|
|
Post by vermontsox1 on Jan 12, 2023 20:17:12 GMT -5
|
|
cdj
Veteran
Posts: 14,093 
|
Post by cdj on Jan 12, 2023 20:26:16 GMT -5
Goooooooood yesssss gooooooood
|
|
|
|
Post by julyanmorley on Jan 12, 2023 20:28:02 GMT -5
By god, that's Ronaldo Hernandez's music!
|
|
|
|
Post by runner on Jan 12, 2023 20:34:24 GMT -5
This probably means it will be implemented in 2 years in MLB.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldfaithful2019 on Jan 12, 2023 20:37:15 GMT -5
This is exciting news !!!
|
|
|
|
Post by seamus on Jan 12, 2023 21:16:15 GMT -5
I'll be curious as to how this affects K and BB rates in AAA. I like that they're trying out both arrangements - I have a preference for a challenge system, but could live with ABS if push comes to shove.
|
|
|
|
Post by chrisfromnc on Jan 12, 2023 21:18:13 GMT -5
I’m hoping that whenever MLB adopts a permanent ABS system, they adopt the fully automated system. I don’t want a manager to have to challenge a call for it to get corrected. If the initial call is incorrect and the technology exists to get it right, then just get it right 100% of the time, not just when a challenge is made.
My preference assumes baseball can make the automated calls quickly with no impact to pace of play.
|
|
|
|
Post by thegoodthebadthesox on Jan 12, 2023 22:04:35 GMT -5
I'll be curious as to how this affects K and BB rates in AAA. I like that they're trying out both arrangements - I have a preference for a challenge system, but could live with ABS if push comes to shove. Will be especially interesting to me how it affects pitchers and even hitters that come up from AAA to the MLB - will be a huge adjustment to make on the fly. |
|
hank
Rookie
Posts: 101
|
Post by hank on Jan 13, 2023 12:35:16 GMT -5
A challenge system is better than nothing but ABS offers two cool things: a uniform strike zone and much fewer errors. Bring on ABS baby!
|
|
|
|
Post by philsbosoxfan on Jan 13, 2023 12:56:07 GMT -5
I'm excited but this would be cooler:  |
|
orion09
Veteran
Posts: 1,220
Member is Online
|
Post by orion09 on Jan 13, 2023 13:19:17 GMT -5
It’ll be interesting to see if they’re able to do this in a relatively accurate and seamless way. I understand the point of challenges - they make the transition less scary - but I don’t think adding more play stoppages is the path toward a better pace of play experience
|
|
|
|
Post by wcsoxfan on Jan 13, 2023 13:28:34 GMT -5
I'm excited but this would be cooler: You may be excited, but not as much as Dr. Smith. #definitelyasexrobot |
|
|
|
Post by philsbosoxfan on Jan 13, 2023 13:28:35 GMT -5
It’ll be interesting to see if they’re able to do this in a relatively accurate and seamless way. I understand the point of challenges - they make the transition less scary - but I don’t think adding more play stoppages is the path toward a better pace of play experience Maybe that's a major advantage to having two different systems as the trial. |
|
orion09
Veteran
Posts: 1,220
Member is Online
|
Post by orion09 on Jan 13, 2023 13:44:26 GMT -5
Also, I understand that the league has had their hand forced to some extent by the advent of strike zone boxes on TV.
But it makes me sad to think about the colorful legacy of umpires in little league, baseball movies, Casey At The Bat, and so on, and to think that at the highest level it’s going to be replaced by a guy behind the plate whose job is to relay orders from an earpiece controlled by a computer. Ultimately, isn’t part of the charm of baseball the illusion that the pros are playing a more polished version of the game that we played as kids on sandlots, complete with getting mad at the umpire when he misses a call? That seems like a major part of baseball’s identity to me, and I’m not sure that a handful of borderline strike calls per game (that tend to even out anyway) are worth that trade
|
|
cdj
Veteran
Posts: 14,093
|
Post by cdj on Jan 13, 2023 22:52:37 GMT -5
By god, that's Ronaldo Hernandez's music! Got him through waivers before the announcement, 4D chess lol |
|
|
|
Post by Underwater Johnson on Jan 15, 2023 17:45:56 GMT -5
Prepare for many meltdowns and ejections.
