In an effort to speed up the game and limit the time between pitches during games, Major League Baseball is rolling out a new pitch clock this year that will force a pitch to be thrown within 15 seconds with no runners on base and 20 seconds with runners on base.
The move was designed to improve the flow of games and lead to shorter contests. And through just a few spring training games, it appears to have worked.
As New York Mets reporter Steve Gelbs pointed out on Twitter, all three of the New York Mets’ spring training games this year have been under three hours, with the times lasting two hours and 33 minutes, two hours and 34 minutes, and two hours and 28 minutes.
Time of game for the Mets first three spring training games:
2:33
2:34
2:28— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) February 26, 2023
Obviously, these games are much shorter than we’re used to and it’s very clear that the game times are significantly impacted by the league’s new pitch clock. And as a result, the Major League Baseball world had plenty to say about it all on Twitter.
Two and half hour games were the norm in the 50s, 60s, 70s. The length is a newer phenomenon. When were the legends / household names of baseball playing? When was it America’s most popular sport? Getting back to that pacing is good. Even if the clock is a clunky way to do it.
— Michael Carew (@gipper913) February 26, 2023
I want games to be no longer than 3:00 but also no shorter than 3:00 https://t.co/u4dCJtypom
— Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) February 27, 2023
The joy of St. Lucie Mets baseball now the same with clock https://t.co/GXRmJTisXP
— Ernest Dove (@ernestdove) February 26, 2023
This is a fantastic start if true for baseball ⚾️ @dgravy32 @drosssports https://t.co/kc9kYS1xd5
— Tim Doyle (@TimDoyle00) February 26, 2023
This is glorious. https://t.co/GB61lBwDjz
— Chris Klemmer (@ChrisKlemmer) February 26, 2023
Whether or not this change is good for baseball is certainly up for debate, but it’s quite clear that the new pitch clock is doing what it was designed to do.
