After months of speculation over potential changes, MLB announced pace of play initiatives that are taking effect this season, namely limiting the number of non-pitching-change mound visits. Teams now are given six such trips, and one per each extra inning played.
“I think it’s good,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said with respect to limiting mound visits. “Obviously, the commissioner and Players Union got together and came to an agreement. It’s driven by pace of play and there was a calling out by fans.
“For us as an industry to listen, to make an adjustment, I think we can all adjust (to the new guidelines).”
Roberts was named to the MLB competition committee last May, and the group assisted commissioner Rob Manfred in evaluating means to improve pace of play and the overall on-field product.
In addition to regulating mound visits, the league also introduced modifications and improvements to the replay review process, and reduced the time between innings for local and nationally televised games, as well as those in the postseason.
The Dodgers and all other clubs will have the next five weeks to familiarize themselves with the changes, which presumably will come with an ironing-out process. “Putting it in place for Spring Training, I think is obviously imperative,” Roberts said.
“There’s a learning curve as far as the communication, the multiple signs, understanding the rule as far as position players leaving their position and it counting as a visit. The education has already started for us. Again, guys got to get signs, and whatever speeds the game up, we’re all in favor of.”
The average time of games slightly increased each of the last two seasons. It went from two hours and 56 minutes in 2015 to an even three hours in 2016, and three hours and five minutes in 2017.
