Rangers Hitters Getting Used to Pitch Clock, Too
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The controversial ending to a recent Atlanta Braves spring game is a learning point for the Texas Rangers.
Just about everyone saw the ending of Atlanta’s spring game on Saturday, with the batter being called out for not being ready in the batter’s box?
Well, the Texas Rangers certainly want to avoid such an ending to one of their games. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy talked about the play recently, as it was the buzz around baseball.
“We’re looking at other games just so we can learn from these things,” Bochy said.
So what happened in the Atlanta game? The hitter, Cal Conley, was called for a third strike for not being ready at the eight-second mark of the pitch clock. The rule book does define being “ready” as being in the box, ready and alert.
The umpire in the Atlanta game did not believe Conley was ready, and Atlanta manager Brian Snitker did elaborate on why, even though he wasn’t happy about the call ending the game.
“You’ve got to forget about (what catcher’s doing), you better be attentive to the pitcher like the rule says,” he said. “And that’s distracting. That’s something, heck, we might try it. … I don’t think they were intentionally trying to do it, but it worked.”
Bochy has said repeatedly that it’s important for Rangers hitters to get into the groove of being in time with the pitch clock. Just as pitchers have their routines, hitters do, too. So far, Rangers pitchers that have thrown in spring games have been positive about the clock.
Hitters like Josh Smith, who started in left field for the Rangers on Monday and played with the clock last season in the minor leagues, know it’s a point of emphasis.
“I wasn’t rushed, but in the back of my head we’ve been talking about it so much that I was thinking, ‘All right, let’s get in the box and go,’” Smith said. “I don’t want to talk for anyone but for me it’s never really bothered me because I feel like I get in the box and I’m kind of aware of it. But I could see some guys getting used to it. It’s an adjustment for sure.”
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
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