Enforce the EXISTING 12 second rule between pitches without asking the players union for permission!

My post from NINE years ago:

On The Clock. Sunday, March 24, 2013

How many times have you heard some moron rhapsodize that baseball is great because it does not have a clock? Incorrect and dumb. There is a clock but it is not enforced and it does not go far enough. Below are some rules that are pertinent. By the way if you want to make yourself sick, cruise through section 8, which covers pitching rules.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2011/Official_Baseball_Rules.pdf

8.04 When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.”
The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball.
The intent of this rule is to avoid unnecessary delays. The umpire shall insist that
the catcher return the ball promptly to the pitcher, and that the pitcher take his position on the rubber promptly. Obvious delay by the pitcher should instantly be penalized by the umpire...

_________________

There could be a conflict between the 12 second rule and the quick pitch rule depending on implementation and interpretation.

If the Major Baseball League (MBL) wanted to enforce these rules it could and it could remove any conflict between the rules.

__________________________

But wait. Pretty much everybody remains oblivious to the twelve second rule. Here's a current example:

Sources: MLB eyes pitch clocks of 14 seconds with empty bases, 19 seconds with runners on by Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer Mar 6, 2022 espn.com/mlb

The union did agree on Sunday to a league request to change the amount of time needed to implement rule changes in three areas: a pitch clock, the size of the bases and the shift. Previously, the league needed to give a year's notice to the union in order to make unilateral rule changes, but now will only be required to give 45 days with those specific rules. The new timeline for rule changes will start in 2023.

In the past, major league players have expressed mixed feelings on the use of a pitch clock, with many veterans coming down against it.

"I know as players, that's something that MLB is trying to negotiate," union subcommittee member Max Scherzer said in 2019. "I don't think there's negotiation here. As players, it just shouldn't be in the game. Having a pitch clock, if you have ball-strike implications, that's messing with the fabric of the game. There's no clock in baseball, and there's no clock in baseball for a reason."

________________________

Yeah, Max, the reason is that you're morons. 90% of baseball is two guys playing catch ... really slowly.

So they want to switch from 12 to 14 seconds? What the heck? Wake the heck up! Say it ain't so!