Brandon Guyer on importance of sleep to back pitch timer in MLB - "I approach sleep like it’s a sport"

Brandon Guyer played for seven years at the pinnacle of the MLB. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of the University of Virginia. He understood that in order to advance in the sport, he would need to train harder, eat better, and play smarter than the players with whom he was competing for playing time.

In a conversation with MLB.com, Guyer talked about the importance of a good night's sleep to gain an advantage over his competition in the big leagues.

"It’s time to outsleep the competition. I approach sleep like it’s a sport," he said.

Prior to going to bed, Brandon Guyer started limiting his use of devices. He also turned on a white noise machine and set the thermostat to an optimum sleeping range of 61 to 68 degrees.

Brandon Guyer would carry dark tape with him so he could cover any light source while on the road, including the gentle glow of the thermometer and the red standby light on the TV. He would also push pillows into the bottom crack of the door to block out any light or noise.

"I don’t believe that ‘luck’ is preparedness meeting opportunity.‘Luck’ comes from being disciplined, day in and day out."

"When you do that, you put yourself in the best position to succeed, you CREATE opportunities, and ‘luck’ often comes your way as a by-product," - Brandon Guyer added.

Brandon Guyer was preoccupied with obtaining as close to 10 hours of sleep as his schedule would allow, and he still is, even now that he is a retired player and a father. He believes that his devotion helped him achieve his full potential in the major leagues.

Brandon Guyer in favor of MLB Pitch Timer

The obvious and immediate benefit of MLB using the pitch timer in 2023 is that play will move along more quickly due to the reduction in the amount of time between pitches.

During the previous season, the pitch timer cut average game time in the minor leagues by about 25 minutes. Similar time savings would make for a sharper and more compelling viewing experience for fans in the MLB, where average game time has consistently been three hours or more over the past 10 years.

"Pitch Timer: How the pitch clock will increase pace of play," - MLB

Over the course of 162 games, the impact of shorter games might be significant.

MLB's hidden weapon is sleep. The fact that teams play a game without a time limit almost every day of the season makes it the only professional sport with such advantages and disadvantages. By shortening the game time, players can get more rest while playing back-to-back games and series during the regular season.