Well, give new MLB commissioner
Rob Manfred credit—
he's no slouch! Baseball announced three new rules today—two dealing with 'pace-of-play' timing issues and one having to do with second-base sliding. The most intriguing new rule is the implementation of a
30-second clock on mound visits by managers and coaches.
Hallelujah! Also, the
between-innings allotment of time for broadcasters (read: commercials) has been reduced. Hallelujah again! Lastly, the much-talked-about
new second-base sliding guidelines will—essentially—re-emphasize rules
already on the books. Most see this as an effort to take discretion
away from umpires on these plays. Basically, the new "guidelines" state that runners must:
a.) slide prior to reaching the base; b.)
slide so that he is able to reach or touch the base; c.)
slide so that he is able to attempt to stay on the base; and 4.)
not to change his pathway to the base. We'll see how this actually plays out during the season.
