HOUSTON – Houston Astros’ Luis Garcia’s signature pitch, called “rock the baby” is now deemed illegal, beginning this season.
The rule change, regarding pitch timing, was announced to the team by Major League Baseball last December, according to MLB.com.
Recommended Videos
Garcia’s signature windup is described as rocking his arms back and forth, then taking one step forward and one step back before pitching the ball to the batter.
Sign up for KPRC 2′s ‘Houston Sports Daily’ newsletter here!
According to NBC Sports, citing the league, in an effort to increase the pace of play, there will be a 30-second clock implemented between batters. Between those pitches, a 15-second timer is turned on when the bases are empty, and a 20-second timer if runners are on base.
However, Garcia will still be able to step back and step forward before pitching the ball to stop the timer.
Astros pitching coach Josh Miller told MLB.com that Garcia’s pitching season “may look a little different this Spring.”
“We just had to get a hold of (Garcia) and told him that it might not be allowed, so we need to practice something a little more traditional,” he said.
RELATED CONTENT:
Astros sign RHP Cristian Javier to 5-year contract extension in $64M deal
What’s going on with the Astros as Spring Training is set to begin