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PIONEER LEAGUE TO USE PITCH CLOCKS, ADOPTS NEW RULES

League Strives to Improve Pace of Play, Provide More Game Action

PBL announces pitch clocks among new rules for 2023 season
February 16, 2023

Pioneer League Press Release The Pioneer Baseball League presented by TicketSmarter announced today that each of its ten clubs will employ the use of pitch clocks for each of its regular season and postseason games, beginning with the start of their 2023 season on May 23rd.

Additionally, the PBL announced that it would enforce MLB's shift rules with the goals of encouraging more balls being put in play, giving players more opportunities to showcase their defensive skills and foreclosing the growing trend of alignments that feature four outfielders. 

As well, each PBL ballpark will feature a lined "pie slice" area extending from second base to the outfield grass, whereby no fielder will be permitted to stand in the "pie slice".

Depiction of new MLB pie slice rule

An approximation of how the chalk lines will look, delimiting where infielders cannot stand.

 

"The Pioneer League is committed to giving our fans a great experience at each of our ballparks and by speeding up games and by putting the ball in play more often, we believe the fans will have more excitement and more fun," said Pioneer League President Mike Shapiro. "Increasing the pace of play will offer more action and less wasted time between pitches."

Under the new PBL rules, the following time limits will be in place:

  • 0:14 Pitch Clock - No Runners on Base

  • 0:18 Pitch Clock - Runners on Base

  • 0:08 Pitch Clock – Batter in the Box

  • 0:30 Pitch Clock - Next Batter

  • 0:30 Mound Visit

  • 2:15 Pitching Change

  • 2:15 Inning Break

A pitcher is assessed a ball for a violation of the time limits, including mound visits and pitching changes. A batter is assessed a strike for a violation. The team that doesn't deliver the first pitch within the between innings break limit is assessed a ball. 

In 2022, Pioneer League games averaged over 3 hours and 20 minutes while MLB games averaged 3 hours and 10 minutes. Last year's World Series averaged 3 hours and 38 minutes.

"We want everyone, especially kids, to enjoy coming to a ballgame," continued Shapiro. "By speeding things up and having more action we think the experience for kids, and, for that matter, all fans, will add up to having more fun at Pioneer League games."

 

About the Pioneer Baseball League presented by TicketSmarter: 

Since 1939, the Pioneer Baseball League has operated in the Mountain West region as an MLB affiliate league. Beginning in 2021, the PBL became an MLB Professional Partner League with clubs in Montana (Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, and Kalispell), Idaho (Boise and Idaho Falls), Utah (Ogden), and Colorado (Grand Junction, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs). For more information go to www.pioneerleague.com.

About TicketSmarter:  

TicketSmarter is the official ticket resale partner of Rose Bowl Stadium and the title sponsor of the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl with ESPN Events - for more information, follow @Birmingham_Bowl on Twitter. Additionally, TicketSmarter is the official ticket resale partner of more than 40 minor league baseball clubs, 35 collegiate conferences including the Pac-12 Conference and Big Ten Conference, and 300-plus universities nationwide. Stay updated with TicketSmarter at https://TicketSmarter.com 



For more information, please contact Jackson Shapiro at  jshapiro@pioneerleague.com