Mets great Keith Hernandez suggests adjusting the pitch clock to slow down the rapidly fast-moving game
MLB great Keith Hernandez joined Rich Eisen on The Rich Eisen Show to discuss a variety of topics, including New York's 2023 World Series title push, the money Steve Cohen has splurged this summer, and his impressions of the infamous pitch clock amongst other topics.
When quizzed by Rich about whether he liked the pitch clock, Keith immediately said yes, but suggested that it should be 20 seconds rather than the 15 seconds it is currently.
"I think it should be 20 seconds, every pitch, not down to what was it 15," Keith remarked.
Keith criticized the 15-second clock for rapidly increasing the pace of the game, and also for not giving any time at all to commentators working in the booth. You're often caught up in the middle of a story, and bam, before you know it, you've missed something really important simply because the game is just moving very fast, Keith conceded.
Keith and Rich, however, mutually agreed that baseball authorities should completely abolish the clock in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, giving the game a greater competitive edge without the constraint of time.
"Maybe, seventh, eight, and ninth inning, get ride of the clock. Get rid of the clock!" Keith said.
Keith Hernandez is an 11-time Gold Glove winner
Keith Hernandez plied his trade for 16 years in MLB, primarily with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets.
Keith was an outstanding contact hitter with a career average of .296 and a walk rate of 12.5%. His career-hitting productivity was 31% above the league average. Widely considered the best defensive first baseman of all time, Keith received 11 consecutive Gold Glove awards, the most by any first baseman in baseball history.
12/2/78
Keith Hernandez wins the first of his 11 straight Gold Glove Awards https://t.co/QWGKJnytO9
"12/2/78. Keith Hernandez wins the first of his 11 straight Gold Glove Awards" - J. Daniel, Twitter.
He was also a five-time All-Star and won two World Series titles, one each with the Cardinals and Mets. He’s also won two Silver Slugger Awards and earned the NL batting championship in 1979.