Max Scherzer Messing With Hitter's Timing Using Pitch Clock

[@DankBirdGang52]

Scherzer is a mad genius. This man will play until he's 50, when he loses his speed, he'll just mess with your brain every way he can.

[@IGI_Media]

oh, so you're saying he will Glavin this out :)

[@beholden2874]

As a Mets fan I’m hoping Max and Verlander can both have a magnificent time with the Mets and utilize their age and wisdom as an advantage with the new rules.

[@riptorn8399]

Greg Maddox....smoltz

[@Corninthesky]

@@beholden2874 :,) makes me tear up a bit as a Tigers fan. I hope they last a long time too

[@connorglick5]

Nicknamed Mad Max for a reason

[@jragadio]

Good analysis, Matt. The MLB probably didn’t think about this when they made the rules.

[@foramoreperfectamerica8490]

Yes but also there is a reason they call Scherzer Mad Max.

[@cagedtigersteve]

Does MLB ever think when they make rules.

[@jamesdalessandro8728]

This rule is awful

[@foramoreperfectamerica8490]

@@jamesdalessandro8728 Yes but can you really expect MLB to account for someone with the nickname Mad Max?

[@joshbeasley9089]

Wonder if this will drive offense down, making the rule have the opposite effect of what the league wants. Man I hope this happens.

[@patdry]

Great video Matt! I'd say two things: 1) It's hard as a hitter because you have to focus SO intensely in a microsecond of time, it's impossible to focus your brain/eyes like that for long periods of time. Plus no one likes squatting haha, burns them thighs if you have a deep stance. 2) I think this is a result of Scherzer being a veteran with tons of confidence, he's so good at his craft he can play with it as he wants. Plus its spring training and he's feeling out what he can do, like a veteran pitcher should. Most guys will still need their own rhythm, some with expose it like Scherzer and the other fun funky pitchers. Excited to see it play out. I personally think it should be 5 seconds, NOT 8 seconds. I think that's fair for both guys. Also, Stanton is a good example of someone who just STAYS in the box and uses his confidence to play the dominant role. More guys will start doing that I think.

[@Efilnikufesin76]

If they just concentrate on when the pitcher is going to throw the ball I don't think it will be a problem. You only have to get ready and in your position to swing once they start the motion. Too many hitters are in their own pattern and are used to calling time out or stepping out when forced out of their pattern. Then again batting averages have plummeted, strikeouts have gone up and for some reason we can't expect professional hitters to hit the ball the other way against the shift. Even though it happened in the past.

[@georgeeaves6151]

@@Efilnikufesin76 the problem is tho as humans it’s incredibly difficult to focus at the level you need to to play high level ball sports (not just baseball, I am a decently high level field hockey goalkeeper so ik how hard it is) for any period of time longer than about five seconds, it’s not as simple as just focus on when the ball is released because humans really struggle to do that. I’m sure there will be hitter who could but I would bet that it is a tiny minority that could

[@alexanderzebroski2391]

As a Yankee fan, I'm still waiting for Stanton to dominate!

[@HyzerFlexOnYou]

Though the rule changes are fundamentally changing the core of the game, hitters are just going to have to get in the box as close to 8 seconds as possible and learn to not call time unless necessary.

[@JohnnyAquaholic]

​@George Eaves Do you stop someone before their shooting to let them know that you're not comfortable yet to try and block the shot?

[@christopherguarnieri7439]

Of course Max is the one who does this, guy is a beast. Say what you want he is one of the best of this generation.

[@TheWhipsnap]

The only thing to say about max is….respect 🫡

[@RandomsDeagled]

Scherzer is garbage

[@poptartkilla3718]

Wow this pitch clock is going to throw a whole new game inside the game, advantage Pitcher! There’s going to be a huge learning curve for batters, and so many hitters are going to have trouble or even slump just because of this. Rhythm is completely in the pitchers hands now

[@MikeJones-rk1un]

Looks like it will only slow games down.

[@easyenetwork2023]

Advantage to runners on base as well at times though.

[@CHOCKO895]

Max has practiced standing still in set position for years. I’ve seen videos of him doing this in Nationals bullpen

[@kurthein]

Two things: 1) Don't call time out because you feel uncomfortable because it will become even more uncomfortable. 2) Never leave the box and just stare right back at the pitcher.

[@robertobermeier9172]

right.wait out the pitcher first and it becomes your advantage when he doesn't pitch on time.

[@pohorex6834]

batting requires so much concentration and focus, which you lose with time sitting in the box waiting there. hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports, and this pitch clock is further helping pitchers, which they dont need

[@crackazack510]

​@@pohorex6834 pitchers would beg to differ on who the pitch clock helps, some would probably say they feel rushed. I only say this because the MLB is constantly doing things to improve the hitting/offense so I'm curious as to who it will really benefit in the long run. As a fan, I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet, haven't gotten to see a full game with it yet.

