A season of seismic changes for baseball gets underway Thursday highlighted by significant new rules designed to speed up the pace of play and create more action on the field.
Major League Baseball also hopes fans noticed more transparency around replay reviews and efforts to boost marketing of players.
Improved replay technology and a refreshed marketing strategy designed to focus on players were among the notable changes unveiled at MLB's Innovation and Fan Engagement Showcase on Tuesday.
The sprawling replay facility resembles a television production truck and features workstations with umpires assigned to two games simultaneously with a replay operator, who required about four to five weeks of training.
Once a close play is spotted, they notify another group watching the isolated angles from television feeds.
"Us having access to all the angles at the ballpark is what leads us to be faster and faster every year," said Jim Sensale, director of replay operations. "We're hoping to have the call before they even come to headset."
In terms of feedback from current umpires, Sensale said the feedback is positive
"They love it now," Sensale said. "They don't want to be in the papers for getting the call wrong. They know they have this backup system and we're going to get the call right in here and help them out on the field."
The new feel of the replay room was unveiled about two weeks after MLB reached a deal with Zoom Video Communications Inc. allowing on-field umpires to watch the replay operations center evaluating contested calls.
Another new feature of the replay room includes limited number of telecasts getting access to the Zoom videos being seen by umpires on Apple TV+ and MLB Network Showcase telecasts. New technology may also become available for postseason broadcasts, and ballpark videos will have access to the Zoom views on telecasts.
The new quicker pace of replay decisions is in conjunction with new initiatives cut down the average time of game. The average time of a spring training game dropped about 26 minutes this season, to 2 hours, 35 minutes.
The reduced time occurs after respondents to MLB's fan research said they wanted to see games lasting less than three hours and more events such as doubles, triples, stolen bases and defensive plays.
"Two pretty self-evident themes emerged from that research," MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Morgan Sword said. "The first was that fans want a pretty crisper pace of play. They want shorter games, pace to be improved.
"And when you asked them an open-ended question, how long do you want a baseball game to be, the immediate answer is two hours and 30 minutes."
According to Sword, last year the average time between seeing a ball put in play was nearly four minutes and stolen bases were up by nearly 50% during spring training.
"Players that have the ability to steal bases are exciting, athletic players who we want to see more of on rosters and fans want to me of in the game," Sword said.
MLB also unveiled several new ads highlighting the rule changes, including one where actor Bryan Cranston says "Shift This" in an ad focused on the outlawing of infield shifts. Another features Mets designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach contemplating stealing a base because of decreased distances between bases.
MLB also held its first ever player marketing session last month in Arizona. Twenty-eight players from 13 teams participated in seminars involving lifestyle photoshoots, personality driven content and capturing content for social media.
"I think it was an opportunity that we put some resources behind and finally highlight the process and relationships discussions with players and their management," Karin Timpone, MLB Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer said.
CTVNews.ca is featuring live U.S. election results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
A divided America weighed a stark choice for the nation's future Tuesday as a presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancor approached its finale.
These swing states will most likely determine the path to the presidency, with candidates needing to win some combination of votes to get them across the 270 mark to secure a majority.
This is a guide to poll closing times and includes notable down ballot races – both competitive and not.
Voters in nine states are deciding whether their state constitutions should guarantee a right to abortion, weighing ballot measures that are expected to spur turnout for a range of crucial races.
Exit polls are a set of surveys that ask voters whom they voted for, as well as additional questions about their political opinions, the factors they considered in the election and their own backgrounds more broadly.
Journalists from multiple news organizations have been denied credentials to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s election night watch event in West Palm Beach, Florida, in retaliation for their coverage of Trump’s campaign.
Donald Trump is refusing to say how he voted on Florida's abortion measure -- and getting testy about it.
The Canadian government says it has raised concerns directly with Russian officials after media reports this week revealed an alleged Russian sabotage operation. The alleged plot included plans to send parcels packed with incendiary devices aboard aircraft destined for Canada and the United States.
