Pitch Clock Fever is running amok in the world of baseball. While MLB introduced the pitch clock to varying degrees of interest, college baseball took the headlines for their pitch clocks. Not for the greatest reasons, either.
LSU played Kansas State on Friday. The top-ranked Tigers held a 7-3 advantage in the final inning against the Wildcats. Just as the conclusion neared, the game abruptly finished. Why?
A pitch clock violation.
Oh my god… they just ended the game on a hitters clock expiration. Gtfoh 🙄 pic.twitter.com/8feDtvFCht
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) February 24, 2023
Video, provided by 11point7, showed Roberto Peña in the box. While Ty Floyd waited on the mound, the umpire then called the game entirely. The game finished on a pitch clock violation with one runner on and two strikes in the count.
Certainly, this is not the greatest way to end a game. For LSU fans? Sure. Kansas State fans? Definitely not. College baseball fans and baseball fans in general? Also definitely not.
Baseball fans sounded off about the ridiculous finish after it occurred.
“This doesn’t make the sport better,” one fan complained.
This doesn’t make the sport better. https://t.co/MKeIk4Hmee
— Daniel Chamberlain (@CoachChamboOK) February 24, 2023
USA Baseball’s Dylan Pfingst sounded off, calling the finish “Absolutely insane.”
This is insane. Absolutely insane. This isn’t baseball anymore. The beauty of it was no clock, and the slim but awesome possibility of a 4 run inning. That’s done now. https://t.co/VQPUpWWtd0
— Dylan Pfingst (@DPFINGST_17) February 24, 2023
A former Minor Leaguer chimed in to say that the pitch clock is “Already proving to ruin the spirit of the game.”
And it’s already proving to ruin the spirit of the game…👏👏👏 https://t.co/RESIV01Jnb
— 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙭 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙚 😎 (@SwagnShades) February 24, 2023
And one user expressed disgust with the finish.
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 https://t.co/fTyz3GO1ez
— A.J. Black (@AJBlack247) February 24, 2023
Safe to say, the pitch clock might make things a bit absurd for a bit. Baseball will be interesting to watch going forward, whether college or the pros, because of this new setup.
[11point7]