[@pohorex6834]

@@crackazack510 both sides are against it right now. But as this video shows, pitchers have more control over the tempo of at bats, even more than they used to. Main thing it hurts is holding runners on base, but out of the windup it’s absolutely pro-pitcher

[@TravisMcGee151]

@@pohorex6834 I don’t like the way the pitch clock is going to change the game. Just like this video, the pitcher can out wait the batter. As a hitter you can’t just stand there for 10 seconds plus in your stance. Not going to go over real well.

[@RicG.]

Scherzer is smart for doing this. Keep it up dude!!

[@mcunico]

Here's my question... Scherzer never takes his eyes off the batter to make sure his timing is perfect to when he gets in the box. Why, in all that time, is Robles not trying to create a distraction at second base in order to get Scherzer to move his concentration onto him? This would give the batter an opportunity to get set. Might even give him an opportunity to take third base (maybe not on Scherzer, but another pitcher perhaps).

[@hollisscriber3695]

According to the chart at the top, there's a runner on third, so he's not going anywhere.

[@mcunico]

@@hollisscriber3695 good point and good catch! I take back my previous comment then...

[@TheRealKilgoreTrout]

Don't take back your comment - it's spot on. Everyone is looking at a 30 second clip of baseball and extrapolating how the rule is broken. I laugh at all of that. Your comment is one of the few which shows thinking outside the box. What we see here will not be a problem in the majority of baseball situations.

[@TreiPani]

This was a great breakdown!

[@EB14885]

This is an amazing breakdown , I play highshcool ball and I can confirm that standing in the box for longer than im used to can really mess me up

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Thanks!!!

[@fabioartoscassone9305]

@@AntonelliBaseball is a Pitch Clock a rule can change pro baseball for best?

[@certifiedfnhater4038]

@@Rob-vc1bx great advice. It’s large focus to small focus . But to add to it. You can scan the field and figure out the right play for the situation.

[@bowarrow9229]

@@Rob-vc1bxdefinitely, find his release point then look there.

[@homerhorner8448]

I'm with you Antonelli. This is an interesting effect seen sometimes when new rules are created. Players and coaches realize how to use them, and in way that is not in the spirit of what the new rule is intended to address. Scherzer figuring this out might force a change to the pitch clock rule.

[@svenjorgensenn8418]

They want to speed up the game, but MLB did the opposite

[@mrstewns]

@@svenjorgensenn8418 it literally on average speeds the game up by over 20 minutes.

[@beholden2874]

@@svenjorgensenn8418why do you say that. I think so far going on 2 weeks into Spring training games, MLB has shortened the game 30 minutes. The pitch is designed to quicken the game by forcing the pitcher and hitter to speed up.

[@danieltaom]

​@@beholden2874well obviously in this scenario games become slower and hard to watch. Probably other pitchers will start doing this.

[@Splitlickity]

All MLB has to do is say players need to stick to the spirit of the rule. If people do something like this enough, eject and suspend. It’ll stop really quick.

[@michaelwheeler3782]

Another thing is if you have a runner on 1at base and you kill time in the stretch and are forced to pitch you will see enormous jumps by the runner at 1st base that will make it impossible for the catcher to throw the runner out. You will also see runners steal 3rd base much more often. The longer the pitcher holds the ball the more vulnerable the pitcher is of having a base stolen. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out

[@Sports314]

I’ve been wondering about this to, so I just looked it up now From USAtoday. Pitchers get two pickoff attempts In addition, pitchers are limited to a maximum of two pickoff attempts per plate appearance. If a pitcher attempts a third pickoff throw and doesn't get the runner out, it's an automatic balk and all runners move up one base. So they can still attempt a third pickoff, but it has to be successful

[@charlesclark3840]

@@Sports314 Max has said in an interview that holding the ball prevents steals. I have no data on this, but I think he probably knows what he's talking about. Unless he was being sarcastic and it went whoosh over my head.

[@guyappin0]

Absolutely love the breakdown by Coach A! By my analysis I think it's gonna be a pitchers year in MLB BUT baseball hitters will eventually adapt and evolve to even stronger and quicker skills, reflexes, and instincts -once the mind/muscle/nervous systems force the human to change. Overall the skill level on both ends will certainly rise. This indeed, is a very exciting point in time for baseball and we're fortunate to have witnessed it. People like Coach A are masters at drawing the picture and coloring the experience for people who have never played ball at that level. Be grateful for this

[@sawmill035]

