Robotic umps in AAA in 2023

[Bobbyraz49]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...strike-zone-23

[Jwalk100]

Had them in El Paso since May of 22. I like it.

[LansdowneSt]

"If MLB were to commit to electronic strike zone calls for all pitches, it would dramatically change the position of catcher, which for generations has been inhabited by players who have mastered defensive nuances -- receiving the ball effectively, pitch presentation and conversational advocacy with the umpires -- that would become all but obsolete under an ABS. With a full ABS, catchers would really be required only to block balls in the dirt and throw." - espn

[mytreds]

Let’s get robotic players next. Might as well.

[PSUColonel]

I am fine with electronic balls & strikes...get the calls right, and without the variations from different umpires. You will still need an official at every base, as safe or out calls still need to be made. But why not get it right is what I say.

[mitchkenn]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I am fine with electronic balls & strikes...get the calls right, and without the variations from different umpires. You will still need an official at every base, as safe or out calls still need to be made. But why not get it right is what I say.

yes!

[BusterKing]

Yes, 100% for robot calls. Nothing more frustrating than watching your team being called out by a strike call not even close or strikes down the middle being called balls. And some of today's umps are soooooooo bad.

[BIG17EASY]

Mods, please move this to the Talk Sports forum. Thanks.

[itsmb8]

Im all for this too. Too many times are strikes called balls because the catcher was setting up outside and the pitcher missed WAY inside but still caught the corner. The zone does not change based on where the catcher is setting up, if its a strike then its a strike.

[tm1681]

It's funny because if anything umps are calling balls and strikes more accurately than ever. MLB just needs a way to be able to fire the few umps who are obviously there to stir up conflict and collect their paychecks while not even attempting to competently do their jobs.

If there was a theoretically ideal time to add robotic umpires, it would have been in about 1998 after Eric Gregg's infamous playoff strike zone for Livan Hernandez. That was back when the umpires' union was much stronger and, even though there was an official strike zone on the books, the umpires' strike zone was basically "whatever the hell we say it is".

[zappa1]

[QUOTE=tm1681;4967212]It's funny because if anything umps are calling balls and strikes more accurately than ever. MLB just needs a way to be able to fire the few umps who are obviously there to stir up conflict and collect their paychecks while not even attempting to competently do their jobs.

I always thought that if an umpire was doing a mediocre job, why can't he be sent to the minor leagues like a struggling player. And they do track umpires. They know who is struggling. Apparently their union is so strong that you can't do that. That's too bad because sending them down could help to improve them. I guess I'll be in the old school on the robotic umps. I like the human element in the game. Little by little they are making this game plastic. And plastic stinks.

[thehef]

It seems to me that umps brought this upon themselves. We know that pitch-framing is an integral part of catcher development in not just MLB organizations, but surely in college ball and likely in lower-level catcher clinics & programs, etc. I could be wrong, but I've never heard that umps (in the form of umpire training & ump unions) implemented a training program specifically designed to overcome pitch-framing. And if they did, it has failed spectacularly.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by LansdowneSt

"If MLB were to commit to electronic strike zone calls for all pitches, it would dramatically change the position of catcher, which for generations has been inhabited by players who have mastered defensive nuances -- receiving the ball effectively, pitch presentation and conversational advocacy with the umpires -- that would become all but obsolete under an ABS. With a full ABS, catchers would really be required only to block balls in the dirt and throw." - espn

I read an article the other day that say Adam Wainwright had more balls called strikes than any other MLB pitcher last year.

It's a perfect storm. Big breaking curveballs, and Yadier Molina to frame them. No wonder Waino announced that this year will be his last.

[monkeyman576]

I am against Robot Umps. I prefer the human element in baseball, and if that means mistakes than so be it.

[Kobeck]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I am fine with electronic balls & strikes...get the calls right, and without the variations from different umpires. You will still need an official at every base, as safe or out calls still need to be made. But why not get it right is what I say.

I am fine with using any system but I want the Ump call to be what counts... if Ump calls Ball and robot calls strike... let the Ump override or not... but do it quickly


As is average Ump agrees with robot what like +95% of calls... something like that. Only the bums like Angel Hernandez are under 90%


There was even an Ump agreed with robot on every pitch at least once last season... IIRC ... for some reason I read a blurb about it




if robot ump is king in AAA then I guess the ump is just for fair/foul calls

[BIG17EASY]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

I read an article the other day that say Adam Wainwright had more balls called strikes than any other MLB pitcher last year.

It's a perfect storm. Big breaking curveballs, and Yadier Molina to frame them. No wonder Waino announced that this year will be his last.

I didn't watch Wainwright much last year (maybe once), but from watching games regularly, I think guys like him will lose the high strike on the breaking ball, but gain some low strikes. The strike zone is actually a 3D box and guys with the big 12-6 breaker like he has can nip the front portion of the zone with a breaking ball that might come close to or maybe even hit the dirt behind the plate. It's going to be an adjustment for hitters and fans alike if/when this comes to MLB.

[bailey]

Originally Posted by LansdowneSt

"If MLB were to commit to electronic strike zone calls for all pitches, it would dramatically change the position of catcher, which for generations has been inhabited by players who have mastered defensive nuances -- receiving the ball effectively, pitch presentation and conversational advocacy with the umpires -- that would become all but obsolete under an ABS. With a full ABS, catchers would really be required only to block balls in the dirt and throw." - espn

On the other hand, 99.99% accurate balls and strikes would magnify the skill of the batter who can adapt to accurate ball and strike calling. Chances are this would increase scoring as batters with two strikes would not have to swing at anything close.

[thehef]

What I still don't understanding is how an robot ump can conclusively determine whether a pitched ball is too high, too low, or vertically in the zone. As for inside, outside, or horizontally in the strike zone - sure. A ball is either over the plate or it's not. But the vertical strike zone depends upon the body characteristics of the player, varies from player to player, is not static per player (since a player typically assumes one stance just prior to a pitch being thrown and then another - in-motion-stance - during the windup and pitch itself), and can presumably difficult to determine electronically due to the player's uniform (which also not static).

With that in mind, I think the human element can be retained by having the verticalness of a pitch - over the plate or not - being determined by the robot, and the horizontalness of the pitch simply given as advisement to the umpire by the robot, but it's the ump's judgement.

[cephasjames]

Originally Posted by Kobeck

I am fine with using any system but I want the Ump call to be what counts... if Ump calls Ball and robot calls strike... let the Ump override or not... but do it quickly

What would even be the point of having robo umps if the human umps get to overturn every call they disagree with?

[mytreds]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

I am against Robot Umps. I prefer the human element in baseball, and if that means mistakes than so be it.

I am with you. Unfortunately the logical conclusion to using sabermetrics and analyzing every fraction of the sport, is to get rid of humans.