*Photo from the Houston Chronicle*
You can count this star outfielder among the detractors of the new MLB pitch clock. Houston Astros OF Kyle Tucker weighed in on his experience with the pitch clock after Houston's spring training game on Sunday, feeling that it benefits the pitchers more than it does the hitters.
Tucker told Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle that "These pitchers are the best pitchers in the world, and you're giving them more of an advantage, and you have to rush in the box, it takes away some of the thought process that goes into hitting. I think it could be maybe a little longer, instead of just stepping out and stepping back in."
Baseball's competition committee passed the implementation of the pitch clock beginning this season after experimenting with it in the minor leagues. Hitters are required to be in the batter's box and facing the pitcher with 8 seconds left on the clock, with an automatic strike being called if they are not.
Pitchers on the other hand have 15 seconds to deliver the ball to home plate with the bases empty and 20 seconds with at least one runner on base, with an automatic ball being called if they don't. They are also limited to only two pick off attempts or disengagements off the mound, and if they attempt to pick off a baserunner for a 3rd time and he gets back safely, a balk is called and the runner advances a base.
Tucker said of the clock that "I don't think there's as much thought process or much of an adjustment gameplan-wise in between pitches that you can do. You have to do it super fast. That part kind of sucks because you want to take your time, understand what just happened and what they're about to do next."
In Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals, Tucker singled 3 times and didn't get any clock violations. So far this spring, we saw the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves end tied 6-6 in the 9th due to an automatic strike call against a Braves hitter.
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