I think this is Scherzer's (very smart) way of fighting back against the rule, because technically, as a pitcher, you were always allowed to do this. The only difference now is that hitters only have one timeout by rule. However, in the past, there was always this peer pressure/unwritten rule that hitters couldn't call timeouts too many times. If they did, they'd get chirped by the other team, or the umpire just wouldn't grant timeout at all. So, really, nothing much has changed. What Scherzer is doing has always been legal, but the pitch clock has changed how pitchers/batters approach at bats mentally. I think Scherzer actually internally hates the rule, so he's going out of his way to make watching/participating in at bats as uncomfortable as he possibly can, while pretending like he loves the rule for the "massive advantage" it gives pitchers. Like the video creator, I played baseball for 20 years (I was a two way player through college, so I'm familiar with both sides of this issue), and there is this timing that you get used to. I was getting anxiety just watching this at bat. However, honestly, I don't hate the pitch clock rule. I think it will be worth some short term pain in the long run, and I think hitters, pitchers, and fans will adjust to it, and it will be a win in the long run.

[@vincentrobinette1507]

The simple fix would be to NOT reset the pitch clock after the time-out. That would force the pitcher to either leave enough time in reserve to pitch, or, pitch immediately when the clock resumes. Otherwise, the pitch clock can take more time than it saves, even though the batter only gets one time-out. I've rarely seen anywhere near the ~35 seconds between pitches, that the pitch clock plus a reset would allow.

[@StonerNerd]

For the record, a lot of pitchers say they find it really hard to stand there for more than a few seconds, in the stretch/hold position too (usually to hold runner on 1st).

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Yes that is true

[@Jlundeen]

True, I saw another video showing Max before the game just practicing just standing like this. Looks like this rule is going to make both sides practice being comfortable with a new rhythm.

[@TheRealKilgoreTrout]

Don't tell that to anyone else commenting. Majority seems to think this at bat represents the entire spectrum of baseball, its rules and all of the idiosyncrasies that make each player unique.

[@PatOD75]

Going to be interesting to see how having base-runners on is going to further affect or complicate the rhythm and timing issues batters and pitchers are having with these new rule changes and the communication between pitcher and catcher with regard to pitch selection and having enough time to shake off your catchers pitch selection, etc.

[@jdog804]

excellent point! more evidence this pitch count nonsense will not work !

[@danielmallory4687]

I've never played above some independent leagues but I've always stayed in the box as long as possible because I can't think about how important the ab is but once I get out the box I feel my teammates staring at me the pitcher waiting for me to move and the ump thinking if I'm slighting him and yell at me so I'm more comfortable in the box because i have some control

[@619sandiego8]

Becoming a tougher game of chess! Great break down⚾️

[@beholden2874]

I think the chess match is taken away. I mean the long at bats of yesteryear created a dramatic mental aspect. Pitchers thinking much without a pitch clock as well as the batters thinking a lot creates that chess game. The pitch clock just can create a just put the bat out and “ make contact” for the batter given the pitch clock restraints

[@ericbrandenburg8583]

I like Joey Votto's approach. He never leaves the box

[@marcosc7375]

This shows you at least for me why baseball is such a beautiful game. No matter how you try to change the rules from it’s format it will resist and cause these types of clauses…in this case to the advantage of the pitcher. Now the hitter must adjust immediately or maybe baseball again will step in to change the rules. Lol. Should be interesting but great video. Loved the explanation.

[@jaecubed592]

Yep and this will probably make for less scoring which isn't what baseball wants. Well done MLB. 😂

[@marcosc7375]

@@jaecubed592 you’re absolutely right.

[@barryfinkle1755]

You just explained why baseball is dying. It refuses to be anything but a boring waste of time.

[@shawncarter7188]

Hence the rule changes are not needed. Baseball is fine as it is.

[@marcosc7375]

@@shawncarter7188 my opinion with the shift. If I were manager I would not care if my star hitter hits homers, if they shift on him than you hit the other way. I guarantee there would have been less shifts.

[@soloq8603]

Very insightful video! Love to see guys like Max looking at the situation and instead of bitching and moaning, he just looks for a way to take advantage of the situation. This is competition at the highest level, Max is doing what winners do. Not a mets fan AT ALL but this is great to see. Plus shit like this is just interesting lol, it adds another aspect of head games the pitcher and batter use on eachother which is great for the fans. I hope to see brawls caused by this lol

[@matthewlewis4237]

Fantastic point! And great video! I like the new rule and how Scherzer is exploiting it already. I do think he should’ve waited till regular season to do so. But, I also think that the pitch clock and new rules might sort of offset the fact that there’s no shift anymore. Hitters that suck against the shift will do better now, so the pitch clock might help level that out since the pitchers can toy with it a bit. Not sure, but I can’t wait to see how this plays out this season.

[@Rays4Days]

They've already started shifting the outfielders instead 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@MarkJoseph81]

No INFIELD shift. There's still the outfield shift, UNfortunately. When I noticed/realized this watching a Spring Training game today I was pissed! I flippin' hate the shift so much the way it's used. (Ya ya..."hit it where they ain't" you'll say, well that still applies!)

