6 things I learned watching the pitch clock in action

[Auggie]

Not me, the author at the link, MLB.com contributor Anthony Castrovince, with thoughts on how the pitch clock affects minor league play (full story at the link): https://www.mlb.com/news/how-pitch-clock-is-working-in-minor-leagues-in-2022

1. The clock works.
"In the time since pitch clock was put in place on April 15, the average game has taken 2:35 to play."

2. The clock can possibly improve player health and performance.

3. The clock adds intrigue to the running game.
"With Minor League pitchers limited to two step-offs or pickoff attempts under the 2022 rules, it should come as no surprise that runners are attempting to steal more bases and are successful more frequently."

4. Pitchers have found a new cat-and-mouse game.
"The clock gives an inherent advantage to pitchers who work quickly. But the nine-second feature -- combined with the limitation on timeouts -- provides an added advantage to those comfortable with long holds."

5. The clock operator is an X-factor (at least in the Minors).
"When the pitch clock reaches the big leagues, consistency and a well-trained operator will of course be of paramount importance. And Major League umpires will be able to learn from those in the Minors who experienced this experimental season."

6. Everyone is learning as they go.

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Which begs the question: is Castrovince a paid stooge of the league?

Me: I loathe the idea of putting a clock on every damn pitch. And I especially loathe the rules that feel so, uh, Little League, such as:

"Under the current pitch clock rules in MLB, there is a 14-second timer between pitches with no one on base and 18 seconds with a runner on base (19 seconds in Triple-A). There is a 30-second timer between batters. If a pitcher fails to throw a pitch in time, it is an automatic ball. If a hitter is not ready in time, it is an automatic strike. Each batter gets one timeout per plate appearance, and pitchers get a total of two step-offs or pickoffs per batter."

Really? They're going to micro-manage The Show to this level of absurdity???