Baseball Guru
06-27-2001, 03:20 AM
Pitchers Must Play Beat the Clock
by RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- Relief pitchers are playing a new game: Beat the clock.
In a move that could spark more John Rocker-like sprints to the mound from bullpens, baseball has instituted a two-minute limit on warmup tosses when relievers come in during an inning.
''Another reason why baseball is shooting itself in the foot,'' New York Yankees manager Joe Torre said Tuesday.
Pitchers are limited to eight warmup tosses at the start of an inning or when they relieve, with several exceptions: the first inning, if they replaced an injured pitcher and following a rain delay.
Starting June 18, umpires were told relievers had two minutes to get in their eight tosses when they relieved during an inning, with the clock starting when they stepped into fair territory.
At the start of an inning, the warmup limit is 1:40, unless the game is on national television, in which case they get two minutes.
''The umpires have been instructed to tell the pitcher he's got one more pitch at that moment,'' said Ralph Nelson, vice president of umpires in the commissioner's office. ''The umpires have been given the discretion that if that pitcher's had one or two warmup pitches at that time, to let him go longer.''
Torre was annoyed because the rule affected Yankees reliever Jay Witasick on Monday night. In his first appearance since New York acquired him from San Diego, Witasick relieved with a 6-2 lead in the sixth inning and let Cleveland tie the game, then got the win when pinch-hitter Tino Martinez homered.
Witasick, who reported to the Yankees shortly before gametime, got to the mound and was introduced to his new teammate by Derek Jeter. Torre spent some time talking to his new pitcher, and after three warmup tosses, plate umpire Derryl Cousins told Witasick, ''One more.''
''The catcher had never caught me before,'' Witasick said. ''We had things to discuss.''
Nelson said the move to rush relievers was made as part of baseball's renewed effort to speed games. Thus far, the average time of a nine-inning game is 2:55 this season, down just two minutes from last year.
''I can see why they would have something like that,'' Witasick said. ''On the flip side, I probably would have liked to have thrown more warmup pitches, especially for the first time on the field here.''
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by RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- Relief pitchers are playing a new game: Beat the clock.
In a move that could spark more John Rocker-like sprints to the mound from bullpens, baseball has instituted a two-minute limit on warmup tosses when relievers come in during an inning.
''Another reason why baseball is shooting itself in the foot,'' New York Yankees manager Joe Torre said Tuesday.
Pitchers are limited to eight warmup tosses at the start of an inning or when they relieve, with several exceptions: the first inning, if they replaced an injured pitcher and following a rain delay.
Starting June 18, umpires were told relievers had two minutes to get in their eight tosses when they relieved during an inning, with the clock starting when they stepped into fair territory.
At the start of an inning, the warmup limit is 1:40, unless the game is on national television, in which case they get two minutes.
''The umpires have been instructed to tell the pitcher he's got one more pitch at that moment,'' said Ralph Nelson, vice president of umpires in the commissioner's office. ''The umpires have been given the discretion that if that pitcher's had one or two warmup pitches at that time, to let him go longer.''
Torre was annoyed because the rule affected Yankees reliever Jay Witasick on Monday night. In his first appearance since New York acquired him from San Diego, Witasick relieved with a 6-2 lead in the sixth inning and let Cleveland tie the game, then got the win when pinch-hitter Tino Martinez homered.
Witasick, who reported to the Yankees shortly before gametime, got to the mound and was introduced to his new teammate by Derek Jeter. Torre spent some time talking to his new pitcher, and after three warmup tosses, plate umpire Derryl Cousins told Witasick, ''One more.''
''The catcher had never caught me before,'' Witasick said. ''We had things to discuss.''
Nelson said the move to rush relievers was made as part of baseball's renewed effort to speed games. Thus far, the average time of a nine-inning game is 2:55 this season, down just two minutes from last year.
''I can see why they would have something like that,'' Witasick said. ''On the flip side, I probably would have liked to have thrown more warmup pitches, especially for the first time on the field here.''
------------------
"Man may penetrate the outer reaches of the universe, he may solve the very secret of eternity itself, but for me, the ultimate human experience is to witness the flawless execution of a hit-and-run."
LETS GO METS!!!
HELP BE AN ADDICT AND CLICK ON AN AD!!