MLB may finally have a popular rule change with its new pitch clock

Baseball games are getting shorter as pitchers and batters are forced to quicken play. It may help bring in the younger fans the game craves

Major League Baseball's hottest new star is the talk of spring training. No, it's not some big-name prospect. It's not a human being at all, in fact, but rather a timekeeping device. Yes, the buzz is all about how baseball is incorporating the pitch clock into its everyday routine, as those behind the scenes attempt to revitalize a game struggling to keep pace with the modern world.

For years, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has been tweaking the rules to shorten the length of games - presumably to attract younger fans as contests have become longer over the years - without alienating the traditionalist bent of its core audience, a feat akin to a hippopotamus trying to walk a tightrope. The most notable innovation" prior to this offseason had been the introduction of an additional baserunner in extra-inning games as way to avoid extended stalemates. Most fans have not warmed to the idea - but those actually working games like it, so it's here to stay for the foreseeable future.