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College Baseball

College baseball rule change proposals draw ire from fans

Keith Farner

By Keith Farner

Published:

New rule proposals are rankling college baseball fans, as the NCAA on Friday announced potential changes to celebrations, runners on second base in extra innings and in-game action clock changes.

Under the proposal, with runners on base, a pitcher would be required to start the motion of throwing a pitch or making a pickoff throw to avoid violating the action clock.

Pitchers would be allowed one step-off or fake throw to a base per batter to reset the clock.

Here are other proposals:

  • Starting with the 2023 season, celebratory props would not be allowed outside the dugout.
  • All coaching appeals of an umpire’s decision or interpretation of the rules for a play on the bases are to be made at the middle point of the team’s respective foul line. A coach shall not enter the dirt circle for decisions or interpretations of the rules for plays at home plate or for lineup changes.
  • Either by conference rule or mutual consent between the two teams, a game could be completed with one umpire.
  • Either by conference rule or mutual consent between the two teams, all extra innings (10th inning of a nine-inning game or eighth inning of a seven-inning doubleheader game) would start with a runner on second base.

The immediate reaction was that it’s the NCAA outlawing “fun,” and not addressing an age-old problem for college baseball: the 11.7 scholarship limit.

Here’s a sampling of some of the reaction:

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.

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