“Derek Jeter Wouldn’t Survive In This Era” | Geoff Blum’s Controversial Reaction To New MLB Pitch Clock

“Derek Jeter Wouldn’t Survive In This Era” | Geoff Blum’s Controversial Reaction To New MLB Pitch Clock

by | Feb 25, 2023 | 5TH SLOT

The new MLB pitch clock claimed its first victim in San Diego Padres’ star Manny Machado. The All-Star third baseman was hit with the first violation ever in the Padres-Seattle Mariners Spring Training opener. Machado was assessed an automatic strike after taking too long to get ready for the pitch.

The MLB world had plenty of reaction via social media on the change and how drastically it will affect the game and the routines of hitters, who tend to be creatures of habit and superstition.

Derek Jeter Pulled Into Pitch Clock Reaction  

Somehow, Yankees legend Derek Jeter’s name got pulled into the conversation, when former big leaguer Geoff Blum was discussing the impact of the pitch clock.

 

 

 

“Derek Jeter wouldn’t survive in this era because you can’t put the hand up to call timeout,” Blum said. “They’ve eliminated that.”

Blum was referencing Jeter’s methodical approach to his at-bats, where the five-time World Series champion and Hall of Famer would often put his hand up to buy time in order to get a comfortable dig in the batter’s box.

The pitch clock is all a result of MLB looking to increase the speed of games, giving batters just eight seconds to be ready for the pitch. Even Machado admitted that players will be unaccepting of the new rule at first, which according to MLB sources was also implemented to increase action and excitement in the game.


MLBbro Legend Derek Jeter Joins MLB On Fox Team

Since stepping down as Miami Marlins CEO in February of 2022, Jeter has slowly made his way back to the Bronx where he could eventually serve in an advisory role of some sort. There were rumors that he would return to the BX in a front office capacity after leaving Miami, but that never materialized. But for now, the biggest media splash outside of Michael Irvin’s bizarre hotel tales during Super Bowl 57 week was Jeter being introduced as the next member of the MLB on Fox broadcast team.

Jeter brings years of experience and championship pedigree, where he will join his former frienemy and teammate Alex Rodriguez. The two former poster boys for baseball survived a rift in what was once a close friendship. The fracture  started when Rodriguez made some public comments to a magazine that Jeter found disparaging, effectively ending their friendship, which morphed into a rivalry fueled by the media. When A-Rod joined the Yankees, he agreed to move to third base to accomodate Jeter. The tandem managed to win a World Series together in 2009, the Yankees’ last title as a franchise.

Would Pitch Clock Have Hindered Derek Jeter?

As far as Jeter being any less effective with a pitch clock, well, players of Jeter’s all-time caliber adjust to changes in the game. while that one change might create some initial difficulties, Jeter is a poor example to use as a player whose game would suffer because of certain MLB rules changes. Adapt or die is a baseball player’s mantra, so that’s exactly what a 20-year MLB star and face of his generation such as Jeter would do.