MLB Twitter in splits after Zack Greinke throws eephus pitch to avoid pitch clock violation : "Just like God intended"
Zack Greinke might have outsmarted technology in response to the new rules implied by MLB for this current season. With the new pitch clock almost winding down towards its mandatory 15 second timer, he threw a slow curve ball to avoid any penalty.
The new pitch clock rules state that pitchers will only have 15 seconds between their pitches if the bases are empty and 20 seconds if at least one runner is on base. Failure to pitch within the stipulated time will lead to the ball being awarded to the batting side.
Zack Greinke was on the mound, playing for the Kansas City Royals against the Cincinnati Reds. At the top of the first, Greinke felt hurried to pitch, so he threw the ball just in time to avoid any penalty from the umpires.
Zack Greinke was having issues with his PitchCom device and instead of taking a clock violation, he just throws a 47 MPH eephus pitch https://t.co/PGvP4WQdYV
Fans loved it right away as they felt Greinke had gotten the better of technology. It is hard to say whether the Royals' pitcher could have done that had it been at a crucial stage of any match with 3 balls down. Regardless, fans poured their reactions on Twitter, hailing Greinke for the incident.
Just as God intended twitter.com/anne__rogers/s…
he just like me fr twitter.com/anne__rogers/s…
THATS WHY HES THE GOAT!!!! twitter.com/talkinbaseball…
I love him - I couldn’t love him more twitter.com/anne__rogers/s…
@TalkinBaseball_ “There’s that slow curve” smart guy
@TalkinBaseball_ Never change
@TalkinBaseball_ Greinke cracks me up
More fans came up with quirky reactions to Greinke's pitch, which was a counter to the new rules that were put to trial in Spring Training.
@GetWetSports @TalkinBaseball_ He could have swung and missed…
@TalkinBaseball_ That would have been a strike for that suspended college ump
@TalkinBaseball_ knowing Greinke, I’m shocked it wasn’t a damn strike. The man is a myth
Zack Greinke's initial impression of PitchCom's calling technology
Last season, during Spring Training, Zack Greinke appreciated the PitchCom calling technology, a pitch-calling system designed to improve the pace of play and eliminate illegal sign-stealing.
By pressing and holding down a button, the catcher can go beyond signaling a pitch type and call the locations -- “fastball in,” or “curveball down and away.” Anyone who has a receiver in their cap can hear a generic voice say which pitch was called.
“Tried it, and I liked a lot of it,” Greinke had said. “We’re just going to practice some more. I think I’m going to use it when the season comes. I think it could speed [up] the game if used properly. Speed up pitch calling. Not positive on that, but that’s the hope.”
There has been talk about implementing the technology in a way that pitchers themselves could call a play from the mound. MLB has yet to make a decision on this, but looking at its effectiveness, it might soon be implemented in the upcoming regular season.