Post by wncbravesfan on Jun 2, 2023 7:49:48 GMT -5
Mets’ Max Scherzer reiterates frustration over pitch clock: ‘We’re living and dying by the clock’
NEW YORK — Following the Mets’ 4-2 win to complete a sweep of the Phillies on Thursday, Max Scherzer reiterated his issues with the pitch clock, frustrated because he wasn’t permitted to throw his usual number of warmup pitches before one inning.
“You’re supposed to get eight warmup pitches, and I had seven. I asked (home-plate umpire Tripp Gibson) if I could have the eighth pitch. Can I do my normal routine to warm up? And he’s telling me, ‘It’s the clock, it’s the clock.’ That’s what’s so frustrating. Look, I’m doing my normal routine. Why do we need to step through the game and have the umpires change routines when it’s not my fault for what’s going on here? I’m talking to Tripp, and he’s sitting here saying he can’t do anything about it. If he lets me throw the pitch, MLB gets mad at him.
“This goes back to, why do we need a pitch clock for that situation? If I throw one more pitch, what is it, one second slower? Why can’t the umpire have discretion in that situation, to allow a pitcher to throw his eighth, normal warmup pitch? Why do we have to be so anal about this to have a clock shoved in everybody’s face to snuff out every single second that’s going through the game?
“It’s situations like that that are really frustrating not only for pitchers and players, but even the umpires. Tripp’s handcuffed. Why is Tripp handcuffed to not allow a normal routine? Why can’t Tripp make that call?”
Scherzer has been consistent on this point since spring training: He wants the umpires to have more discretion in administering the clock. He’s gone so far as to argue it should be turned off if the game is moving smoothly.
“Umpires want to have that discretion,” he continued Thursday. “They want to allow the game to be normal. The umpires are frustrated as we are that the game’s not normal and we’re living and dying by the clock. We’re way too far thinking about the clock in every single situation instead of having players have their normal routines.”
After a rocky start to the season, Scherzer has recovered in his last four outings, allowing three earned runs over 25 innings.
“He’s just been Max,” said manager Buck Showalter.
NEW YORK — Following the Mets’ 4-2 win to complete a sweep of the Phillies on Thursday, Max Scherzer reiterated his issues with the pitch clock, frustrated because he wasn’t permitted to throw his usual number of warmup pitches before one inning.
“You’re supposed to get eight warmup pitches, and I had seven. I asked (home-plate umpire Tripp Gibson) if I could have the eighth pitch. Can I do my normal routine to warm up? And he’s telling me, ‘It’s the clock, it’s the clock.’ That’s what’s so frustrating. Look, I’m doing my normal routine. Why do we need to step through the game and have the umpires change routines when it’s not my fault for what’s going on here? I’m talking to Tripp, and he’s sitting here saying he can’t do anything about it. If he lets me throw the pitch, MLB gets mad at him.
“This goes back to, why do we need a pitch clock for that situation? If I throw one more pitch, what is it, one second slower? Why can’t the umpire have discretion in that situation, to allow a pitcher to throw his eighth, normal warmup pitch? Why do we have to be so anal about this to have a clock shoved in everybody’s face to snuff out every single second that’s going through the game?
“It’s situations like that that are really frustrating not only for pitchers and players, but even the umpires. Tripp’s handcuffed. Why is Tripp handcuffed to not allow a normal routine? Why can’t Tripp make that call?”
Scherzer has been consistent on this point since spring training: He wants the umpires to have more discretion in administering the clock. He’s gone so far as to argue it should be turned off if the game is moving smoothly.
“Umpires want to have that discretion,” he continued Thursday. “They want to allow the game to be normal. The umpires are frustrated as we are that the game’s not normal and we’re living and dying by the clock. We’re way too far thinking about the clock in every single situation instead of having players have their normal routines.”
After a rocky start to the season, Scherzer has recovered in his last four outings, allowing three earned runs over 25 innings.
“He’s just been Max,” said manager Buck Showalter.