Yesterday (Tuesday) I think I saw one of the new baseball rules (limit to two pickoff attempts per plate appearance) get broken without being called. Since I thought it would be interesting how the new rules would affect the game, and that one is easy to observe, I’ve been counting on my fingers every pickoff attempt per batter. During the Guardian’s game, while Sears was pitching to Rosario and Straw was on first, I counted three times Sears threw to first. Nothing was called and the announcers didn’t even mention it. But that is what I saw.
Based on the MLB post about the rule change, the rule says:
Pitchers are limited to two disengagements (pickoff attempts or step-offs) per plate appearance. However, this limit is reset if a runner or runners advance during the plate appearance.
No runner advanced, and Sears didn’t catch Straw on his third attempt, so this should’ve been a violation.
I don’t really like the rule, or most of the new ones for that matter.