Managers and general managers said Major League Baseball's attempts to speed up the pace of the game shouldn't create problems for their teams.

Teams were informed via conference calls Wednesday with MLB Executive Vice President Jimmie Lee Solomon that umpires will be more vigilant in the enforcement of matters pertaining to the improvement of pace of game efforts. Each team was represented by two people, the general manager and either the manager or bench coach.

"It was just a reminder that some of the rules that have been put in the last couple of years are going to be enforced," Cubs GM Jim Hendry said. "Nobody's trying to put new rules in in the middle of the season, [this was] just a reminder that the rules that are in are going to be enforced."

Umpires have been reminded not to grant time to a batter who steps out once the pitcher has begun his delivery and to warn a batter lingering outside the batter's box to return to the box.

Umpires have also been instructed to warn a pitcher for his first violation of the 12-second time limit between pitches and to issue a ball for each subsequent violation.

"This is what baseball wants us to do and we do what baseball wants us to do," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "It's not going to affect us, we know the rules and have been following them all along."

Pitchers still have eight warmup pitches but MLB wants to make sure pitchers get back to the mound and hitters get into the batter's box in a timely fashion.

"They can speed it up, but in between innings [for the commercials] are twice as long," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "I like our game. A well-played game, nobody walks away saying the time of game. But if it's a bad game and it's quick ... I just think the game has a flow. If it's a well-played game, well-umpired game, it flows and nobody thinks about it."

Umpires can warn batters who refuse to return to the box and can call an automatic strike on the batter the second time he refuses.

"From what I understand they're going to try [to enforce the rules with penalties]," Francona said. "It's hard because you get in habits that, as a hitter, it's hard to change your routine."

Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez thinks improving the pace of the game is a good idea.

"Nobody wants to sit around for a three-hour and 10-minute ballgame, and things like that," Gonzalez said. "Whatever they can do to the help speed the pace up. Bring the pitchers in a little quicker, and that kind of stuff. Have your bullpen guys ready to go. Not step out of the batter's box. Be ready to go when the TV breaks are over.

"I think this has been in the rules forever. I think they are going about it, and saying, 'Hey, let's pick up the pace a little bit.'"

Conferences on the pitcher's mound will be broken up more quickly, especially when the visitor is not prompt to the mound.

"There are a couple of things that are a little more difficult to mandate as it pertains to managers and pitching coaches having meetings at the mound of short durations, because sometimes there is strategy and gamesmanship going on that is hard to regulate," Atlanta GM Frank Wren said. "But I think for the most part all of the points that were made are things that should be done.

"I don't think there's anything that's going to create any real problems. Getting guys in from the bullpen in a timely manner is one those kinds of things I think are easy and manageable things to do. I do think some of the points may be more difficult to do as it pertains to the strategy during the game."

Cleveland manager Eric Wedge didn't care to give his opinion on speeding up the game.

"I have an opinion on it, but I'm not going to give it," Wedge said. "For my own good, I'm not going to get into it. They've had an agenda with the pace of the game for a while now. They're just being consistent with what they think is important."

While Wedge didn't appear thrilled with the development, Indians first baseman Ryan Garko said he's all for it.

"I wouldn't mind seeing that if it's the same for everybody," Garko said. "But some things are out of an umpires' control. If a pitcher can't find the strike zone, it's going to slow the game down."