Baseball to experiment with pace of play ideas

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Major League Baseball has announced plans to speed up the pace of play and will experiment with those ideas during the 2014 Arizona Fall League.

Some of the concepts developed by a Pace of Game Committee include no-pitch intentional walks, a 20-second limit to throw a pitch, and time limits on inning breaks and pitcher changes. There will also be a limit on the number of timeouts a team can call in the field for conferences.

"Our committee members have many practical ideas about how we can improve our pace of game," said Atlanta Braves president John Schuerholz, the chairman of the committee. "The Arizona Fall League will be a terrific platform during which we can experiment with these ideas and take away some lessons in the hope of streamlining the pace of play."

If a team decides to intentionally walk a batter, the manager will signal to the home plate umpire with four fingers and the batter will automatically move to first base.

With the 20-second rule for pitchers to throw a pitch, a clock will be placed in both dugouts, behind home plate and in the outfield. It will be operated by someone other than the umpiring crew.

The batter must be prepared for the pitch during the 20-second period, but can still ask the umpire for time. If the batter is not granted time and steps out of the box, the pitcher can throw the pitch and the umpire can call a strike.

Current rules call for a 12-second allowance for each pitch, but only when the bases are unoccupied. The 20-second clock would start once the pitcher is in possession of the ball. However, it would take effect on the first pitch to a batter once the batter steps into the box. If a pitcher is involved in a play, including backing up bases, the clock would begin once he is in possession of the ball on the dirt portion of the pitcher's mound.

The clock would stop once the pitcher begins his motion to deliver the ball, not when it is released. Beginning the motion to come to a set position would also stop the clock. If the pitcher does not begin his motion within the 20 seconds, the umpire will call a ball.

Time between innings will be a maximum of 2 minutes and 5 seconds, with hitters to be in the batter's box at the 1:45 mark. Pitching changes will take a maximum of 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The clock will start once the new pitcher enters the playing field, either crossing the warning track or foul line.

The timeout rule will allow teams to have only three conferences per game, extra innings included. Such conferences will include player meetings with the pitcher, including the catcher, manager or coach conferences with the pitcher, as well as coach conferences with a batter.

Pitching changes and injuries would not count toward the limit.

One other idea is for the batter to keep at least one foot in the box throughout his at-bat. Exceptions would include a foul ball, a pitch that forces the batter out of the box, a wild pitch or passed ball and time granted by the umpire

The Arizona Fall League is a developmental platform run by Major League Baseball.