[@matthewlewis4237]

@@MarkJoseph81 I never saw all the actual rules, so I was under the impression there was as no shifting allowed at all. The fact that they can shift the outfield sucks!

[@Dx-so7jm]

Making a rule against the shift was ridiculous , imagine telling NHL teams they can't play the trap or an NFL team that they can't Blitz , it's a defensive strategy , let them play ball

[@MarkJoseph81]

@@matthewlewis4237 I KNOW! I was SOOOO pissed when I saw that during a game yesterday! Oh my gosh I was so pissed... if we're doing away with the shift, then do away with the shift, for crying out loud! Sheesh... dumb.

[@justins8802]

I love it, baseball has always been about the games within the game.

[@Winspur1982]

This is a man who goes to independent bookstores for fun. I would expect nothing less! No matter how many pitchers do this, I think the pitch clock rule is a good idea. There is some pretty crazy time manipulation in the NFL too and it doesn't seem to be ruining the sport's profitability.

[@javtimestwo]

The rules will be changed over and over because guys like Scherzer ruin the game. Batter's also ruin the game. The fact that these rules has to be put in place is a reflection of guys like Scherzer and batter's who have forced this.

[@Winspur1982]

@@javtimestwo Well, we can surrender baseball to robots and AI completely, if you really feel that guys like Max AND batters have ruined the game. That will be the day I lose all interest in the sport.

[@Tiger1016.]

The ability to stall the batters creates a big disadvantage to those who wear contacts. It is difficult to keep the blur that comes after blinks from messing up visual focus. I got great at figuring out how to instinctively time my blinks to avoid this issue, but that's because I was a catcher and had to for survival and I was also not playing at the MLB level either.

[@yankees29]

Pretty sure Jason Giambi used to do eye exercises and swore he could sometimes see the actual seams on the ball and pick up the rotation. He also said he has 20/10 vision, which has to be a huge advantage.

[@Tiger1016.]

@yankees29 I could almost imagine how this might be a thing, to a degree. If it was true, he is probably not constantly seeing the stitches in fluid motion but rather a snapshot/still frame/slow motion for a micro second that he could capture in his vision and brain that he is able to process and simultaneously layer on top of the brains continued tracking of the ball traveling at full speed. I think you used the word seam though, which is a natural thing that any hitter has to be able to do in order to hit different pitches, so I kind of just assumed you were talking about stitches.

[@robotman8444]

they will wear glasses if then

[@Rays4Days]

Great to get your take on this so quickly Matt, always great incite. Max probably jumped the gun because if this gets copied too much, I can see mlb adjusting the rule before the regular season but not in it. They're getting the game speed where they want it overall, so it's staying in some capacity all year. I'm not sure if I like being able to see the countdown clock or not, though, kind of nerve-racking. Maybe no resetting the clock after the timeout or lowering the batter's engagement time down to 5 instead of 8.

[@baaqirsalaam3040]

😮😮

[@owenthompson9313]

I'm not crazy about this rule change (pitch clock) But I think pitchers as well as hitters will adjust and this will be a non-factor by May. I have a bigger problem with pick off rule and bases being larger. I'm interested in your opinions of those rules.

[@robertaBooey69]

You just turned a 30 second video into 6 minutes like baseball players use to…. The good old days😂😂😂

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Figured that’s what everyone wanted! 😂

[@harri211]

I thought there was a glitch or the video was looping over and over. Tough 6 minutes to endure lol.

[@jmtuts]

Exactly, a 6 minute meeting could have been solved with a quick email

[@adamschwartzman]

If the batter steps back in to the box at 17 seconds but doesn't look at Max, can Max still pitch the ball? Using the example in the video, if the batter steps back in to the box with Max set but looks at the ground and shuffles around until there are 8 seconds left, would Max have to stay set or can he pitch? Obviously Max has figured out how to use the clock to his advantage but I'm wondering if there is a way for the batter to counter.

[@bobbyjones7609]

i think there will be a quick evolution. batters will figure ways to get ready to hit but have their heads down. hitters will adjust their routine/stances to be one foot out and looking at the pitcher, then step in but not be looking at the pitcher. get their stance looking at the catcher and then look back at the pitcher when they are ready. or something like that

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Yes will be interesting to see how things play out

[@leo44899]

Doesn't matter if you don't look at the pitcher, if you're in the box then the pitcher can pitch to you

[@bobbyjones7609]

@@leo44899 "Batters must be in the box and alert to the pitcher by the 8-second mark" you have to be in the box AND alert to the pitcher by 8 seconds. i guess we will see how that gets interpreted by MLB and the players

[@rexbanner7256]

I'm really excited how the game has evolved.

[@dag221]

I might actually watch baseball again. I love when strategies come into play especially in a game that is scared of changing anything. And let them celebrate big plays like homeruns without going all psycho every time.

