# PITCH CLOCK CONTROVERSY PREDICTED TO EXCLUDE PLAYERS... KBO NEEDS TO COME UP WITH MEASURES QUICKLY The half-baked introduction caused opposition on the spot... We must declare that it will not be implemented this year. In the early days of professional baseball exhibition games, the 'pitch clock', which strictly measures the interval between pitches between pitches, has emerged as a hot topic. With the opening of the exhibition game on the 9th, the controversy is heating up as some field leaders publicly expressed their opposition to implementing a pitch clock this season. The KBO secretariat has decided to introduce the pitch clock to Korean professional baseball this year, which was introduced last year in Major League Baseball (MLB) and has had a great effect in reducing game time, and is currently operating it in demonstration games. **[카지노사이트킹](https://www.casinositeking.com)** According to pitch clock regulations, a pitcher must pitch within 23 seconds when there are runners on base and within 18 seconds when there are no runners on base. In addition, the batter must complete preparations for hitting when the 8 second mark appears. If this is violated, the pitcher will be judged a ball and the batter will be judged a strike. The KBO secretariat decided to pilot the pitch clock in the first half of the 2024 season and then review whether to officially implement it in the second half of the season. The problem is that the voices of players, who are parties to the application of the new system, were completely excluded during the discussion and decision to introduce the pitch clock. It was controversial from the beginning. The reason why field officials, including players, are more opposed to the pitch clock than to the automatic pitch judgment system (ABS), which is being implemented from this year's regular season through the same procedure, is because it has not been sufficiently reviewed and tested. The KBO Secretariat has piloted ABS in the Futures (Second Division) League for four years since 2020. The decision to introduce the first team was made in a situation where operational know-how was accumulated and the psychological resistance of players and coaches was greatly reduced. However, the pitch clock is a system that has not yet been tested in the [Futures League](https://disqus.com/channel/discusssports/discussion/channel-discusssports/lg_one_two_punch_ens_kelly_pitches_well_in_the_opening_game/). Except for a few club players who experienced the pitch clock during spring training, most players are experiencing the pitch clock that they only see on TV in exhibition games. In addition, in order to avoid violating the pitch clock, there must be a 'pitch com', a mandatory electronic device in the form of a band worn by pitchers, catchers, and fielders to reduce the time required to exchange signs, but this has not even been introduced. There is no company developing this in Korea, and if you want to use an imported product used by MLB, you must obtain radio wave certification from the government. KBO President Heo Heo-yeon strongly pushed for the introduction of a pitch clock this season, and the board of directors, made up of presidents of 10 clubs, approved it as they were focused on the goal of reducing game time. However, the Professional Baseball Players Association, the players' representative organization, did not say anything about the discussion on introducing a pitch clock and only notified the board of directors of the decision. An official from the players' association said on the 11th, "It is not that players are opposed to the implementation of the pitch clock," and "I think it would be good to take some time and apply it in practice after sufficient testing." The Players Association plans to collect pitch clock opinions from players from 10 teams during the exhibition game. If the atmosphere on the field is not favorable, the KBO must quickly officially declare that the pitch clock will not be implemented this year to prevent confusion. This is because the vague expression, ‘After pilot operation in the first half of the year, whether to apply it in the second half of the year will be reviewed,’ could further encourage confusion. This is the reason why KT Wiz coach Lee Kang-cheol's remark was honest when he asked, "Why would a team that had good performance in the first half agree to (the pitch clock, which could be a variable in the second half)?" Taking this incident as an opportunity, it seems necessary to listen to players' opinions regarding the new regulations through official channels. Through a labor-management agreement, MLB forms a game committee of 11 members, including 6 club representatives, 4 player representatives, and 1 referee, to decide on major issues directly related to the game, such as introducing new regulations and revising rules. Since the club's personnel are in the majority, there is a high possibility that the conclusion will be in line with the [MLB Secretariat's](https://www.behance.net/gallery/194337741/Seo-Geon-chang-and-Lee-Jae-won-Hit-Home-Runs) intention, but it is important to reach an agreement by reflecting the opinions of the players, even if it is just a formality.