Pitch clock surprises Cubs’ Drew Smyly: ‘I didn’t think it was going to be an issue’

MARYVALE, Ariz. – Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly shook to a couple pitches before he got the one he wanted. Then, he glanced at the pitch clock. It had already counted down to 1 second. Smyly’s head dropped and shoulders slumped. 

Automatic ball. He started the at-bat down 1-0 to Brewers hitter Tyler Naquin. 

“I didn’t think it was going to be an issue, especially for me,” Smyly said. “I thought of myself as someone that works quick, and you just get the sign and you go. But it was way more prevalent in my head than I was used to.”

Smyly worked the fastest of any Cubs starter last year, averaging well below the 15 seconds now allowed between pitches with the bases empty (9.5 seconds) and 20 allowed with runners on (14.3), according to Statcast. But he felt sped up in the Cubs’ 6-3 loss to the Brewers on Tuesday, his first start with the pitch clock. 

“Honestly, I think I threw four or five pitches where I just kind of picked my leg up and threw it [and] I don’t even know if he knew what a pitch I was throwing because I looked over and the time was up.”

His discomfort showed up in the form of a home run and three doubles, one of which Naquin hit in the at-bat that started with an automatic ball. 

“It’s just an adjustment,” Smyly said. “I could have done a much better job of stepping off, using my disengagements.”

It’s not just Smyly. Catcher Yan Gomes said after his first game of the spring that he “really enjoyed” the rhythm, but he also flagged confusion between innings and batters. On Monday, prospect Brennen Davis was caught in a surprise double violation to begin an inning. Shortstop Dansby Swanson called 15 seconds “pretty freaking quick” and suggested 18 seconds with the bases empty. 

Smyly expects part of the issue will be rectified as he and catcher Tucker Barnhart get to know each other better. The Cubs signed Barnhart, a two-time gold glover, in December, and the pitching staff has already given glowing reviews. 

“He’s very committed,” Smyly said. “He comes up to every pitcher and wants to talk about what you throw, how you want to set guys up. Having him and Yan together is going to be incredible this season.” 

For even the most seasoned catchers, spring training is the venue to get to know how pitchers like to attack different hitters. Teams don’t have detailed game plans in the spring like they do in the regular season because each outing is geared toward getting the pitcher ready for games that matter. So, there will naturally be more back-and-forth on pitch calling. 

This year, pitchers will have the ability to call their own pitches through PitchCom, which in theory could be used to shorten the process when a pitcher shakes. But Smyly isn’t a fan of that idea. 

“I want to know what [my catcher] is thinking,” Smyly said. “… I feel like that’d almost be more of a distraction.”

He had another solution: setting a default pitch, so at least if time runs out, the catcher knows what’s coming.

“Everyone’s happy how fast the games are, that’s for sure,” Smyly said. “… I think by the time April rolls around, everyone will be a little bit more adjusted to it and on a better page. And maybe it won’t be as big of a thing that you notice.”

The Cubs’ longest game this spring lasted three hours and six minutes. Their loss to the Brewers on Tuesday clocked in at two hours and 11 minutes.