The Red Sox-Braves game ends after a field clock violation is called for a final out

The Red Sox-Braves spring training game Saturday ended with an automatic third strike called Atlanta batter Cal Conley for not putting it into the penalty area before the court clock reached eight seconds. Here’s what you need to know:

• With two outs, the bases loaded and the game tied at 6-6. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Conley made it 3-2 and was called for a pitch clock violation, which resulted in an automatic strikeout. Atlanta scored three runs in the inning to tie the game.
• Under the new rules introduced this season, pitchers have 15 seconds to start their delivery when there are no runners on base and 20 seconds with runners on base. The batter is awarded a ball if the clock has expired and a strike if not boxed and alerted the pitcher by the time the clock reaches eight seconds.

the athleteInstant Analysis:

Snitker on the odd end

Braves coach Brian Snicker was as surprised as everyone else including Conley, calling the batter for a third strike to end the game when home run umpire John Lipka decided he wasn’t ready and attentive for the pitcher at the eight-second mark. Conley had noticed catcher Elijah Marrero still standing and looking at the notes on his wrist when the umpire signaled Conley, who took off to first base thinking the pitcher was a violation and had a walk full of bases (the count had been full).

Instead, he ruled out Conley because while Marrero was not in position behind the plate, the pitcher, Robert Kwiatkowski, was standing on the mound, ready to hit a pitch. – O’Brien

Could this become a strategy?

In fact, Marrero modified Conley, intentionally or not.

“You’ve got to forget it (what a catcher does), you better be as attentive to the pitcher as the rule says,” Snicker said. “And it’s distracting. That’s something that, well, we might try. I mean, it worked there. I don’t think they were intentionally trying to do that, but it worked.” Snicker added, “I don’t think that (the rule) was meant to end a game like that. … It’s good that we started (using the new rules in spring training) because you never know what might happen. That example right there, it kind of shows you What could happen.”

He laughed and added, “That’s going to be all over ‘SportsCenter’ and all that kind of thing, what happened. And I’m sure Major League Baseball will address it.” – O’Brien

What else do they say

“Actually, I thought it would be against us, to be honest with you,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “I was like, ‘We’re getting late.’ But we weren’t, I guess.”

“The referee said I’m looking down,” Conley told the Atlanta Journal-Connelli. “I was looking at the catcher standing up. I’m not really sure if the pitcher was ready to go, or not. I was just trying to follow their rhythm, kind of not looking at the clock. Next time the time should have been called in that position, though.” I think, is what the referee said. I think learning from it and moving on.”

Pitch clock is already causing havoc

It’s the second day of spring training, and we’ve already seen the ballpark clock wreak predictable havoc. We have seen hitters called upon to make strikes without throwing a pitch. We’ve seen hitters try to call time to stop the clock and have their requests denied. And now we have already seen the end game when the clock is broken. It was all a little crazy. But here’s the thing to remember: This is what Major League Baseball wanted to happen this spring. Better to have shock value lessons learned now than to have these things flare up in Game 7 of the World Series. – Stark

background story

A slew of new rules for the season went into effect from the first day of spring training, including eliminating the shift and using larger bases in addition to the stadium clock rules. The Friday Mariners – Padres game was the first of the preseason.

On Friday, Padres star Mane Machado committed his first court clock violation in spring training of the year, starting in an 0-1 game.

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(Photo: Mark J. Rebellas/USA Today)