⚾ In Praise Of MLB’s Pitch Clock

Baseball's time shift is a breath of fresh air and an overwhelmingly great idea. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Baseball’s pitch clock will shake up the game for the better … With Mike McCathy now calling plays, the Cowboys have firmly committed to Dak Prescott as the key to their offense … and more! Many years ago, as a (sometimes) bright-eyed and impressionable college student, my anxiety was sent spiking when a friend told me about a thing called the Death Clock, a rather terrifying early-internet production whereby you input some information and the site began a timer that counted down toward the moment when you were statistically most likely to perish. Such a thing, which may or may not still be in existence (I haven't been brave enough to check), was the ultimate reminder that time is our most precious commodity. After locking my eyes on the Death Clock, I'm not sure what I did next, but the odds are good that it was something more productive than fiddling around on MySpace for the next hour. Anyway, let's stay on the topic of time but turn it to cheerier and less morbid thoughts. What are you — overworked and overtired sports fan — going to do with all your extra free time this year? Huh? Well, Major League Baseball's implementation of a pitch clock is showing enough evidence in spring training to suggest that regular-season games are going to be trimmed by a half-hour or so, which, when spread over a schedule of 162 is akin to gifting the diehards a neat mini-vacation. Whether you parlay that lifestyle bonus into a new hobby, a few extra workouts or, probably, waste it scrolling Instagram, baseball's time shift is a breath of fresh air and an overwhelmingly great idea. There have been some odd moments and a quirky outcome to result from it so far, but Opening Day is still a month away, so better to get things ironed out now. For the rest of the story, [click here.]( [STORY IMAGE 1] [IN OTHER WORDS] - As Mike McCarthy discussed taking over playcalling duties, the Cowboys coach [reaffirmed his commitment to Dak Prescott]( Ralph Vacchiano writes. - Chris Ballard appeared to [temper speculation]( that the Colts will attempt to trade up to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Ben Arthur looks into the option. - Who are [baseball's best designated hitters]( Ben Verlander breaks down his tiers. - With star Justin Moore rounding into shape, Villanova has won six of seven and is suddenly looking [dangerous as the Big East tournament approaches]( John Fanta writes. For the latest news and updates, [click here.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks (TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET) The 76ers head on the road to battle Luka Dončić and the Mavericks. No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers at Wisconsin Badgers (FS1, 9 p.m. ET) The Badgers look to add a huge win to their resume when the Boilermakers visit Madison. LA Clippers at Golden State Warriors (TNT, 10 p.m. ET) Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers clash with Klay Thompson and the Warriors in a Western Conference showdown. For all of today's games and scores, [click here](. [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( Portland Trail Blazers to win the Western Conference (+17500) From FOX Sports NBA Analyst: Ric Bucher Damian Lillard put his team and the rest of the league on notice that he has no intention of missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year with his 71-point performance in his first game since the All-Star break. After all the years Lillard has defied preseason expectations for the Blazers and willed them to winning records (six out of nine, not counting last year when he only played 29 games), I’m not going to bet against him getting them over .500 again, which should be enough to move up from their current spot, 11th, into at least the play-in tournament. And in a one-and-done scenario, experience in facing elimination situations is priceless. If the Blazers make it into the play-in tournament, they will most likely have to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz or New Orleans Pelicans to advance. I like their chances, led by Lillard (61 playoff games), Jerami Grant (35) and Jusuf Nurkic (16). For the latest betting odds, [click here](. 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