Watching spring ball and the 1st couple of days of the regular season I really like the current rule changes. I'm sure there will be unintended and intended consequences of the changes. Big fan of speeding up the game, eliminating the shift and the new schedule look. Was wondering how others feel about it all.
- Pitch timer. To create a quicker pace with less dead time, there is now a 30-second timer between batters and then a shorter time limit between pitches. After receiving the ball, pitchers must begin their motion within 15 seconds with the bases empty or 20 seconds with runners on base, or else be charged with an automatic ball.
- Defensive shift restrictions. To increase the batting average on balls in play (BABIP) and allow infielders to showcase their athleticism with great defensive plays, infielders must be positioned in a more traditional alignment. The defensive team must have a minimum of four players on the infield, with at least two infielders completely on either side of second base.
- Bigger bases. First, second and third have been expanded from 15 inches on each side to 18 inches on each side, while home plate remains unchanged. The primary goal here is safety, giving fielders and runners more room to operate without colliding.
- A more balanced schedule. No longer are teams’ schedules so severely skewed toward division opponents. For the first time in MLB history, every team will have at least one series against every other team.
- Faster replay reviews. Faster play will come with faster replay. In conjunction with the arrival of the pitch timer, managers will have a shorter window of time to request replay reviews. They must hold their hands up immediately after a play to signal to the umpires that they are considering a challenge.
- Position player pitching limits. MLB tweaked the rules related to position players pitching to make them more restrictive. Previously, a position player could appear as a pitcher only in extra innings or if his team was trailing or winning by at least six runs. Now, a position player can only enter as a pitcher if at least one of the following criteria is met:
- Game is in extra innings
- Team is trailing by at least eight runs at any point
- Team is winning by at least 10 runs in the ninth inning
