Skip to main content

Report: Double-A, Triple-A to use 20-second pitch clock in 2015

A 20-second pitch clock will be used in Double-A and Triple-A games in 2015, according to a report. 
  • Author:
  • Publish date:

A 20-second pitch clock will be used in Double-A and Triple-A games in 2015, reports Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi.

Major League Baseball owners are seeking changes with the players union concerning the pace of play during games, according to the report. But the majors will not use pitch clock this season. 

Eventually, a pitch clock could be used by the majors as well, according to the report. 

The owners could approve pace of play measures during meetings on Thursday, but nothing would be implemented until the players union signs off on it.

MLB created a committee in September to help study the issue, as games took an average of more than three hours to complete last season, up from two hours and 46 minutes in 2003.

WINTER REPORT CARD: Boston Red Sox

An Arizona Fall League game played in October experimented with new measures to speed up pace of play, and the game took two hours and 14 minutes to complete. During the game, a 20-second pitch clock was used and breaks between half-innings were limited to two minutes and five seconds.

If pitchers took more than 20 seconds to throw the ball to the plate an automatic ball was called. Teams were also limited to three conferences at the pitcher's mound per game and implemented no-pitch intentional walks, in which a manager relayed to the home-plate umpire he wanted to intentionally walk a batter by signaling with four fingers.

Other changes the minor leagues will implement this season include a rule that batters leave one foot in the box as well as a time limit on pitching changes and breaks between innings. 

- Scooby Axson