Indians' Miller hopes pace-of-play talks don't turn into 'ugly showdown'

Tensions between Major League Baseball and the MLBPA over proposed pace-of-play rule changes only look to intensify after the players rejected the league's recent proposal.

The players aren't inherently against speeding up the game, but they are opposed to the way the league is going about the potential changes, Cleveland Indians reliever Andrew Miller told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.

"Different players had different issues, and ultimately this wasn't something we supported. But if MLB does implement, our job is to try and go out there and make it work. This is not something we want to turn into a big fight or some sort of ugly showdown about us trying to make a point. MLB thinks they have a way to speed up games. It's really important to them. They've made it abundantly clear. We just don't necessarily love the way they're doing it,'' Miller said.

Related: Players reportedly growing frustrated with union head Tony Clark

Miller is one of four active players elected as association representatives, and has been involved in the discussions. If the talks don't improve, commissioner Rob Manfred could, and is expected to, unilaterally implement a 20-second pitch clock and limit mound visits for the upcoming season.

Players have communicated they would prefer solutions that don't involve a pitch clock, such as revisions to how instant replay is implemented. He said players who have encountered the pitch clock in the minor leagues have not been impressed by it.

"We have guys who are members of our union who have played through the minor-league changes, so we absolutely weighed that,'' Miller said. "There were plenty of anecdotes of it not working. Ultimately, it's going to be a challenge for the umpires as well. You don't want to shave eight seconds off an inning that leads to 45 seconds of arguing."

Talks have, for now, reached an impasse. Union head Tony Clark is scheduled to meet with Manfred next week.