Neyer: Might pace-of-game changes help hitters?
From SABR member Rob Neyer at FoxSports.com on October 2, 2014:
Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced that “experimental pace of game initiatives will be game-tested during play at the Arizona Fall League.” Among the initiatives: the hitter must keep at least one foot in the batter’s box; intentional walks can be called automatically from the dugout, no pitches necessary; and the time limits for breaks between half-innings and during pitching changes will be strictly enforced.
All perfectly reasonable ideas, although we’ll certainly miss the (very) occasional wild pitches in the course of intentional walks. And we’ll see if what works in the Arizona Fall League is acceptable to the television networks and the players’ union.
But that’s not why I’m writing. I’m writing because of these initiatives.
Read the full article here: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/mlb-pace-game-faster-rules-changes-strikeout-scourge-100114
Originally published: October 2, 2014. Last Updated: October 2, 2014.