Our hyperdrive, instant gratification, attention span of a flea culture has recently become more so: there is now a clock in a baseball game. Up until the start of the current season, there were no time limits in baseball, the only major sport without a clock. Since its inception in the mid 1800’s a baseball game unfolded at a leisurely pace. The pitcher took as much time as he needed to throw a pitch, the batter stepped out of the batter’s box whenever he felt like it. A game could last two hours or four hours or… as Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra once famously stated; “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.” Outside of minor tweeks to the rules, baseball has remained basically unchanged. However, our culture has done nothing but change. We’re living in the age of smartphones and Google and “Hey Siri”, everyday life unfolds at a dizzying pace. The popularity of the NBA and NFL have grown dramatically as these sports have become faster paced with more action and scoring, reflecting the times we live in. In contrast baseball, where a game could theoretically go on indefinitely, has become increasingly out of step with the times. Attendance and television viewing were both down. Baseball wasn’t attracting the younger crowd. “Gotta speed up the game, keep pace with the times,” they said. Hence the pitch clock.

In order to speed up the game a pitcher now has :15 to throw a pitch, :20 if there’s a man on base. If he fails to do so, an automatic ball is called. A batter is allowed one time out per at bat. If he exceeds that or is not ready when the pitcher throws the ball, an automatic strike is called. The pitcher is allowed to throw over to a base three times while a runner is on. If he fails to pick the runner off on the third attempt, a balk is called and the runner advances one base. So far the effects of the pitch clock have been dramatic. The length of an average game has been cut by over 20 minutes. The overall pace has increased, the game moves along. I’ve been to a couple of games so far this season and watched many on tv. Gone are the endless throws over to first base, the constant dance of pitcher and batter as they take turns stepping in and out of the batter’s box and pitching rubber. I was quite skeptical at first but I must admit I’m enjoying the way the games now move along. However, a big change like this comes with a cost. Something has been lost here.

In everyday life we are always concerned about time. Am I late? Early? Gotta get there, can’t waste time. We’ve become a society of clock watchers. A baseball game was one place where time had no importance, one place where I didn’t have to watch the seconds tick away. While at a game I had all the time in the world because there was no time! Thankfully, there’s as yet no clock on the time of the game as a whole but with the pitch clock, games are now shorter, their length more predictable, it almost feels like the games are timed. My main issue here is, like it not, I now have to be aware of the time at a baseball game. Yes, things move along quicker, but a game now feels rushed. Prior to the pitch clock, nothing felt hurried about a baseball game, it unfolded at its own leisurely pace. While at a game, I’d just relax, it would be over “when it was over.” Now there’s a time restraint in a game that has never had one. But we’ve gotta get the game in, spend less time at the ballpark, get out of there quicker so we can do….what?