MLB fans react to memo clarifying pitch timer rules in regard to hitters: "So dumb to have all these rules" "Hitters were gaming the system"
MLB hitters have started taking advantage of the pitch timer rules, which the league has put a quick stop to. Rob Manfred sent out a memo to all teams clarifying the pitch timer rules in regard to hitters.
The memo states that any hitter attempting to gain an advantage with the pitch timer will be an automatic violation. It doesn't matter if the batter has one of both feet in the box. They must be ready to engage with the pitch before the eight-second mark.
Rules clarification alert: Memo to teams today re hitters inducing a quick pitch. The Kenley Jensen/Willson Contreras AB, among others, led to this. Hitters can’t mimic being ready. Story here: MLB memo warns hitters not to skirt timer rules espn.com/mlb/story/_/id…
This comes days after Kenley Jansen was given two violations in Boston's series with St. Louis. Willson Contreras duped Jansen into thinking he was ready, as Contreras had his bat up and looked at the pitcher. Howeever, he only had one foot in the box, leading to the quick-pitch violations.
People around the game believed this would happen when the announcement of a pitch timer became public. There are many instances where a batter has the advantage against a pitcher with the new rules.
"So dumb to have all these rules. Go back to the leisurely game we always loved," one fan tweeted.
So dumb to have all these rules. Go back to the leisurely game we always loved. #noclock twitter.com/jesserogersesp…
"This is good. Hitters were gaming the system," another fan tweeted.
@JesseRogersESPN @jcmccaffrey This is good. Hitters were gaming the system.
The Wilson Contreras Memo. twitter.com/JesseRogersESP…
Unsurprised by this twitter.com/JesseRogersESP…
MLB fans aren't surprised to hear the league is tweaking the pitch timer rules. The timer gave all the advantages to the hitters while rushing pitchers.
@JesseRogersESPN BS. As soon as someone finds success gaming the ridiculous system they ban that too. Let the players play.
@JesseRogersESPN This is garbage
@JesseRogersESPN So your saying pitchers can change there delivery and how and how fast and how slow they want to pitch but hitters can’t?
🤔 pitchers like Scherzer tried to manipulate the timer. Then hitters manipulated the timer. This will be fun ... twitter.com/JesseRogersESP…
This is all so stupid. twitter.com/jesserogersesp…
Other fans don't like the league changing the rules once again. Especially when pitchers like Max Scherzer have tried to find their way around the pitch timer rules.
MLB needs to get a handle on its rules
MLB needs to clarify its rules, and that needed to happen before the rules were set in place. Every sports league has to think about all of the possibilities that come from a rule before implementing it.
It would be a bad look for the league if the memos have to be sent out continually. Baseball fans would come unglued if this happens throughout the season and rule changes were made ahead of the postseason.
The league has to evaluate the possibility of anything else like this happening. They need the rules to be transparent and set in place so everyone understands them without confusion.
It will be interesting to see if any more rules get tweaked down the road. As Manfred said before the season started, the league is not handcuffed to any of the new rules as they are.