Bigger bases, pitch clock, shift limits: Spring training a test run for MLB's new rules

Spring training games might be a little ugly this year, particularly during the first few weeks.

For Major League Baseball, that's a feature, not a bug.

The Grapefruit and Cactus League games in Florida and Arizona over the next month will be used as a petri dish for the sport's rule changes, including a pitch clock, bigger bases and limits to infield shifts. The idea is that the worst kinks will be worked out before opening day on March 30.

Though there's multiple innovations, one stands above the rest.

The pitch clock has been tested for a few years at the minor league level. Pitchers will have 15 seconds to deliver their pitch with no runners on base and 20 seconds when runners are on base. There will be 30 seconds between batters and 2 minutes, 15 seconds between innings.

MLB games averaged 3 hours, 4 minutes last season following the introduction of the PitchCom electronic device to signal pitches, down from a record 3:10 in 2021. Sword said MLB's research indicates fans prefer games that are around 2:30.

The pitch clock's effect on minor league games in 2022 was substantial. Games that used the clock were, on average, 25 minutes shorter than those that did not.

"Fans want a crisper pace," Sword said.

Joe Martinez on the alignment of the new bigger bases and why it’s still 90 feet to first base. <a href="https://t.co/WS55YJNVHS">pic.twitter.com/WS55YJNVHS</a>

Sword said many MLB players who spent time in the minors during 2022 grew to appreciate the clock, even though there was an adjustment period. He said most players needed a few weeks to a month to get used to the changes, which is about the length of spring training's game schedule.

Sword said the rule changes will be "full go" from the first day of spring