So what are everyones thoughts on the ABS debut in Hoover? Sure seems like it will be hard for the SEC not to implement this soon. I, for one, am already angry about outrageous missed ball/strike calls coming over the next few days!
I miss ABS already!
- Thread starter pacificnwdawg
- Start date
considering how many calls were overturn makes you wonder if it has been around for 30 how baseball history would be different.
I am all for it. I am all for using it as the primary means to call all taken pitches.
My only gripe is that this isn’t implemented for every single pitch. The technology obviously exists. It doesn’t slow down the game.
There is zero reason not to. It’s being done in tennis and it’s instantaneous and eliminates all the arguing about in or out. The technology is there, it’s not that expensive & it works. No excuse not to use it when so many umpires are so bad.
Especially when pitches get thrown in the upper part of the zone and get called a ball. The majority of the baseball doesn't have to be in the zone, it just has to touch the outer line of the zone. If they implemented it for every pitch, it shouldn't slow the game down at all. The results are instant.
It would be pretty obvious very quickly if both teams challenged a call in the same game, as to whether the shape of the zone was different. I think everything is proprietary, and run through a 3rd party anyway.
Don’t give the Astros any ideas man!
What’s the roadblock to get this implemented for every pitch in everyone’s view? Tradition? Umps out of a job?
Several reasons:
1) Checks and balances…..umpires get like 95-98% of calls right very easily, because they aren’t terribly difficult. When they do get it right, it’s far more efficient to have them relay the call. Plus the remote possibility of hacking or other mischief. Fairly unlikely, but still need to account for the possibility.
2) Relying solely on a $100k system of hardware, software, and some human interface is risky to do without any backup. If something breaks, putting an ump back there all the sudden creates a huge shift in how the zone is being called. Much easier to let the ump be the primary, and have ABS as the back-up.
That said, I’m on board with doing away with home plate umps as soon as possible, just don’t know if a secure and reliable enough system will be created to allow for it. I don’t think ABS has had enough of a “stress test” to see how well complications can be managed. It’s still just so new. How many redundencies does it have, software backups, freezing or glitching, etc.
Simple answer is plate umpire isnt eliminated. ABS relays ball/strike call to him through an earpiece. He then makes the call. If there’s a glitch or problem with ABS then he can overrule it or make the call manually if needed.
I think that would work well, if there was never a problem or glitch with ABS system. But if there was a problem and the system went down, suddenly the ump is the only option, and there would be a palpable shift in the zone immediately…..both in terms of location and consistency.
I think essentially the ABS has to be proven to be bulletproof before you can remove the umpire element entirely. Once umpires stop being the primary ones judging balls and strikes, I don’t think you can bring them back into that role. Ever.
1. Umpires having to take over would be rare. Very rare. This is. Already being done in tennis & the system is extremely reliable.
2. even in the very rare cases umpire does have to take over (and we’re talking about maybe once a year) it’s not like they’re a model of consistency now.