Detroit — AJ Hinch walked into the media room after the Tigers completed the doubleheader sweep over the Guardians on Tuesday and cracked, “If you any of you write anything negative about the pitch-timer…”
No chance.
The Tigers completed the second game of the doubleheader, a 1-0 win, in one hour and 50 minutes. That was the fastest game the Tigers have played since Armando Galarraga’s imperfect game on June 2, 2010.
They completed both ends of the straight doubleheader in four hours and 13 minutes. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that was the shortest doubleheader in the big leagues in which both games went nine innings since July 29, 1984, when the Cubs and Mets took four hours and 10 minutes to play two.
The Tigers and Mariners played a doubleheader in four hours, 13 minutes on Aug. 1, 1980.
“I think all of us were a little naïve as to how much dead time there was around the game,” Hinch said. “We know the pace of the game is more important than the time of the game. But it’s been a lot more dramatic than most of us expected.
“When it was first told to us about the pitch clock, it was all about pace and not about shaving 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and like Tuesday probably an hour off the game. It’s been more dramatic than we thought. But I don’t think it has impacted the quality of play at all.”
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky