Yankees' Luis Severino, Aaron Boone fume over 'stupid' pitch clock call

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino and manager Aaron Boone are still experiencing some difficulties with the new MLB rules late in Spring Training. 

As shared by Dan Martin of the New York Post and Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Severino was preparing to pitch to Austin Meadows of the Detroit Tigers in the top of the fourth inning of Tuesday's exhibition game with nobody on base when the right-hander was called for a pitch clock violation that resulted in ball four and a walk. 

Severino vehemently disagreed he hadn't started his motion on time. 

"That was stupid," he said of the call. "I still think that was not a violation because I saw the clock and it was still at two [seconds] and I started doing the windup." 

For a piece published on Feb. 13, ESPN's Jesse Rogers noted that a pitcher will be charged with a ball per the new rules if he does not begin "the motion to deliver a pitch" before the clock expires. Boone suggested that Tuesday's call was related to a mistake made by a buzzer operator who incorrectly signaled the plate umpire about Severino's supposed infraction. 

"I don’t know if it was the operator getting excited to buzz for the first time," Boone remarked. "I had an issue with that, and I’m right." 

Pittsburgh Pirates veteran pitcher Rich Hill, New York Mets ace Justin Verlander and Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo are among MLB players who have publicly spoken about pitch clock issues impacting both pitchers and hitters this spring. 

The Athletic's Evan Drellich reported Monday that MLB could make some "tweaks" to the new rules for the upcoming season after "players and the union have continued to express various concerns publicly and privately." 

Miller wrote that Boone, other managers and league officials will participate in a conference call on Friday to discuss those possible "tweaks" ahead of Opening Day on March 30. 

"Overall, I like the clock," Boone added during his comments. "I think it’s been great. I think it’s going to be great. But there’s probably a few nuanced things that, of course, can be better."