Renteria: Enforcing rules can speed pace of play

CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Rick Renteria said baseball may be able to speed up the pace of the game if it simply enforced some of the rules already in the books regarding how much time a pitcher has to throw and a batter has in the box.

On Monday, Major League Baseball announced that it was forming a new committee to study the pace of game. The goals of the committee will focus on decreasing the time of games and improving the overall pace of play in the 2015 season and beyond.

"I know there are a lot of rules already in the books in terms of trying to speed the game up, in terms of umpires making sure pitchers deliver the ball to the plate [in a timely manner]," Renteria said Monday. "[The umpires] can enforce that. As managers and coaches, when we sit here and watch the tempo and pace of the game with some pitchers, it's kind of a turtle's pace, and can be a little disheartening, and your defense gets a little lax. You want those guys to get the ball and know what they want to do and keep the game moving. That's a part of it.

"In time, as it all shakes out, now with instant replay and all the other things going on with television, the game seems to take on a little more time. I'm sure it can be improved."

Renteria said he didn't feel instant replay slowed down the games too much, adding the review time often depends on how many views the crews have to look at plays.