The wind was a "major factor" in a caught-on-camera crash on the Trans-Canada Highway in B.C. on Monday, according to authorities.
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One of Canada's most vital trade arteries is cut off as employers at most of British Columbia's ports lock out their workers in a dispute involving about 700 unionized foremen.
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
The provincial and federal governments are reminding Albertans to "Rat on Rats!" with a new information campaign.
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Former military defence contractor Leonard 'Fat Leonard' Francis was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for masterminding a decade-long bribery scheme that swept up dozens of U.S. Navy officers, federal prosecutors said.
Journalists from multiple news organizations have been denied credentials to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s election night watch event in West Palm Beach, Florida, in retaliation for their coverage of Trump’s campaign.
The US$1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes that Elon Musk's political action committee is hosting in swing states can continue through Tuesday's presidential election, a Pennsylvania judge ruled Monday.
These swing states will most likely determine the path to the presidency, with candidates needing to win some combination of votes to get them across the 270 mark to secure a majority.
Spanish authorities said Tuesday that 89 people are confirmed to be missing one week after the catastrophic floods in the eastern Valencia region. It is the first figure of the missing to be made public.
The Canadian government says it has raised concerns directly with Russian officials after media reports this week revealed an alleged Russian sabotage operation. The alleged plot included plans to send parcels packed with incendiary devices aboard aircraft destined for Canada and the United States.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly defends the purchase of a $9 million condo for the Consulate General of New York City at a parliamentary committee, as a necessary investment.
Information commissioner Caroline Maynard is slated to answer questions from MPs today on her proposed reappointment.
Doctors say they are seeing an unusual spike in walking pneumonia cases in parts of Canada, particularly in kids, but their message for parents is not to panic, as treatment options are available.
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New research from the University of Oregon finds the annual practice of ‘springing forward’ into daylight time affects productivity more than previously thought.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
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Elon Musk’s X has been modified so that accounts you’ve blocked on the social media platform can still see your public posts.
A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in 'The Wizard of Oz' is on the auction block nearly two decades after a thief stole the iconic shoes, convinced they were adorned with real jewels.
In another news release littered with Taylor Swift references, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation announced the winner of its "Concert of a Lifetime" giveaway Tuesday.
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Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said at an all-hands meeting on Tuesday that the plan to require employees to be in-office five days per week is not meant to force attrition or satisfy city leaders, as many employees have suggested.
Business groups say the work stoppage at B.C. ports is the latest in a run of supply chain disruptions affecting Canadian companies and the country's economy.
An Ontario judge says any outstanding issues regarding a proposed $32.5 billion settlement between three major tobacco companies and their creditors should be solvable in the coming months.
Dreaming of a beach vacation? My guess is you’re picturing a palm tree. Fantasizing about life on a remote island? You’re probably envisioning a walk among birds of paradise, cannas and bananas. Nothing conjures up the feeling of the tropics like giant, lush-leaved plants, and if you live in the tropics or subtropics, you get to enjoy them year-round.
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A man who took in an orphaned squirrel and made it a social media star vowed Saturday that New York state's decision to seize and euthanize the animal 'won't go unheard.'
A woman accusing Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting her in a Dublin hotel in 2018 testified in an Irish court on Tuesday at the start of a civil case seeking financial damages against the mixed martial arts star.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was suspended by the NBA on Tuesday three games without pay for shoving a member of the media.
Auston Matthews is taking a seat. His teammates will try and fill the void.
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Several Ford vehicles have been recalled in Canada due to issues with braking systems, steering and child car seat tethers.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
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Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
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The wind was a "major factor" in a caught-on-camera crash on the Trans-Canada Highway in B.C. on Monday, according to authorities.
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CTVNews.ca is featuring live U.S. election results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Police have closed all eastbound lanes of Highway 401 in Whitby due to a collision.
