[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by shickenbottom

Twobits the whole 6.02d is directly from Fed and the first sentence of 6.02d says it's experimental. Near the bottom of 6.02d is the "No Pitch Strike" for delay of game. Also in 6.02d it references 6.02c as the penalty for violation.

If I remember correctly the directed pitch has been in the rules for quite a few years.

So now OBR has two rules for the delay of game strike call. One is the "Directed Pitch Strike" 6.02c and the "No Pitch Strike" 6.02d. Now, the doosey of a question, which one to enforce? Hmmmm!!!! I believe the intent here from OBR is to have both in play for a year and then phase one out.

The shennanigans by batters should decrease. Batters can be superstitious in the on deck circle, when you get to the plate, just swing the bat.

You are misreading 6.02(d). The "No Pitch Strike" is in 6.02(c). This rule is now officially adopted. The 6.02(c) "No Pitch Strike" is in effect for batters refusing to take their position in the box. 6.02(d) is for batters leaving the batter's box and delaying the game. In that case, no pitch is required, and the ball remains alive. In 6.02(c), it is a dead ball.