[@BenWillyums]

Their using DH now. So 95 percent of the strategy of the game is gone

[@vincepaperclip7874]

The nuance of baseball is amazing.

[@SamBrickell]

Wow these aren't the pitch clock rules I would have implemented. I assumed they were going to put some length of time on the clock for the entire at bat. (And maybe add 5 seconds with each thrown pitch or something, like how chess works.) That would have actually made the at bats go more quickly, which is what I thought the point was supposed to be.

[@squiresam]

A lot of foul balls would instantly screw an overall time up.

[@gerrypellissier9551]

Saw him pitch the other day. The only person with screwed up timing was MAX himself !!

[@Tai_Fung]

The next time these teams played, the batters had a different strategy and tagged Max for 7 runs. I’d be curious what adjustments they made to counter the first game.

[@KCJB22291]

Lol. You really dont know Max Scherzer do you. He doesnt care about runs at all in Spring Training. He has admitted as such. Its all about experimenting for him. He has stated at times he will go into a ST game focused on throwing one pitch. Doesnt care the other team knows it. He needs the work.

[@gregrld]

@@KCJB22291 Exactly! He understands the training part of Spring Training.

[@Southernguy41]

@@gregrldThen blows his arm out near the end of the season and/or playoffs. Whatever helps you feel better I guess. 🙄

[@Tai_Fung]

@@KCJB22291 Way to be a basic YT commenter and miss the point. Woosh. The point was wondering what adjustments the hitters made to counter Max’s pushing of the pitch clock envelope.

[@KCJB22291]

@Tai from DC, but now in Portland Thanks, but thank you for showing me how to be a basic YT commenter by also being wrong in your premise. The clip of him messing with them was not just the same game but same inning, and doing no research on that basic premise. Clearly a basic YT comment if I ever saw one. Good job. 👍

[@mikedelgado5144]

Thanks for the explaination. I did not realize the pitch clock affects batters. Excellenr information

[@brewsnoop]

Love everything about this! Like you said, the hitters will adjust to the changes just like the pitchers will. I have watched 7 spring training games so far and I am so excited about this season. Just the spring training games have been some of the best baseball I have seen in a long time. The new pace of play has greatly improved the game.

[@imaxdigital7052]

You're a phychopath if you think this is good for baseball. The rules should be changed so the batter has a certain amount of seconds to ready themselves in the box, and then the pitcher has a certain amount of seconds to release the ball. This is just insane, it would literally completely change the dynamic of basibeball as we know it if this rule were kept the way it is no for more than a season.

[@slimetimefishing4782]

youre a disgrace to baseball lovers everywhere lol,this is such a bs rule amd i pray whoever made it realizes its stupid

[@roguemoos3478]

@@imaxdigital7052 you should learn to spell.

[@GovernorRiffRaff]

@@imaxdigital7052dude how frothed at the mouth were you typing this up that you couldn’t even spell baseball right lol

[@Jeepsteve1982]

You're a casual then, this is f'ing stupid. Stop messing with our sport just to make it appeal to women more.

[@poshko41]

Thanks so much for breaking this down. Maybe I'm slow, but I couldn't visualize what Scherzer was doing when I read about this in an article. Pitchers could actually slow the game to a crawl by using the clock to their advantage in this way.

[@NoLanConnection]

I really hope this strategy gets used by most starters and leads to more strikeouts and less balls in play, just like Manfred wanted

[@DoubleDown310]

Manfred is the worst thing to ever happen to baseball.

[@IGI_Media]

@Antonelli Baseball - I think there's more to this than is seen in the video: 1) Hitters are now being removed of the ability to assess the pitcher body language I.e. pitchers that tip pitches, pitchers have body language "tells" when runners are on etc When people (i.e. pitchers) are given sufficient time, they tend to revert back to their tendencies/habits. Now that their time is limited, they simply perform the shortened version of the procedure which reduces the chance for habits etc to return 2) This also F@#$'s with the runners even though the pitcher can only throw over a limited amount of times, the pitcher is no longer getting into a rhythm there either, so the runners now have no tendencies or body language to draw from 3) The clock is now both an external thing, and internal thing for hitters, so its additional activity on their brain (watching the timer, counting etc) so they no longer have that Acute focus on the task at hand.

[@33Dannyb]

This makes sense. If you create silly rules then you can expect people to toy and exploit them to their advantage.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

True!

[@EdwardCurrent]

Smart guy. One of many reasons why he's on top. I'd say if this strategy gets around (which I'm sure it will) they may have to make a rules tweak mid-season, like they did a few years ago with the ridiculous transfer rule.

