Alex Cora Takes Strong Stance on Controversial Rule Change

With bigger bases, no defensive shifts and new pitch clocks going into effect, MLB games are going to look a lot different this year. Many players and fans aren't too excited about all the changes, however, especially the pitch clock rule given that baseball has always prided itself on being a "timeless" sport with no clocks.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora has some strong feelings on the new pitch clock, which he shared to reporters at Spring Training on Monday.

MLB Pitch Clock

Cora revealed that he is extremely excited about the rule, which stipulates that a pitcher has 15 seconds to throw home with nobody on base and 20 seconds with at least one runner on.

"The pace has been amazing," Cora said of the new rule, which has been on full display since Spring Training games got underway on Feb. 24. He also said there's "no doubt about it that this is the right thing."

As someone who has spent nearly 30 years in professional baseball, Cora knows what he's talking about. While some players and coaches may disagree with him, there's no denying the positive impact on the pace of play.

MLB games have continuously gotten longer over time to the point where the average contest lasted three hours and three minutes during the 2022 campaign. By forcing both hitters and pitchers alike to stop wasting time between pitches, the new rule is expected to shorten games by roughly 20-30 minutes this year.

Although there have been predictable hiccups as players adjust to the new rule, it will be worth it in the long run. Players will get used to the clock eventually, and before long it will be hard to remember games without it.