Sports Illustrated - USA (2022-05)

Here are some that will be coming, many of which

are designed to see hitters whiff less.

• A PITCH TIMER, beginning in 2023. It is expected
  to be 14 seconds with the bases empty and 19 seconds
  with runners. Data from use in the minors shows the
  clock not only improves pace of play but also reduces
  strikeout and walk rates.
  “Pitchers can’t quite pitch at the same max effort,”
  Epstein said. “They don’t have 30 seconds to fully recover
  physically and make each pitch as big of a production.
  Importantly, there was no increase in injuries.”


• A BAN ON INFIELD SHIFTS. Beginning in 2023, teams
  no longer will be allowed to have more than two inf ield-
  ers on one side of second base. Opening the field puts
  a premium on athleticism and incentivizes hitters to
  put the ball in play.


• A MAXIMUM DEPTH FOR OUTFIELDERS. Still in the
  planning stage, it may be tried in extended spring games
  this year, perhaps defined by a green arc painted in
  the grass. Initial research by MLB shows that for every
  10 feet outfielders play shallower, the rate of doubles
  and triples increases by 2%. With analytics pushing
  outfielders deeper, the rate of doubles and triples has
  fallen 12% in 20 years.


• BIGGER BASES, beginning in 2023. Shortening the
  distance between bases by 4.5 inches should increase

SPORTS

ILLUSTRATED

SI.COM

MAY 2022

49

THE PICKS

The preseason favorites according to

the futures odds at SI Sportsbook

the stolen base success rate by one to two percentage

points, according to MLB models, which should lead

to more attempts. Stolen base attempts per game hit a

61-year low last season, at 0.60 per game.

• THE AUTOMATED BALL/STRIKE SYSTEM (ABS),
  coming as soon as 2024. In Low A last season, a tracking
  system using optical cameras determined balls and strikes.
  It is being used in Triple A this year. The automated zone is
  f latter and wider to combat the high fastball. Last season
  batters hit .198 on fastballs at the top of the strike zone
  and .264 on fastballs elsewhere in the zone.


• RELOCATION AND/OR EXPANSION. MLB commis-
  sioner Rob Manfred is sitting on several markets (e.g.,
  Nashville, Montreal, Las Vegas) that appear more lucra-
  tive than current ones (St. Petersburg, Oakland). In what
  can be described as a race for Nashville, Manfred must
  map out whether to greenlight a move there or hold it
  as a valuable expansion chip, which he has suggested
  would be worth well north of a billion dollars.


• FURTHER CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGN SUBSTANCES.
  The monthly strikeout rate declined without exception
  once MLB cracked down in June on pitchers using sticky
  substances. But spin rates started to rise again toward
  the end of the season as pitchers figured a workaround
  to umpire inspections. In response, MLB has instructed
  umpires this season to inspect pitchers’ hands.

WORLD SERIES WINNER

DODGERS +450

BLUE JAYS +800

ASTROS +900

AL CY YOUNG

GERRIT COLE +400

SHANE BIEBER +650

NL CY YOUNG

JACOB DEGROM +400

WALKER BUEHLER +800

CORBIN BURNES +800

MA X SCHERZER +800

AL MVP

SHOHEI OHTANI +350

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. +375

MIKE TROUT +375

NL MVP

JUAN SOTO +275

RONALD ACUÑA JR. +600

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