amna: Opening day for
professional baseball is just
around the corner, and this year
it will be notably different.
Major league baseball has
enacted a series of new rules
intended to make the game more
exciting.
Stephanie sy went to a spring
training game in Arizona to
check out the action.
Stephanie: On a perfect 73
degree day, baseball fans
flooded into Scottsdale stadium.
Spring training is major league
ball without the high-stakes,
explains an 11-year-old.
>> It is relaxing.
They get to learn the new rules.
If they make a mistake, it does
not matter.
>> The match up this game was
between the San Francisco giants
and the Milwaukee brewer's.
Wii gives players a chance to
find their groove before opening
day.
This season, it is particularly
critical.
>> You have new rules.
>> He is the national baseball
write for the San Francisco
chronicle.
>> The pitch timer, the bigger
bases, the ban an--
the biggest rule changes the
pitch clock, which will make the
pace of the game much quicker.
The pitch timer make sure the
pictcher will throw the ball
in time.
>> The giants manager was
initially indifferent about the
new rules.
Now that he has seen them in
action, he is sold.
>> It has been a lot quicker
pace.
We have the same good brand of
baseball.
>> The average length of games
during the first weekend of
spring training was down 23
minutes.
But not everyone is a fan.
What you think about the pitch
clock?
>> I think it is kind of stupid.
>> Why do you think it is
stupid?
>> It is an automatic ball if
they do not throw it in 20
seconds.
>> This 10-year-old likes to
take his time when he pitches.
For the giants pitcher who
usually works fast on the mound,
the rules are not that bad.
>> I got my first violation in
my first inning of spring
training before I even threw a
pitch.
>> How did that feel?
>> Felt like I was at a little
bit of a disadvantage to start.
>> A week into spring training,
this New York mets pitcher tried
to push the boundaries of the
rules to his advantage but he
was called for a balk because he
pitched too soon.
The other major adjustment, the
bases are bigger now.
18 inches across instead of 15.
The distance between home plate
and first base is three inches
shorter.
It is a change that favors
runners and could lead to more
aggressive stolen base attempts.
The giants manager said he is
already singing payoff.
>> We are seeing more stolen
base attempts.
Fans want to see more action and
the a stolen base is an exciting
part of baseball.
The rules are being set up so
you see more of that.
>> This giants fan, who watches
more than 70 baseball games a
year, said the bigger bases are
an offense to history.
>> You have to throw out all the
stolen base records and some of
the hits that will be achieved.
Rickey Henderson, I am sure he
is not too happy about it.
[Laughter]
>> The giants first baseman sees
the perks.
>> The runner has more room to
step on the bag and not step on
your ankle.
>> The last big change involves
how players stand on the field.
Long gone are the days of the
infamous shift.
Players crowd onto one side to
anticipate the direction a power
hitter will direct the ball.
The new rules force two players
to stand on each side of second
base with all of their feet on
the infield dirt when it pitches
thrown.
That means more hits and more
action on the field.
Running, fielding.
>> Some of the old strategy will
be out of the mix and it puts
the onus on the players to be
more athletic.
We are just not going to have
that perfectly optimized
defense of positioning.
>> This brewers fan is taking in
the game without much thought to
the new rules although he says
it was about time.
>> With all the other major
leagues out there- NFL, NBA --
NHL, even -- the emphasis on
making sure there is more
excitement in the game.
MLB was long overdue to make
some changes.
>> It is the game folks in the
1960's and 1970's for up
watching.
The pitchers could not
stall and players took risks.
>> It is a quicker pace and that
is the game I wanted all along.
>> Opening day and a new era for
major league baseball is March
30.
I am Stephanie sy in Scottsdale,
Arizona.
Amna: What you think?