After being tested in the minor leagues for a few years, the pitch clock made its major-league debut this season.
At first, many were unsure about instituting a clock into the great game of baseball. However, the clock is ticking and many are coming around to the idea.
Former MLB pitcher and current San Francisco Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow explained why he thinks the pitch clock saved baseball on “The Bret Boone Podcast” this week.
“When I first heard about it I couldn’t wait. I couldn’t wait for it,” Krukow said (8:25 in player above). “Last year, the average game was three hours and six minutes. That was the average. We were seeing four-hour nine-inning games. The average now is two hours and thirty-six minutes. It’s faster than the ‘50s. It’s the fastest decade certainly in my lifetime. So I’m thrilled with it.”
Krukow recalled how he would need to step off the mound and take his time after certain pitches, which players did on both sides up until this year. But that’s changed in today’s game. And it’s changed for the better.
“You had guys up there waiting literally 20 seconds between getting in the box,” he said. “I don’t know how many times you can rewrap velcro or sit there and scratch your balls before getting in the batter's box, but they were doing it. And it was terrible.”
There was too much dead time in the game, Krukow opined, and the pitch clock has removed all of that.
“It was killing the game. You look back in the stands behind home plate and you’re looking at the top of people’s heads; they couldn’t stand to watch the game because it was boring the hell out of them,” he said.” I thought that the pitch clock really did save our game, and I’m thrilled with it.”
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