Quote:
Originally Posted by kq76
It surprised me to learn MLB has to get it passed the umpire's union and I'm not sure how they'd take it. I imagine people might instantly assume umps would be against it, but they might welcome it. If they give the calls entirely to AI, then as an umpire you can't really feel bad when you make a bad call, you just blame it on the AI. And even if it's a challenge system, there still might be less pressure to make the call right because if you screw up, well, the batter has the challenge system. If I was an ump, I think I'd welcome it. As long as MLB doesn't also insist on a pay cut that is.
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I have read elsewhere, or here, perhaps, that the HP umpire will not lose his job. (That is, one-fourth of currently rotating MLB umps will not lose their jobs.)
You still need an ump at the plate which remains one of four bases at which a play can occur suddenly. Plus, I would think that the HP ump would be relaying the ABS call with his usual vigorous display; the alternative being distracting bright lights at field level in various spots around the ballpark — in order to be instantly visible from various player angles — or bellowing from the P.A. system which may yet be inaudible.
All the more reason, then, to bring on this change and in a hurry.