[@blakeattig5426]

Scherzer will find a different strategy anyway if that happens

[@thomascrowley9122]

They'll definitely have to change that

[@jimmyburns4681]

Scherzers a beast! It's going to b a very interesting season.. Great video bro

[@MrMaelstrom07]

I'm actually somewhat disappointed in Max that he tipped his hand and given away good strategy in spring training. He should have kept this strategy in his back pocket for the regular season. Now batters will have a chance to practice against it and umpires can be instructed to deal with it.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

I was thinking the same thing. Figured he’d wait a bit to use it

[@jeffreywillis4258]

Not a big difference between spring ball and 1st week of regular. You still have just under 160 games to adjust. Also, just because Sherzer did it first doesn't mean the rest of baseball is too stupid to figure it out on their own. This ain't rocket surgery.

[@MrMaelstrom07]

@@jeffreywillis4258 Maybe it's brain science! Lol

[@golfmaniac007]

he needs the practice also. what better way to find the kinks than to do try it in spring training.

[@1bcordell]

@@jeffreywillis4258 Rocket surgery. Never heard that one. If you don't mind, I gonna use that one.

[@ebogar42]

That's why I swing my bat a little while standing. I could stand there one minute and it not bother my timing. I'm never that static. I also move back and forth a little between my front and back foot shifting my weight. By the time they start to pitch I shift my weight back on my back foot and stop the small wing back and forth over my head with the bat. It looks like on this video that the batter can run out that clock by having one foot out, so they could wait until around 6 seconds to step in and then the pitcher can't really surprise you much. You'll be controlling the timing more, and not the other way around where the pitcher is in control of the timing.

[@brianhatfield2255]

Great analysis. My strategy would be to get in the box early, dug in, at ease rest with bat on shoulder watching the pitch clock, gathering good swing thoughts, then come into batting stance and look at pitcher with 8-9 seconds on the clock. Take away the clock from the pitcher and use it to my advantage.

[@steviejayarr]

My understanding is that if a pitcher knew your tendency, he could just time it so that he’s throwing a split second after you have to look up

[@claudesledge5545]

Antonelli Baseball...thanks for your clarification on the new Baseball rules.

[@FacundoCampazzo123]

More power to Max, but yeesh, this rule is going to be a gigantic pain in the ass for everyone this year.

[@ninetysnano6071]

What an absolute unit, good explanation chief.

[@wire2394]

Man, did the league think about that part when creating this rule.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Don’t think so

[@stephenayers8263]

This is why pitchers should bat. Because if a pitcher pulls this crap they would get a few in their ear until they stop it. But as is I can see there being a massive increase in fights this year because this is going to really tick people off.

[@lee399]

Baseball NEVER thinks before rule changes. Umpires could control pace of game, like they used to.

[@JacobReid]

This is amazing. So glad the pitch clock was introduced

[@Tiger1016.]

I bet we will see the batting averages for catchers start to improve on a relative basis compared to everyone else. This is because catchers are used to having to wait and be ready for every pitch, so they are better equipped mentally to preserve their focus and have it ready to turn on the instant it is finally time.

[@RicG.]

HItters have an advantage now due to infielders not being able to shift to one side of the field. So it's good that pitchers have this advantage, should they choose to use Scherzer's strategy.

[@gregrld]

I think it's amazing and hilarious. Max Scherer is a genius in figuring out how to make the pitch clock work to his advantage. I hope more pictures catch on and pick this up. It goes back to Little League: when you're the batter, once you're in the box you should be ready to swing.

[@jimjoneston1893]

This is the major leagues not little league Lmaoo

[@gregrld]

@@jimjoneston1893 so the batters should have learned how to do it by now.

[@jimjoneston1893]

@@gregrld don’t they get paid millions?!

[@gregrld]

@@jimjoneston1893 yeah to play, and not just stand around.

[@jimjoneston1893]

@@gregrld you’re dumb I’m sorry this is over your head buddy

[@AbsentBias]

Does the new CBA allow for in-season rules adjustments?

[@pumpbustersv1]

This season is going to be extremely ugly if they keep the rules as is. We may see Ricky's stolen bases record go, as holding runners on with only one pick off per batter is going to open a strange can of worms. And the pitchclock seems just terribly thought out.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Yup will be big changes

[@jayseaborg3895]

There have been pitch delivery timing rules since 1900. Just watch a game from 1970 and you will notice a marked difference in how long there was between pitches. Just stand in the box with a relaxed stance. Pitchers held the ball before and there were plenty of games where batters called multiple timeouts, then the pitcher stepped off the rubber, etc. The game slowed to a crawl and it added nothing to the enjoyment of it.

[@SpongeBob5000_]

@@jayseaborg3895 There was no pitch clock or ultra strict, arbitrary rules dictating pace decades ago. Players just played at a faster pace naturally back then. If they were able to play at a faster pace naturally years ago then they are able to do it now without the need of this complete clusterfuck.

