JT Realmuto Not Thrilled With Pitch Clock
JT Realmuto has some concerns. The Phillies’ star catcher had some grievances over the pitch clock with the regular season underway, joining a long list of other players and personalities who have voiced their opinions on the subject. After Philly’s 11-7 loss against the Texas Rangers on Opening Day, the All-Star shared his thoughts on the new rule. It was not an ideal verdict.
“I mean, it was a different feel than it was in spring training,” Realmuto said Thursday after his Phillies lost on Opening Day to the Texas Rangers, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. “Obviously, in spring training, the outs don’t matter as much. Here, there’s a plan.
“A million things are going through your head as a catcher and as a pitcher. And you just don’t really have time to evaluate things and decide what you want to do. You just have to go.
“It’s going to take a little time to adjust to, but obviously, that’s not the reason why we lost. They’re going through the same thing. But it’s definitely different. It was a completely different thing. I have never felt that rushed before in big situations. It was weird.”
“As a catcher, your job is to slow down the pitcher,” Realmuto said. “And you can’t.”
JT Realmuto via Matt Gelb, The Athletic
It’s no secret that the clock has its fans and detractors, and the vibes from Spring Training to the regular season can’t be forgotten about.
On the whole, it received good reviews across Opening Day. We also noticed some very good pitching performances. Names like Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman, Shohei Ohtani and Dylan Cease all excelled. However, Phillies’ ace Aaron Nola was not on the money. He couldn’t make it through four innings as he gave up five runs on four hits, striking out four and walking two. Jacob deGrom also struggled in his Rangers debut.
However, it’s only day one. The optimist in me believes that as the games go on, people will be more adjusted to it.
Furthermore, this Philly squad has a lot going on. I personally think it’s safe to say that they have as talented a group as any in the major leagues. They still need to gel after the sad injury to Rhys Hoskins and the acquisition of Cristian Pache. While Realmuto’s concerns are valid, there are still 161 more games to right the ship.
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