Last Updated on July 3, 2021 by
Mound visit remaining! This isn’t some statistical play even though it seems like it. Instead, it is simply a counting measure that tells how many visits a team is allowed to take during the time left in a game according to the major league baseball rules in 2018. Later on, in 2020, each team was given five mound visits per game. While this might seem to be straightforward and easy when you take a look at how many times extra personnel outside the pitcher walks up to the mound. You would notice that there are some technicalities and exceptions to the rules.
A Table Showing The Years Rules Changed Concerning MVR
| Year’s MVR rules changed | Rules |
| 2016 | Only visits from the dugouts were allowed. It was counted as a visit when it was done by a coach or manager. Although, it was later extended to everyone on the pitch to increase the pace of play. |
| 2018 | Teams were given six free mound visits for a nine-inning game and one free visit for each extra inning. |
| 2019 | The visits were lowered to five. Here they didn’t count a discussion between the pitcher and infielder during a game that didn’t warrant any of them to leave their position as a mound visit. |
The Pitcher’s Mound
The pitcher’s mound which is also known as the hill is the part infield where there is a raised dirt. The mound is located at the center of the infield. Behind the center of the mound, there we have the pitcher’s rubber which he is obligated to touch with his pivot foot while preparing for the pitch and also making the pitch. The mound must be well kept because the pitcher depends on good footing to deliver. He might sleep and sustain injury if he doesn’t.
Mound Visit
Members of the coaching staff are allowed only one mound visit per pitcher and per inning without taking the pitcher away from his position. If a pitcher is visited twice in one game, the pitcher is taken away from the game. These mound visits are just for 30 seconds and your time starts from when the umpires have granted your visit and you have left the dugout. Mound visits are concluded when the coach leaves the 18-foot circle encircling the pitching rubber. Although, they are permitted to leave that circle to inform the umpire about a substitution. If this were to be the case, the manager or coach is allowed to go back to the mound without it being counted as two visits.
Each team is limited to five mound visits per nine innings. However, teams are given an extra visit for every extra inning being played. Whenever a manager, coach, or player visits the mound, under this rule, it counts as a visit. Although, during the rainy season, visits made to the mound to clean cleats, check on a possible injury, or after the statement of an abusive substitution is anticipated. As we have said before, a normal conversation between a player and a pitcher that doesn’t require any of them to move from his position on the field is not a visit. If a team has no visits remaining, the umpire is allowed to award a quick visit at the catcher’s request. This happens only when a cross-up has taken place between the catcher and pitcher.
Purpose Of Mound Visits
Mound visits are mainly to speak to the pitcher when he is in distress, maybe to calm him down and discuss strategy. For most mound visits, the catcher is always present, and some other infield players if the visit is about strategy. A request for a translator can be made if language is a barrier between them. Normally, the first free visit is made by the pitching coach, and then the second one is made to remove the pitcher by the manager. Visits made by players, not managers count towards the game total except when it is to remove the pitcher.
History Of the MVR Rules
Mound visits were not limited in baseball until the 2016 season when major league baseball began the restriction by limiting the time of visits to 30 seconds. The rule that constrained each team to six mound visits was put in place in the 2018 season. After this, a campaign was held and it was put down to five visits per nine innings in 2019. In previous times, the only restriction to mound visits was the one that would make a pitcher removed from the game if he was visited twice in one inning.
Are There Any Exception To The Mound Visits?
Yes, with the consent of the umpire, a coach or manager, and maybe another player can visit the mound without getting penalized for these reasons:
If the pitcher has in some way sustained an injury, if the catcher got crossed up with his signs, maybe an infielder wishes to get his spikes cleaned, or when the offensive team brings in a pinch hitter.
Why Are There Limits To Mound Visits?
Without the limits put on mound visits, games are longer. Major League Baseball started limiting mound visits in 2016 because of this reason, and to reduce the number of times the game is being stopped by a coach or catcher to visit the mound, the restriction increased in 2018.
Is The Limitation Of Mound Visits Frowned Upon By Players And coaches?
Yes, the issue here is the limit on mound visits, traditionally, there used to be no limits on mound visits. The new rule has put in six non-pitching change mound visits in one game. Manfred once said that a mound visit isn’t just an ordinary visit from the manager and the coach. Anytime the catcher walks up to the pitcher from his position, that is a mound visit. Whenever another player walks up to the pitcher to discuss with the pitcher, it is also a visit. Also whenever anyone goes to the mound, it is called a visit unless it is for an injury check or pitch change. It is a mound visit.
Closing Thoughts
The truth is, whenever these mound visit rules are broken by any player, there is no penalty for it. We’ve reached the end of this informative article. We hope that this article helped you find resources in your quest to know what an MVR is in baseball. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments. Thanks!
