitches.

Those types of habits have developed with players over time. Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said he seldom stepped out of the box. And Nolan Ryan, another Hall of Famer, doesn't relate to pitchers taking so much time.

Timers monitoring between-inning breaks are a good thing. They will enforce that an inning will start 2 minutes, 25 seconds after the final pitch of previous innings for a game on local TV and 2:40 for a game on national TV.

This rule will speed up games without fans even realizing that the pace is faster.

And managers not needing to come onto the field to challenge a replay will also be a time-saver. Instant replay worked great last year, but a manager standing out on the field talking to an umpire while a replay guy was trying to determine if a play should be challenged was ridiculous.

Another way to speed up the game: Enlarge the strike zone so that it is called according to the rulebook. There are too many strike zones established by umpires. At this point, baseball isn't thinking about messing with the strike zone.

It's important to distinguish time of game versus pace of the game. A 15-14 game that lasts 3:35 is probably fine. The 2-1 game with nine hits that lasts 3:45 is more troubling.

Remember Game 3 of the Orioles' American League Division Series against Detroit last season? The Orioles and Tigers took 2:04 to play to a scoreless tie through four innings.

The idea of a pitch clock on the right field fence is annoying. It is a drastic idea that would bring controversy.

Manfred doesn't want to use it, but you get the idea that he'll consider it if need be, especially if it works in the minor leagues this season as well as it did in the Arizona Fall League.

But the thought here is this: If the pace of game quickens this season, a pitch clock will not be necessary.

That's reason enough to like these new rules.