I'm piggybacking on this comment. I think batters are just better than they used to be. Maybe pitchers don't throw many more pitches in a game than yesteryear (I don't have any data at my fingertips) but I think the game is just better, and a little more thought needs to go into those pitches. An extra few seconds for each pitch doesn't hurt an at-bat, but it sure adds up by the end of the game. I think the best way to speed up the game is to empower younger umpires to keep the game moving, and consider that when promoting them through the levels. Younger players will be accustomed to a slightly faster pace as they themselves are promoted. Nothing like an umpire pointing at the pitcher to get the batter's attention (or vise versa). I think it's already in the rule book that a ball or strike can be called for delay of game. That's to say nothing of when runners are on base. I am against any rule limiting throws to first, and I'm not sure how you would prohibit a pitcher from stepping off the rubber and resetting, which slows the game down. All that said, the pitch clock isn't really the eyesore I was afraid it would be, so that can stay.