The new rules are generating mixed reactions from fans

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Marlins needed just 2 hours and 19 minutes to beat the Houston Astros 4-3 in a preseason game Monday. The game went by so quickly that lifelong Houston fan Ryan Murphy lingered in the stadium for a long time after its conclusion.

“I’m a baseball fan,” said Murphy, who wore gear for the 2022 World Series-winning Astros. “So I don’t mind if I stay here four or two hours.”

Amid criticism over its diminishing cultural significance and offering an outdated product compared to other major sports, Major League Baseball introduced a series of new rules to speed up its games and appeal to young fans.

Pads are now larger to improve player safety and encourage more aggressive base running. Launchers can only leave the launch pad twice per turn. And there’s a new pitch timer that gives players 30 seconds to resume play between each innings.

Pitchers have 15 seconds between pitches if there are no men on base and 20 seconds when there are.

Less than a week into preseason head-to-head playoffs, MLB appears to be getting the results it’s been looking for, slashing an average of 20 minutes in game length from the previous preseason.

“The game is more exciting,” Washington Nationals right-hander Patrick Corbin said. “Even heavy racing games last less than three hours.”

Fans have mixed reactions. Some, like Murphy, are indifferent to change.

“Honestly, it’s irrelevant to us,” said Murphy, who traveled from Utah to West Palm Beach for Houston’s spring training. “Players may think something different, but for us it’s the same.

“Honestly, how would I know the bases are bigger? I mean, I see a shot clock, but I don’t care.”

Some fans love the idea of ​​seeing an entire game in under three hours, which was the average length of nine-inning games in 2022. Others are nostalgic for what the game has always been like.

“I’m not a fan of the stopwatch,” said Mark Mezzatesta, who traveled to Florida from Queens in New York. “I feel like it rushes the game. I feel like it was good that way. Pitchers take their time. So do batters. Fifteen seconds with men on base and 20 with runners , it’s very short.”

Barbara Schiffman of Roseland, New Jersey agreed with some of the rules, but “they shouldn’t let a game end because of the shot clock.”

Schiffman was referring to the game between Atlanta and Boston that recently ended in a tie after Braves prospect Cal Conley was called an automatic strike for violating the shot clock rule.

Conley originally thought he won the game by being walked around with a load of goals. Instead, it was called a strikeout because the umpire indicated he was not ready in the batter’s box when the clock passed eight seconds. ___

Rick Hummel contributed to this report for the AP