New MLB Rule Saves Time, but Some Say It's Boring

Pitchers no longer have to throw 4 pitches to intentionally walk batter
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 22, 2017 7:48 AM CST
MLB Just Figured Out How to Save 14.3 Seconds per Game
Atlanta Braves pitcher Joel De La Cruz delivers a pitch at the Braves baseball spring training facility on Tuesday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.   (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Those who complain baseball is too slow may be heartened to hear a quicker pace is on its way. Based on a Tuesday evening tweet from ESPN's Howard Bryant, Sports Illustrated reports that, starting with the 2017 season, MLB pitchers will no longer have to waste time lobbing four pitches at batters they plan to intentionally walk. Instead, teams can now simply signal the ump that a walk is in the works, and the runner can immediately saunter over to first.

This change could shave 14.3 seconds off of each game, per estimates by the Wall Street Journal. The Washington Post notes "not everyone is thrilled" with the change, including those who enjoy watching what happens when intentional-walk pitches go wild or batters go for them anyway. Others wonder if the time savings is worth the effort, with one commenter noting: "Is the automatic IBB really gonna fix pace of play?" (Start reading about baseball's "most interesting pitcher" with all that time you just gained.)

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