Quote:
Originally Posted by Déjà Bru
I was thinking the same thing. That superimposed strike box, is it accurate?
Some pitches, as we know, cross the plate (the front of the plate?) as strikes but end up outside of the strike box by the time the catcher snags them. This does not excuse the egregious mistakes that we see in those videos but some of the closer ones, well, just how accurate is that strike box?
Here's a thought: Does anybody know if the strike box is adjusted for batter height (and stance?) or is it always the same for every batter? For, we must remember that TV studios provide this for our enjoyment (or wrath), not for the sake of MLB, players, or umpires.
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For a broadcast? I would think it has to be loosely done otherwise those 5'8" guys like Madrigal are going to have a box that's way too big. Individually done for extreme accuracy? No, I wouldn't think so.
The following is only from memory so may have some things wrong, but my understanding is if/when implemented every player has their strike zone box custom made based on measurements of their last 50(?) plate appearances. IOW it is not static but being remeasured and redone continuously. IOW the "network strike zone" you now see is not the zone that will be used when the system is in place.
They currently measure things like ball fight angle, distance, in all sports (live in golf) along with distance a player runs and speed being applied to replays. My guess is almost all of this could be done live if they wanted to clutter up the screen. Imagine 22 football players being tracked all at once?
Technologically I don't think making a static box for each hitter is a hard thing to do. Get a 50 PA example established as one comes through the minors (ST for current MLB players or "sessions" in the batting cage?) and you're off and running. After a player's first 50 PA those initial PA the box is based on are history.
Zones will become somewhat static with both batter and pitcher knowing what to expect. If they aren't perfect? Well we certainly tolerate non-perfection now, don't we?
With a computer measuring and establishing the zone at least it will be consistent and not ump to ump, day to day, or batter to batter.
I'm sure I'm oversimplifying this, but I do believe the tech is there if they choose to use it.