Single-A is one thing, where the players are there exclusively for development and aren't really in a position to do more than shake their heads and walk back to the dugout. But rehabbing big leaguers and AAA players on the cusp of promotion care about their ABs and are not going to be so docile when the inevitable computer screw-up happens and the ump throws up his hands and says "Hey, I'm just a spectator."
Players will have to just learn to sit down and shut up.
Fans are going to love it too, when the computer screws up and they have to wait for the thing to be rebooted.
|
|
hank
Rookie
Posts: 101
|
Post by hank on Jan 17, 2023 13:24:32 GMT -5
Prepare for many meltdowns and ejections. Single-A is one thing, where the players are there exclusively for development and aren't really in a position to do more than shake their heads and walk back to the dugout. But rehabbing big leaguers and AAA players on the cusp of promotion care about their ABs and are not going to be so docile when the inevitable computer screw-up happens and the ump throws up his hands and says "Hey, I'm just a spectator." Players will have to just learn to sit down and shut up. Fans are going to love it too, when the computer screws up and they have to wait for the thing to be rebooted. Probably just the opposite. Fewer arguments, fewer ejections. Because they'll be fewer mistakes. And it seems dumb to try to argue with a machine. The number of arguments in tennis went WAY down after the technology to call in/out was installed. Made tennis easier to watch. Even if there are some growing pains it will get sorted. Try to see the bright side. |
|
gerry
Veteran
Enter your message here...
Posts: 1,673
|
Post by gerry on Jan 17, 2023 15:40:19 GMT -5
Agree that this could work out well and to be patient as the kinks get worked out. I will miss the colorful and strategic arguments (they can be fun) but not the terrible calls which often win/lose games.
Hopefully redundant systems/backups will be part of determining the calls. Glitches are to be expected no matter the application and no matter the brilliant work forces behind computer systems. I just have trouble imagining flawless function for 7-8 months and thousands of games in all kinds of weather. I can’t imagine my own computer to be so glitch free and 100% reliable. With that in mind, I think the umps will still be empowered to run the game. Which is a good thing.
|
|
|
|
Post by keninten on Jan 17, 2023 17:19:42 GMT -5
I wonder if it will change how umpires are trained. Instead of looking at balls and strikes, will they focus more on the batter getting hit by a pitch (which rarely happens). I`m sure the pitch clock will be a major part of their job. Don`t have any idea if they would be positioned a little different.
|
|
|
|
Post by julyanmorley on Aug 25, 2023 11:02:44 GMT -5
theathletic.com/4791440/2023/08/25/mlb-robot-umpires-future/The rest of the article is a bunch of complaints about the system that honestly seem really dumb to me (the computer doesn't expand the zone in a blowout, it doesn't call a ball on a pitch in the zone that missed the catcher's mark by a lot) so maybe he's overstating the negative case. Would be bad news for the Sox as Wong's framing numbers are bad, and the Yankees have the framing god. He also mentions that they cut 2 inches off the top of the strike zone in AAA as an experiment.
|
|
|
|
Post by scottysmalls on Aug 25, 2023 11:09:13 GMT -5
theathletic.com/4791440/2023/08/25/mlb-robot-umpires-future/The rest of the article is a bunch of complaints about the system that honestly seem really dumb to me (the computer doesn't expand the zone in a blowout, it doesn't call a ball on a pitch in the zone that missed the catcher's mark by a lot) so maybe he's overstating the negative case. Would be bad news for the Sox as Wong's framing numbers are bad, and the Yankees have the framing god. He also mentions that they cut 2 inches off the top of the strike zone in AAA as an experiment. I would like to see a study of the strike zone in practice over time. Greg Maddux recently said that when he was pitching they didn't get the top of the zone the way pitchers do now. Would be interesting to see the impact of that. There's definitely a class of hitter that this really benefits. |
|
|
|
Post by notstarboard on Aug 25, 2023 11:27:13 GMT -5
theathletic.com/4791440/2023/08/25/mlb-robot-umpires-future/The rest of the article is a bunch of complaints about the system that honestly seem really dumb to me (the computer doesn't expand the zone in a blowout, it doesn't call a ball on a pitch in the zone that missed the catcher's mark by a lot) so maybe he's overstating the negative case. Would be bad news for the Sox as Wong's framing numbers are bad, and the Yankees have the framing god. He also mentions that they cut 2 inches off the top of the strike zone in AAA as an experiment. Yep, lots of dumb complaints, very little in the way of logic or statistical evidence, lots in the way of pointless anecdotes. No one thinks challenges in sports are "fun". They just waste time and stop the action. The reason why challenge systems in various sports are generally liked is that they're better than the alternative of getting the call wrong, and thus far we don't have good robotic solutions for many of the calls referees need to make.
