# Are conversations between the pitcher and catcher a bad thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [May 4, 2023, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538 "2023-05-04T04:03:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538/21 "2023-05-09T20:40:28Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > what baseball is missing > > You’re not seriously proposing that MLB batters, having stepped inside the batter’s box, should safely be blithely unaware that a pitch might be directed towards them at any moment? I think that is Lesson # One taught in Little League. The previous poster literally stated they should throw when the batter is not ready and unaware a pitch is being thrown. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538/22 "2023-05-09T20:56:27Z")
if his feet are in the box, he needs to be aware at all times. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538/23 "2023-05-10T22:23:31Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I don’t think that that’s a minority opinion – it’s the primary reason why MLB finally instituted a pitch clock this year (and instituted a limit on mound visits a few years ago). Literally saying there should be _no time outs at all_ is absolutely a minority opinion. It’s also clearly unnecessary, as the game is way, way better paced now. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538/24 "2023-05-11T02:49:35Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > if his feet are in the box, he needs to be aware at all times. There are levels of awareness. If you have ever had a 90+ mph pitch thrown towards you then you would understand the heightened level of awareness needed. It’s fucking scary. With the pitch clock they are leaving the batter very little time to get set. Any less would be dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538/25 "2023-05-11T02:54:28Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > > I don’t think that that’s a minority opinion – it’s the primary reason why MLB finally instituted a pitch clock this year (and instituted a limit on mound visits a few years ago). > > Literally saying there should be _no time outs at all_ is absolutely a minority opinion. > > It’s also clearly unnecessary, as the game is way, way better paced now. I agree. I think it was a good improvement and it’s effective. I do understand the purists. If I’m at one of the few games I get to go to in person each year I want to savor the game. I don’t want to have a three hour round trip, spend all that money and have a game clock in at 1:57. I want to sit back and enjoy several beers and food that’s bad for me. But I do watch most of the games on tv and I appreciate the pace. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538/26 "2023-05-11T14:14:19Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Literally saying there should be _no time outs at all_ is absolutely a minority opinion. Yeah, I didn’t fully process @slicedalone 's first post about their “no time outs at all” POV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-conversations-between-the-pitcher-and-catcher-a-bad-thing/983538.md?page=1)