[@fishingthelist4017]

Maybe a few small guys who think they are power hitters will realize that they can benefit from the one pickoff rule. If they can just get on base, they can force that one pickoff and then they can run to their heart's content.

[@vincentrobinette1507]

Keep in mind, the pitcher gets 20 seconds, if there are runners on base, instead of the 15 seconds allowed when the bases are clear.

[@richardwheeler3768]

I think that one of the physical abilities that baseball players in general have command of, is "quick twitch" muscle control. The base path is a short distance made for sprinters (think through the steal motion), not distance runners; the swing is a quick, decisive motion, not a discus style movement; the pitch is a "whipping" action of the arm, versus a trebuchet style movement; etc. These guys like to react quickly, many like to "twitch", and now Scherzer has caused his opponents to "lock" themselves in place. What a smart move on his part.

[@brianpulham4033]

The pitch clock is the one rule change that scares me the most. I'm afraid MLB is going to ruin baseball the same way the NBA ruined basketball. For the casual fan this probably isn't a big deal, but if you have spent any time studying the intricacy of the game, this is a huge concern for the future of the game. By the way, I wish you or someone with your knowledge would have been my coach back in the 80's. Great job, you are doing fantastic work.

[@sportscardsandthings]

I'd not put the fault on the pitch clock, but rather advanced analytics which have ruined the watchability of major sports. Sure, it might be the optimal way to play to win but it's not good for the spectator. For basketball its the 3pt shot, for baseball its the three true outcomes. It's happening to every sport.

[@johngoldsworthy7135]

The umpires impact on the game should have scared you decades ago. The game is not as perfect as you make it out to be

[@brianpulham4033]

@@johngoldsworthy7135 You misunderstood me, I never said the game was perfect. The point I was trying to make was, I like the game the way it is. Change is scary for old people, you should know that.

[@julestennisuniverse]

The pitch clock is amazing !

[@zeroeffortmemes]

These rules have changed the game. I personally think for the worse. They've seriously damaged the fundamental aspect of baseball.

[@EB14885]

Agreed

[@MARTINCAM24]

Perfectly said!

[@jaysonjohnson6254]

Agree completely

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Definitely have changed things

[@standuprivera9559]

Great breakdown 💯💪🔥

[@jdot313]

This is freakin atrocious. And not exciting baseball at all. There has to be an even opportunity in the cat and mouse game of timing or else you get this. A complete disadvantage to the hitter. Isn’t MLB wanting offense? Offense draws the average fan that MLB is lacking. They need to revise this.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

I think something will get changed

[@TeemoQuinton]

Hard disagree. Whats attrocious is how long the game has extended since the 70s-80s. Aint no reasin it should be and this is the norm... always shouldve been. The 20 seconds thing has been in the book for DECADES and has never been enforced... like sticky stuff. Which they need to start enfrocing again

[@georgeson1161]

@@TeemoQuinton the biggest reason game time has increased so much is because of commercials in between innings. They’re 90 seconds when they should be 45 seconds at most. It doesn’t take that long to throw 7 warmup pitches

[@Rpcouv]

​@georgeson1161 That's wrong. If you removed all commercials you would see that the game's pace had slowed to a screeching halt between the 80s and 2022. Go back and watch some games from each period. The pitch clock is simply a course correction to get the game back to where it was with a healthy pace and more action.

[@Scoots1994]

Some pitchers look away from the plate pre-pitch, if the hitter then looks away too then the pitcher can't throw in that moment right? Seems some pitchers are going to have to make some changes to their process too (in addition to dealing with the clock).

[@David..]

One thing I like about Scherzer is although he can be a grumpy Gus about rule changes he always seems to find something in the seams he can take advantage of to get better results. A true master of his craft.

[@douglastaylor43]

This makes baseball way more interesting

[@alanberickson]

Can you swing the bat while you're waiting for the pitcher, or isn't that allowed?

[@utahyork3338]

How is the "time" strike credited in the official scoring book?

[@jfunkship]

The stated reason that I understood was to have the game go faster. By allowing the pitcher to hold for 10 or whatever seconds after the batter is ready, isn't speeding things up. A few remedies that may work, 1. if the pitcher doesn't pitch within y number of seconds of the batter coming set, the batter can call time, no limit (or compulsory penalty like the batter failing to be ready to bat in time, make it an automatic ball). 2. the pitcher must wait at least x number of seconds after the batter comes set before they can pitch (or it's a balk).

[@KevinCollects]

Verlander and Scherzer are the next Nolan Ryan

[@paulvonauth7254]

"Max" is the Man!, including Verlander, former Detroit pitchers, best of the best!

[@TheRealKilgoreTrout]

Are hitters no longer allowed to request time while standing in the box getting situated?

