Pitch clock violation robs Braves of victory

Cal Conley of the Atlanta Braves thought he had just won the game, drawing a loaded walk. He took a few steps toward first base, bat still in hand, when umpire John Libka called the third strike.

The game is over. Conley couldn’t believe it. Neither did his companions. Fans booed what happened.

Welcome to 2023, the year when new rules designed to pick up the pace of baseball force everyone to learn their implications the hard way, especially for players.

The most dramatic moment of the new era on the pitcher’s clock came on the first full day of spring training, and in a game-breaking situation. Conley, facing Boston Red Sox reliever Robert Kwiatkowski, wasn’t ready in the batting box when time ran out at eight seconds.

This offense is called with an automatic strike, which tied the game in North Port, Fla., 6-6. So Kwiatkowski took credit for the strikeout after throwing just two actual strikes.

The consequences of the infraction were greater than those seen Friday, when San Diego Padres slugger Manny Machado became the first player penalized for exceeding the time required to enter the batting box.

The Dominican Machado was called with an automatic blow at the end of the first round against Seattle, without major consequences for the chessboard.

The pitch clock is part of the new rules designed to speed up the pace of the game. Players will have 30 seconds to pick up the action between each round.

And between a throw and another, throwers will have 15 seconds when there are no men on the lanes and 20 if there are. The thrower must begin their movement to throw the throw before time runs out.

After a pitch, time starts running again when the pitcher has recovered the ball, the catcher and batter are in the circle around home plate, and there are terms and conditions to resume activity.