MLB umpires are really putting on their seatbelts at pitch time.
While the timer has sped up the games’ average time by about half an hour at first, there are still a few quirks that still get side-eyes from critics.
Friday night in Los Angeles included one such moment with former Dodger Cody Bellinger.
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Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs is honored by the Los Angeles Dodgers before the start of the game at Dodger Stadium on April 14, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Bellinger, now a member of the Chicago Cubs, was playing his first game at Dodger Stadium as an opposing player after spending his first six seasons in Los Angeles and winning a World Series in 2020, MVP in 2019 and Rookie of the Year in 2017.
Before the game, the Dodgers showed a tribute video and the crowd gave him a nice standing ovation, but that wasn’t enough.
Just before his first at-bat, the Dodgers faithful again showed their appreciation for their former October hero. He was once widely considered one of the best players in the game before a startling decline that saw him hit .193 in 2021 and 2022 combined.
Chicago Cubs center fielder and former Los Angeles Dodger Cody Bellinger gestures to the crowd after being recognized by the Dodgers before a game on Friday, April 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
MLB REFEREE LEAVES HOSPITAL 2 DAYS AFTER TAKEN 89 MPH HEADSHOT
Bellinger appreciated the gesture and recognized the crowd.
However, that hurt him in the count. The umpire charged him with a pitch time violation and before he saw a pitch, he was down 0-1.
Batters have eight seconds to be “alert” in the batter’s box, while pitchers have 15 seconds (20 with runners on) to start their pitching motion. For the most part, since the start of the regular season, refs have been ticking off an extra tick or so, similar to the NFL game clock.
The new rules, despite a few puzzling moments here and there, have to a large extent it has been great for the game, adding more offense and action in shorter games.
Chicago Cubs center fielder and former Los Angeles Dodger Cody Bellinger gestures to the crowd after being recognized by the Dodgers before a game on Friday, April 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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When comparing the first two weeks of this season and last, runs per game are up from 8.0 to 9.4, batting average is up from .230 to .250, stolen base attempts are at their highest level since 2012, and Average game length reduced from 3:07 to 2:37.