[@Tommy.OrginalvideosPhilly]

You are absolutely right I agree with you. This is going to take hours of practice to find a groove or new rhythm

[@joshbakke1783]

I wonder if the rule could allow for hitters to have their hand up(sort of asking for time but not resetting the clock) and get their feet and eyes set prior to the clock getting to 8 seconds. Then when the hand comes down/grabs the bat, the pitcher still has 8 seconds. I get the pitcher and catcher need to be able to communicate what pitch to throw, so their may need to be some details within this.

[@calbo4051]

Messing with the mental game is a powerful tool.. Nobody does it better than Max.

[@memptn01]

I have a question about the "gaze"? If a batter is in the box & his gaze is not towards the pitcher, are they saying the pitcher can't pitch the ball? If not, then why would it matter if his gaze was toward the pitcher? If so, then couldn't the batter use that and stare at the ump or the ground so he could get ready on his time?

[@icyGr3nade]

Excellent break down of the situation. Please keep making videos like this. I just subbed.

[@ebuckets]

They are going to have to update the rule. Max already found a major loophole that gives pitchers a HUGE advantage. Pitchers can adapt to a long static stance but hitters can't for some reason. As the season progresses you will see all pitchers doing this

[@TheRealKilgoreTrout]

Runners will figure out how to exploit pitchers in the windup. Batters will adjust their approach mentally and physcially. Stop putting Max on a pedestal. It's March, spring training, this stupid nonsense Scherzer is exploiting will work itself out.

[@vincentrobinette1507]

The solution's simple...Don't reset the pitch clock. When the batter steps back up, the clock resumes where it left off. That puts some burden on the pitcher, to leave time, to make the pitch after the batter returns from the time-out. That way, the pitcher doesn't get a fresh clock, to hold the batter up. If this happens too much, I'm willing to bet, that the rules will be revised.

[@nicholasdelraso2315]

Great breakdown!

[@MrEricepstein]

Does Vegas have a future bet on how long it will take for the 1st manager get thrown out or there's a bench clearing Brawl over the pitch clock???

[@pupdowg420]

Pitchers are the brains of the team. They've given them the advantage.

[@LouisEvangelista007]

Nice breakdown! Well done

[@blue04mx53]

They've had a pitch clock in the minors for a while. Are the younger players coming up dealing with pitch clocks better than the players that have been in the big leagues for years?

[@rwwilson21]

Max Scherzer knows what the hell he's doing and he's using the clock to his advantage. Good on him!!

[@loganc9441]

What about people like Ken Griffey Junior? Who have a dynamic as opposed to a static at bat stance?

[@manbeast_cs]

Do you think if most pitchers adopt this approach it will cause lower scoring games? This seems to give the pitcher a huge advantage.

[@jadd6810]

That's brilliant!

[@michaelschneider5938]

This will be balanced by rules like the no shift which is an advantage for the batsmen There will be night games this season that conclude with some daylight left, especially at Tigers'home games this summer

[@seanfitzgerald8917]

As a non-pitcher, that was freaking dirty by Scherzer! BUT I LOVE IT!! That's amazing. I usually would take two to three timeouts per AB depending on the situation in the AB and the point of the game. I would have been so screwed but it's a great idea for pitchers to utilize this.

[@MattZRJSRoxy]

and MLB because of Scherzer modified the rules so we now have the Scherzer rule where what he was doing isn't legal anymore.

[@seanfitzgerald8917]

@@MattZRJSRoxy and as a hitter (speaking in generalities) I am glad that that won't work. But I love how Scherzer can mess with people's heads.

[@comacho92]

I wonder how this kind of focus on the hitter by the pitcher and the clock paired with the emphasis on balk calls could lead to interesting disruptions by runners on base. Would be interesting to see if runners would take more chances in this situation if the pitcher is only focused on the mind game with the hitter after he is out timeouts

[@ThekiBoran]

How is it possible to have a shorter game and more offense?

[@Mark-sj3xb]

Would it be too contrarian for me to say I believe thos will actually slow the game up even more?

[@tdematteo01]

I love this. I don’t know if I would have tipped this off in spring training. I would have waited until the start of the season when games count and there is little time for hitters to figure this out. Just the way my mind works.

[@andrewboudreau5279]

Love seeing your analysis. As a former catcher I’m intrigued on how pitcher/catchers are going to handle this as the season goes on. Love what it’s going to bring to the game!

[@lewisanderson1171]

The pitch rule sucks the batter will get a strike call automatically once the pitch time hits zero. That gives pitchers a big advantage when the batters call a timeout and the pitcher is already set. Hitters don't have time to get set. Max Schezer is the best pitcher in our generation.

[@StrateTrippin]

He's used to the time cuz of the triple A rehab assignment. They have a pitch clock and some of the rules follow. From Spring Training from what I notice the newer guys or guys from triple coming up are pretty good at all the pitch count stuff.

[@steveisgood2go]

Great players will always stay ahead, INCLUDING BATTERS