This ritual has been around forever, but it wastes a lot of time. MLB grants two minutes and 55 seconds for a new pitcher to reach the mound and prepare his essential appendage. Every reliever who enters in the middle of an inning robs fans of three minutes of our allotted life spans.
And why does a professional ballplayer need this process? When a backup quarterback trots out on the field, he doesn’t get to make a few practice throws before taking a snap. When a pinch hitter steps to the plate, he doesn’t insist on hitting some soft tosses to hone his stroke. Getting ready is what the bullpen is for, after all.
Abolishing warmup pitches would save a couple of minutes each time a reliever is called, and in the course of what has become a normal game, the minutes would add up. It would also eliminate an empty interlude that holds the attention of nobody in the stands and subjects TV audiences to yet more commercials.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member