SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017 SPORTS Pitch clock, limits on mound visits looming for MLB in 2018 NEW YORK: Count CC Sabathia as a fan can get on the same page without hav- the Dodgers, thinks the mound confer- lowed by Kansas City’s Jason Hammel League fell from 2:58 in 2014 to 2:45, who wants to speed up baseball games. ing to take the mound visit. So I like that ences can be vital. “In some games, the and Philadelphia’s Jeremy Hellickson at then rose to 2:48 and 2:53. When the six-time All-Star tunes in at side of it, of both people will have to put catcher doesn’t even go out there. But 26.5 each. Part of the rise may be attributable to home, he quickly changes the channel. their homework in as opposed to one when it’s needed, sometimes you’re out Kansas City’s Jason Vargas is the best an increased number of pitches - and “It’s slow. It’s boring,” the New York kind of walking the other one through there twice in a situation because it’s at 19.8 seconds, with Michael Wacha pitchers. In the major leagues, teams Yankees pitcher said. “Man, it’s so hard the game.” going to help the execution and the (20.0) and Carlos Martinez (20.2) of St. have added hard-throwing relievers and to watch if you have no interest in it.” The 20-second clock is now in its decision-making process that a pitch- Louis just behind. “If you talk about like subtracted bench players. Teams com- The average time of a nine-inning third season in the high minors. It would er/catcher go through,” he said, “I don’t 20 seconds to release the ball or some- bined to use 8.30 pitchers per game last game this season is a record 3 hours, 5 reset when a pitcher steps off under think anyone abuses it. ... If you have to thing, I don’t like that,” Cobb said. year, up from 7.26 in 2002. This year’s minutes - up from an even 3 hours last MLB’s proposal last offseason, but now go out there and change your signs in a “There’s so much that goes on, thinking average is 8.21 - and it climbs during the year and 2:56 in 2015. Management pro- the league is considering asking that it key situation, you should be able to do as a pitcher. It takes time to weigh your second half, especially after active ros- posed three changes last offseason the merely stop and resume. If a pitch isn’t that.” San Francisco’s Buster Posey, a five- options.” Countdown clocks were ters expand from 25 to 40 on Sept. 1. union didn’t accept, and MLB has the thrown within 20 seconds, a ball would time All-Star who starts at catcher for installed in big league stadiums after Sabathia remembered how frustrat- right to start them next year without be called. If the hitter isn’t in the batter’s the NL on Tuesday in Miami, said his Rob Manfred became commissioner in ed he got when he switched to a Red player approval: restricting catchers to box with 5 seconds remaining, a strike mound trips depend on the individual. 2015, ticking down 2:25 between Sox game on television this year. “I was one trip to the mound per pitcher each would be called. “There might be more later in the game innings (2:45 for nationally televised watching between a commercial break inning, employing a 20-second pitch Catchers head to the mound for a where you’re in a crucial spot of maybe games). Hitters were required to keep at of a basketball game,” he said, “and I clock and raising the bottom of the variety of reasons: discussing what pitch you have a young pitcher on the mound least one foot in the batter’s box, with only saw two pitches.” Others think no strike zone from just beneath the to throw, giving a pitcher a breather and you need to give him some reassur- several exceptions. tinkering is needed. kneecap to its pre-1996 level - at the top during a difficult inning or switching ance or strategize a little bit more,” he The 20-second pitch clocks were “The rhetoric needs to change from, of the kneecap. signals in an era where many are para- said. “Sometimes I’ll run out and make implemented at Triple-A and Double-A, ‘How do you speed the game up?’ to Union head Tony Clark has said infor- noid about opponents scrutinizing sure we’re on the same page with the where agreement with the players’ asso- ‘Let’s just go back to enjoying