Feedback continues to pour in regarding the new pace-of-play rules announced by Major League Baseball on Friday.
The new proposed initiatives to speed up the game are drawing mixed reviews from players, but some may take issue with them more than others.
Veteran players who are religious with their at-bat rituals, like David Ortiz and Troy Tulowitzki, could struggle more adapting to the changes, according to some of their former teammates.
The Boston Red Sox slugger perpetually steps out of the box for lengthy periods to adjust his batting gloves, spit and clap his hands and analyze the defensive shift often employed against him by opposing clubs.
"He's (Ortiz) not going to change now," former Red Sox Will Middlebrooks told ESPN. "And it's going to be hard for them to ride a guy like that, who's put in his time and is such a good player. It's his routine and he's going to stick with it."
Tulowitzki, one of the most feared hitters in the league when healthy, is another player that loves to take his sweet time before stepping in.
"Tulo has a routine down every pitch," former teammate Clint Barmes said. "He steps out and adjusts his batting gloves or whatever and gets back in. It's not like he takes forever. I don't know what they'll do with something like that."
All batters must keep at least one foot in the batter's box unless one of the following exceptions occur under the new rules:
- The batter swings at a pitch.
- The batter is forced out of the batter's box by a pitch.
- A member of the either team is granted a timeout.
- A defensive player attempts a play on a runner.
- The batter feints a bunt.
- A wild pitch or passed ball occurs.
- The pitcher leaves the dirt area of the mound after receiving the ball.
- The catcher leaves the batter's box to give defensive signals.