Cubs and Sox players getting ready to adjust to new MLB rules
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some pretty significant changes are coming to Major League Baseball this season, meant to speed up the game, make it safer, and ultimately more enjoyable to watch.
CBS 2's Marshall Harris talked to a few Cubs and Sox players about baseball's major shift.
"I'm excited for the rules changes, I'm not gonna lie," White Sox reliever Joe Kelly said. "I'm in favor, for sure, and mostly all the rule changes I'm in favor of."
"I'm not saying I'm not a fan, I'm saying it's gonna take some time in order to get used to it," White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal said.
"I don't think it's gonna be as big of a deal as some guys are making it," Cubs pitcher Hayden Wesneski said.
"I think, as human nature, we don't always love change, but sometimes we have to deal with change," White Sox reliever Kendal Graveman said.
Time is now truly of the essence for both pitchers and hitters. Pitchers will have 15 seconds between batters with the bases empty, and 20 seconds between pitches with men on, while batters have to be in the box by the 8-second mark. Violations will result in a ball call on pitchers and a strike call on hitters not ready to go.
"They're trying to speed up the game, and get more balls put in play. The hitters are not gonna like it," White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn said.
"The clock's gonna be an adjustment. I'm sure I'm gonna get a strike called on me for taking too long early on. I'm sure a pitcher will get a ball called on him in the adjustment period. But that's all part of the process to get ready for this new season, and I'm excited for it," Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger said.
And then there's the literal shift back to the way things used to be in the infield. This season, two infielders must be on the dirt and on each side of second base. Left-handed hitters who have been pulling would-be singles into outs for over a decade are excited.
"I don't think I'm the only one. It's a tough world for a left-handed hitter in the big leagues in the last, I don't know, five years," Grandal said.
"I think it's bringing back guys who are actual baseball players, not just that hit homers," Kelly said. "Banging the shift, you're bringing back the true defensive glove guy, you're bringing back the speed guys, … You're bringing back real baseball. So it's gonna be fun."
The length of games might shrink, but the bases themselves have increased in size from 15 inches to 18 inches in width, serving two purposes: creating more base stealing opportunities, while helping prevent injuries caused by collisions between baserunners and fielders.
"Everyone says it looks like a pizza box, and I think that's pretty spot on," Cubs first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "Any time you can do something that will help avoid injury, I think is be something that everyone is going to be all on board with."
Also, pitchers now only have two pickoff attempts per plate appearance; saving time, but also encouraging more stolen base attempts.
"Yeah that'll be new," Sox pitcher Michael Kopech said. "We're just going to have to kind of change our approach to how we control the running game."
"That could be something that I could see that being a big adjustment, as far as you reach your limits in pickoffs, a guy is getting a huge lead, but you throw over to be safe, so he just gets second base. So it's going to be weird, it's going to be interesting to see how all that stuff works out," Cubs pitcher Justin Steele said.
Perhaps the biggest measure of speed will be how quickly teams adjust. New White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi admitted on day one of camp he honestly didn't know what the new rules were yet. But he pointed out, with Cactus League spring training games, he'd have about 30 games to get used to them and figure it out.