Today, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to talk about ABS. No, we are not talking about the results of the winter workouts you have been putting in, but instead, we are going to talk about some balls and strikes. MLB has been testing its Automated ball-strike system for the first time at the major league level this spring.
You will find those who hate this system and long for the
days of baseball going back to how it once was, living and dying by the umpire's
call on the field. On the other hand, you will find those who find this system exciting,
as they will say it leads to more accurate balls and strike calls during a
game. You can count me on the
in-between side of things. While it has been nice to see the actual players challenging
balls and strikes without getting ejected, I like that it is solely up to either
the pitcher and catcher or the batter, and while you only get two per game, if
you keep winning, your challenges, then you do not lose one.
The downside would be that I do not want to
take the human element out of the game. Has the ABS shown to be accurate in
identifying the challenges this spring? The answer is yes, it sure has. How is that a bad thing, then? Well, to some, it may not be. I am a
stickler for keeping the game the way it once was. While not always correct,
the human element has led to some memorable moments in baseball history.
Depending on what team you root for, some of those memories can be good or bad.
Many of my friends are unsure whether they like how the game is evolving. Those younger enjoy all the new changes, whether the pitch clock or how many times you can
do a pickoff during an at-bat. The ABS challenge system is another evolution coming
to the big leagues sooner rather than later. I know there is already talk of a
lockout happening after the 2026 season, and I am sure these rule changes will
be front and center of the negotiations among the salary cap talk that will
take the headlines.
The Mets are pretty good at challenging the strike
zone, whether it's Pete Alonso challenging or Francisco Alvarez calling the challenge
behind the plate. David Peterson pointed out that if Francisco Alvarez challenges
a strike, it’s a strike. Mets games are always fun all on their own, but the challenges
we have seen during Spring Training have added a little flair to the games,
especially hearing the SNY booth talk about it, which is always entertaining. The
ABS challenge system will not be in a major league game this season, and while
it’s a new wrinkle that can be fun and exciting at times, the Mets' winning the World Series this October tops it by a landslide.
6 comments:
Hey, Clay, I want umps calling balls and strikes, but am fine with some allowance for challenges. I do NOT want a play disruption again - I wish these parties can stop that garbage every handful of years.
Welcome Clay. I also want only umpires (even if some suck). Not crazy about the challenges, but I guess it's a way to maybe weed out the crappy umps. The only change I actually like is the pitch clock and not being able to bring in 5 relievers in one inning.
Clay
Thank you for doing this
Censure robo umps
Challenges yes, routing calls, no. The ABS system was tested in AAA last year, and I blame it for the regression of several prospect pitchers. They couldn't get the calls they used to with borderline pitches, and had to throw more in the zone, which resulted in more balls being hit hard, more runs scoring, and more pitches thrown per inning. After all, the art of pitching is the art of deception.
The game I know has gone to shit
Remember umpire Doug Harvey
Half the fun of going to a game was yelling at that zagnut after his calls
Wow, Doug Harvey. When I was young my friend's dad used to work in the hotel that the umpires stayed in. They used to give him seats for us right behind Homeplate...great memories
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