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Friends of Medicare says while Tuesday's announcement of financial support for Alberta's rural health initiatives is welcome news, frustration is continuing to mount over the government's perceived lack of action on its promised physician compensation model.
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Ottawa firefighters were called in the early hours of the morning to a fire that caused serious damage to three single-family homes in Orléans.
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Oilers forward Jeff Skinner told media after an optional practice on Tuesday that the team's numerous shot opportunities will eventually turn into goals but that they have to keep up the pace.
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A public memorial honouring former judge, senator and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools, Murray Sinclair, is set to take place in Winnipeg on Sunday.
Finance officials at Winnipeg City Hall are hoping mother nature is kind this winter, as the snow budget is already being pushed over its limit.
CTVNews.ca is featuring live U.S. election results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Swift Current RCMP are on scene of a serious collision involving two vehicles on Highway 4 – about four kilometres south of the city.
Through an annual community hunt initiative, Little Bone First Nation provided food packages to elders and families in the community, along with their urban members within the southeast region.
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Erick Buhr fired his lawyer and unsuccessfully requested a mistrial, a week before a jury convicted him of second-degree murder in the death of his grandmother, Viola Erb.
A Cambridge woman who killed her daughter in 2020 will stay in a mental health hospital after a review board decided she is still a significant threat to the public.
An unusual kind of crime is hitting grocery stores in Guelph and Brantford, as large quantities of butter are stolen off shelves.
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TeleMiracle has announced their cast list, including new and returning hosts and performers, as the fundraiser prepares to put on its 49th show.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in the Temiskaming Shores area of northern Ontario following an attack on a 16-year-old female, police say.
CTVNews.ca is featuring live U.S. election results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
A horse and buggy were hit by an 'inattentive' pickup truck driver on Highway 17 last week resulting in the driver being injured and horse having to be put down, police say.
Malachi Male is ready for the city of St. Thomas to amend their taxi by-law to include rideshare services.
Strathroy-Caradoc council will not implement a flag ban on municipal properties.
Oxford County police are investigating after a crash late Monday night involving a tanker truck and a passenger vehicle caused injuries in Zorra Township.
The former friend of a woman accused of falsifying documents to pose as a nurse in Simcoe County for four years claims the accused stole her identity.
Provincial police are investigating the death of one person following an incident involving a Canadian Pacific Kansas City train in Oro-Medonte.
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As Americans cast ballots for the country’s next president, Michigan once again emerged as a crucial battleground in a highly competitive race.
Windsor police say a 50-year-old man is facing 16 charges, including attempted murder, after a shooting in south Windsor.
Tom Lucier isn’t new to vandalism, but wasn’t expecting to get hit before his new place on Erie Street East opens.
A Victoria woman who admitted to skimming more than $340,000 from her employer has been sentenced to three years in prison.
CTVNews.ca is featuring live U.S. election results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
This year on Remembrance Day, veterans past and present will be given the opportunity to travel via public transport for free.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
Election polls are closing across the United States as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump battle for the presidency. Many southern Albertans have an interest in the outcome.
A Lethbridge police officer has been charged in connection with a physical altercation that took place while he was on duty at a holding facility.
Lethbridge crews are working to repair three separate water main breaks throughout the city.
As Americans decide the future of their country Tuesday, the presidential election is a major event for Canadians, too. That's especially the case for border cities like Sault Ste. Marie, where residents are especially tuned in.
A judge has ruled that a $510 million legal bill in the landmark $10 billion Robinson Huron Treaty settlement should be reviewed.
A 44-year-old man from Goulais River has been charged with several child pornography and related offences.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
School staff are being struck more often, students are fighting more frequently, and police are increasingly being called to school grounds, according to data compiled and released this week by the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association.
Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has issued a warning about the province's financial position as the government announced it would finish the 2024-25 fiscal year with a higher-than-expected deficit.
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