When Hawk-eye technology arrived in tennis, it began with a challenge system. Soon, in most tournaments, it had replaced linespeople totally. Did that become a raging talk-show controversy? If it did, we missed it.
But if the same thing happened in baseball, as in Hawk-eye > home-plate umpires, do you honestly think no one would notice or care? We would all notice, and all care, because plate umps have an enormous presence in this sport. And you know who would notice most? Players! We may notice, but in a good way. Literally no one wants umpires to have an enormous presence in this sport. When they have an enormous presence, 99.9% of the time it's because they made one or more terrible, game-destroying calls, and are rightly being shredded for it. That is exactly the problem this technology is trying to solve. The focus should be 100% on the players.
Turns out they much prefer human umpires’ feel for the sport, the situation and the moment than any technological gizmo’s soul-less lack of feel for anything but what it’s programmed to do.
Trust me, we interviewed a handful of guys and they sure do hate it! Pitchers love small strike zones and humans always love new technology and changes to what they're used to, so clearly their opposition is incontrovertible evidence that the system is bad! If it's just too difficult for players to hit the actual strike zone, walk rates permanently spike (not just while players get adjusted to a different zone), and every game turns into a 30-run affair lasting 4 hours, the obvious solution is to make the plate bigger and/or make the zone taller. The solution is not to leave important calls up to the whims of blind old men. The goal used to be to get every pitch right. But now, if that’s not the plan – because literally nobody in baseball is in favor of that plan – then what the heck is the goal, anyway?
Holy citation needed. |
|
|
|
Post by julyanmorley on Aug 25, 2023 11:38:30 GMT -5
The pitch challenge system is fast. I would rather have full robo umps, but I think there is a reasonable argument that it's more fun to create this mini-game where challenges are a strategic resource to be managed. It's supposed to be 100% the player's decision right? Some hot head will waste one and everyone will get mad at him, some players will have a perfect record. It could possibly be fun.
|
|
|
|
Post by Chris Hatfield on Aug 25, 2023 12:00:54 GMT -5
Must-read regarding robot umps. Not coming anytime soon. theathletic.com/4791440/2023/08/25/mlb-robot-umpires-future/One thing I hadn't realized is that they were experimenting with the AAA strike zone being 2 inches shorter up top. Seems very clear if it comes to MLB, it won't be next year and it's likely to be the challenge system, but there are definitely kinks to work out. |
|
|
|
Post by jimed14 on Aug 25, 2023 20:42:28 GMT -5
theathletic.com/4791440/2023/08/25/mlb-robot-umpires-future/The rest of the article is a bunch of complaints about the system that honestly seem really dumb to me (the computer doesn't expand the zone in a blowout, it doesn't call a ball on a pitch in the zone that missed the catcher's mark by a lot) so maybe he's overstating the negative case. Would be bad news for the Sox as Wong's framing numbers are bad, and the Yankees have the framing god. He also mentions that they cut 2 inches off the top of the strike zone in AAA as an experiment. I would like to see a study of the strike zone in practice over time. Greg Maddux recently said that when he was pitching they didn't get the top of the zone the way pitchers do now. Would be interesting to see the impact of that. There's definitely a class of hitter that this really benefits. But he got pitches a foot outside, so that more than makes up for it. And it was only for him and a few others so he had a huge advantage. |
|