the game mation was being gathered from play- high-definition video to steal signs. signals if the runner gets on second. I’ll ciation is not needed. The leagues with for what it is,’” San Francisco pitcher Jeff ers and he expects to discuss the pro- “There are some times we watch, usually do that and be back at the plate the clocks cut 12 minutes from their Samardzija said. “If we can cut out a little posals with management this summer. “I we’re like, man, they just talk. Especially before the batter’s even ready. So I average game time from 2014 to 2015, bit of the commercial break, then so be don’t like the fact of somebody else when it’s happening multiple times dur- wouldn’t even consider that a trip.” double the 6-minute overall drop in the it. Put some ads on the scoreboard on telling me when I can go out and when I ing an at-bat,” said New York Mets out- Detroit’s Daniel Norris is the slowest- minors. But times have crept back up. the TV in the top left corner, cut a can’t go out, but I understand the point,” fielder Curtis Granderson, a three-time paced in the majors among qualified After dropping from 2:56 in 2014 to 2:40 minute out from commercials and I said Washington catcher Matt Wieters, a All-Star. starters, averaging 27 seconds between in the International League in the first think we’ll be all right. But other than four-time All-Star. “There actually is an Los Angeles Angels manager Mike pitches, according to Fangraphs. Tampa year, the average rose to 2:42 last year that, just buy another beer and enjoy advantage to catchers and pitchers who Scioscia, a two-time All-Star catcher for Bay’s Alex Cobb is second at 26.6, fol- and 2:49 this season. The Pacific Coast the game.” — AP ST PETERSBURG: Brad Miller #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays can’t make the tag on Tzu-Wei Lin #73 of the Boston Red Sox at second base during the eighth inning at Tropicana Field on Friday in St Petersburg, Florida. —AFP BASEBALL Immaculate Carrasco leads Indians over Tigers CLEVELAND: Carlos Carrasco handled Detroit’s ance since May because of a blister on his pitch- Milwaukee an 8-4 advantage. of the year. Seth Smith also homered as he and homer in the fifth broke a 4-4 tie. It was his 11th lineup for the second time in a week - striking ing hand, Sanchez allowed a career-high eight Machado went deep back-to-back to lead off the home run in 61 career games at Busch Stadium. out a season-high 11 and pulling off a rare nine- runs in 1 2/3 innings. Houston’s Carlos Correa CUBS 6, PIRATES 1 game against Twins rookie Felix Jorge. DeGrom (9-3) gave up four runs, all on solo pitch, three-strikeout inning - and Lonnie extended the longest active hitting streak in the Kris Bryant hit two homers and drove in four homers, in seven innings. It was the first time in Chisenhall hit a two-run homer, leading the majors to a career-high 15 with his 18th homer in runs and Anthony Rizzo went deep as Chicago DODGERS 4, ROYALS 1 his career that deGrom gave up four home runs Cleveland Indians to an 11-2 win over the Detroit the first inning. Evan Gattis added his seventh beat Pittsburgh. Rizzo chased Trevor Williams (3- Yasiel Puig homered and Chase Utley notched in a game, but it was good enough to tie his Tigers in Major League Baseball on Friday night. homer in the seventh. The support eased Charlie 4) with a two-run drive in the fourth that made it his 1,000th career RBI as NL West-leading Los career-best winning streak set in 2014. Addison Carrasco (10-3) allowed two runs in seven Morton’s (6-3) return to action. The right-hander, 3-0. Bryant hit a solo shot against Jhan Marinez Angeles beat Kansas City in the opener of the Reed earned his 15th save in 17 chances. innings to win his fifth straight decision. He limit- sidelined since May 24 with a right lat strain, in the sixth that cleared the left-field bleachers Royals’ first visit to Dodger Stadium since 2003. ed the Tigers to one run in seven innings on July gave Houston one-run ball over six innings, sur- and added a two-run drive in the eighth off The Dodgers won their fourth in a row behind RANGERS 10, ANGELS 0 1. The right-hander also recorded an “immaculate rendering four hits to tie his season low.