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MLB Tweaks Replay, Announces Pace Of Play Changes

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The pitch clock won't get a call-up in 2015, but Major League Baseball is taking small steps to address pace of play.

The league and the players' union announced an agreement Friday to enforce the rule requiring a hitter to keep at least one foot in the batter's box in most cases. MLB also will post stadium clocks timing pitching changes and between-inning breaks.

MLB did not institute many of the ideas experimented with during the Arizona Fall League, such as a 20-second clock between pitches, a limitation of pitcher's mound conferences involving catchers and managers, and no-pitch intentional walks.

Penalties for violating the new rules start May 1 and will involve only fines, and MLB said it is likely to announce only fines involving repeat flagrant violators.

In the AFL, strikes and balls were called as penalties.

"I think it's something that's going to take some time," San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris said. "You've got guys playing for seven, eight years that have always stepped out of the box and taken a practice swing."

MLB cannot make unilateral changes to playing rules without the union's consent unless it gives one year prior notice, so an agreement was necessary for any 2015 alterations. The World Umpires Association also approved.

"The players believe that enforcing the rules that currently exist regarding between-inning breaks and plate appearances is the best way to address the issue of pace of play," union head Tony Clark said in a statement. "We're confident that today's announcements will have a positive impact on the pace of the game without jeopardizing the integrity of the competition."

The average time of nine-inning games was a record 3 hours, 2 minutes last year, up from 2:33 in 1981.

"These changes represent a step forward in our efforts to streamline the pace of play," said Rob Manfred, who took over from Bud Selig as commissioner last month. "The most fundamental starting point for improving the pace of the average game involves getting into and out of breaks seamlessly."

The rule requiring hitter's keep a foot in the box contains many exceptions, including swinging at a pitch, getting forced out by a pitch, calling time, faking a bunt and wild pitches and passed balls.

The clocks will be installed on or near outfield scoreboards and on facades behind home plate, near most press boxes. Inning breaks will be counted down from 2:25 for locally televised games and 2:45 for nationally televised games. Pitchers must throw their last warmup pitches before 30 seconds remaining, with exceptions if the pitcher or catcher is on base when the previous half-inning ends.

MLB will make a donation to the union's charitable foundation based on compliance with the new rules.

The sides also announced changes for the second season of expanded video review by umpires.

Managers no longer will have to leave their dugouts to call for replays, unless the play in question ends an inning and the defensive team must be kept on the field. In addition, plays involving whether a runner left a base early or touched a base on a tag-up play will be subject to video review for the first time.

Replay was introduced to MLB last season and was met with mixed reviews. Among the criticisms was that managers quickly learned they could stall an umpire by arguing on the field while someone in the dugout determined whether a call would likely be overturned.

Managers no longer will have to leave their dugouts to call for replays, unless the play in question ends an inning and the defensive team must be kept on the field. In addition, plays involving whether a runner left a base early or touched a base on a tag-up play will be subject to video review for the first time.

Addressing pace of play has become one of MLB's biggest initiatives. The pitch clock will be experimented with in Double- and Triple-A this season, though it's unclear when -- or if -- that sort of radical change will make its way to the majors.

"I'm a fan of the pitch clock," Manfred told the Associated Press after taking over as commissioner in January. "I think the best endorsement of it is that some of the people involved in the game that you would regard to be on the more traditional spectrum were converts."

The pitch clock was first used in the AFL, where the average game took 10 minutes less to complete in 2014 than without the technology the prior year, according to FOX Sports.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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