New pitch clock rules could have noticeable impact on college baseball

OXFORD | Mike Bianco started an answer about the new Southeastern Conference 10-run rule that will be in effect during the regular season before shifting his thought process and discussing the change that’s more on his mind.

There’s been a pitch clock in college baseball for several years, but the adjustment to the rules for 2023 will make the game look different — especially with a runner or runners on base.

“The way they are going to manage it is going to be different for the fan, and that’s going to be the bigger topic (than the run rule),” Bianco said. “You guys are missing the boat on it. The clock is going to run, and there will be balls called.”

In past years, the 20-second clock was only implemented with no one on base, and it was incredibly rare for the umpire to give a warning or ball penalty when the pitcher or hitter delayed the action. Bianco thinks it sped up the game a little bit but only from the standpoint people were aware of the clock versus the forcing of the rule.

This adjustment puts the 20-second clock in play for every pitch regardless of whether runners are on base or not. There will be no warnings, and a ball will be added to the count every time the clock expires before the pitcher begins his delivery.

Pitchers can step off once per batter and reset the clock. Any subsequent step off without a pickoff attempt won’t stop the clock. There’s no limit to the amount of pickoff attempts a pitcher can throw over.

Hunter Elliott walked a hitter during an Ole Miss intrasquad last week because the clock expired with a three-ball count.

“The problem will happen the most with a runner at second base and multiple signs and the pitcher is looking in for all of it, and the catcher is directing traffic,” Bianco said. “You step off and the clock resets, but then the pitcher thinks the runner is stealing so he does an inside move but doesn’t throw the ball. The clock runs out, and it’s a ball.”

The clock is visible in the outfield wall at Swayze Field, and another clock will eventually be placed somewhere behind home plate. The clock will begin as the pitcher gets to the mound with the ball or the ball reaches him on the mound.

That part is somewhat subjective since a pitcher could get the ball near home plate or be out of position from backing up a base. The goal is fairness with each pre-pitch sequence.

Major League Baseball is also implementing a pitch clock this season with 15 seconds between pitches without a runner on base and 20 seconds with runners on base. MLB is also limiting pick-attempts and step-offs to two per plate appearance. A balk will be called after that if a runner hasn’t advanced a base.

Minor League Baseball used a 14-second and 18-second pitch clock last season and it trimmed 20 minutes off the average game time through 132 games of pitch-clock use compared to the 335 games prior to that without a pitch clock. The average Minor League game with the 14-second and 18-second pitch clock during that sample was 2 hours, 39 minutes.

Bianco is working with pitchers to not rush or become hyper aware of the clock while still noting internally how long it takes to go through the routine. Throw-overs are the pitcher’s friend with a runner on base since those are unlimited.

In college baseball, the hitter has to be in position with five seconds remaining on the clock or a strike will be called if the clock expires. In Major League baseball, the hitter has to be ready with eight seconds remaining.

The clock pauses if the hitter is granted time with more than five seconds on the clock. The rule book specifies offensive time should only be granted for “legitimate reasons” and not to delay the game.

“It’s going to be like the shot clock in basketball or a play clock in football,” Bianco said. “It was always supposed to be like that, and we’re still working out should the pitcher be cognizant of it or should they not? We’re teaching them to be cognizant of how much time it takes so if you’re close, you look at the clock and know I need to throw to first or step off and reset. If you don’t throw it, it’s a ball.”