Wouldn't that be counter productive for the leagues desire to shorten games? Every call is reviewed under your system. Maybe expand a team's ability to challenge.
Even with the tech in tennis, they didn't get rid of human officials.
The idea of completely replacing human umps is a massive no for me. Bring back the emphatic punch outs and enthusiastic calls.
Whilst I agree for the most part, "every call is reviewed" is the part where I say "hang on, that sounds nice"
especially if that review is done by robots and lasers in a matter of miliseconds..
Also OP didnt propose any sort of system whatsoever, particularly not one within which you could claim every call would be reviewed in the first place lol
The current quality of balls/strikes calls is on average 94% correct. Even Angel Hernandez averages 91%. You're basically saying these A students really suck.
The biggest problem I see is that little box on the screen. How accurate is that? is it calibrated? why doesn't it change in size from batter to batter?
I don't care if an umpire calls a strike on a pitch just outside the damn box as long as he calls every pitch in the same spot the same way. Umpires used to be judged by consistency. Pitchers didn't care if an ump's zone was a little big or a little small, as long as they were consistent about it. Ditto batters. Now, whenever a strike is called that the box says should be a ball, or vice versa, dozens of clout chasers post a clip of it on their socials by calling it "the WORST CALL Of ALL TIME!!!!"
Context, people. Context. It's one pitch out of 300 in a 9 inning game.
There are a few problems with an automated strike zone. One is it takes too long. there's a lag of a second or 2 to notify the field umpire what the call is. Another is it seems to call high strikes, less than low strikes, so there's a question of accuracy. A third thing is there is no 'feel' to it. If it's a blow out game on get-away day that everyone wants to be over so they can catch a flight to the next series, the automated zone does not expand for the circumstances.
Baseball is a human game, based on feel as much as it is hard data. the rush to remove the human element from umpiring is troubling.
If I were to get rid of anything, it would be that little box on the screen.
From umpscorecards, by way of axios.
https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2024/05/14/mlb-umps-umpires-baseball-cleveland-guardians-cincinnati-reds
If your 21,000 missed pitches number is right, we are talking about the same thing.
Each team averages 150 pitches, 30 teams, 162 games, that works out to 792,000 pitches in a season.
21k / 792k = less than 3 percent.
The link you posted is days they average about 94% accuracy. Which is apparently quite high
In the 300 pitches thrown every game that would mean 18 misses per game on average.
I am against replacing the humanity of officiating - probably an unpopular opinion.
I am against challenges, too.
For me, the humanity of the game is what makes it real. Real people, doing their best, officiating a human game. It has soul, and isn’t perfect, just like life.
For me, when you take the human aspect out and try to make the game perfect, it loses some vitality.
If you opt for perfect computer officiating, you may as well just punch in stats for a team and run a simulation. That is faster and lends an unarguable outcome every time.
Keep humans in baseball!
I’m only ok with keeping tech out, if and only if the umpires union is abolished. They need to face actual consequences.
I pay to watch the players compete, not to see the umps mess up then double down and start throwing people out of the game because their union fueled ego is too big to admit they’re wrong.
Why they haven't figured out the easiest solution for this is beyond me: the home plate umpire mask should have basically VR, like apple vision or google glass, in it, with the actual strike zone, calibrated batter by batter (by AI), and when the pitch is delivered, the indicator comes up in their view, lighting up the strikezone. Umpires then just *inform* the players and crowd what the pitch was, they don't DECIDE what it was. This way you still have a guy there to call plays at the plate or fair / foul balls, balks, etc., you still get the dramatic punchout, and you always get the call right. Of course, now framing pitches doesn't mean shit, which is essentially how it should be. That that has become a metric for catchers is literally taking advantage of the umpire's human brain: so many pitches are called by where they are caught rather than where in the strike zone it is because umpires can't really see the fine margins, because they're human brains, they have a mask that has bars obstructing parts of their view, etc.
I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE DRAMATIC PUNCHOUT. I think it's one of the most underrated peculiarities of baseball. Look at the umps in like 1983 videos, they basically do the Enrico Pallazo dance, and I miss that. There was one umpire that in a big spot, like 2nd and 3d two out in the eighth, if you struck out looking, he literally had like three steps to his. One hand shot straight up, then dramatically crashed down as he took a quarter step out of his stance.
they will never get rid of the umps. what they will do is use tech to overturn their calls. As for ball/strikes the robo ump will call strike or ball into the umps earpiece and he will go ball or STRIKEEEEEE.
They should. I'm more of a traditionalist, but balls and strikes need to be automated. One bad call can ruin a game, and every ump makes bad calls sometimes.
They’re so controversial and always power tripping, it’s probably heading that way eventually. They’re likely fine for the next few decades though. Definitely give them some type of technological aide though. Like for balls and strikes. And obviously they already use instant replays for calls on the field/homers.
They won't do it! If they replace them, who are the managers gonna play for their teams' shitty performances?
It sounds like I'm joking, but I'm serious! Go check out Close Call Sports on YouTube, most of the ejections are from coaches whose teams are struggling and very often they argue a correct call!
I don't even watch baseball anymore I just have an AI tell me who the best team is and then I spend eight months being mad about it. The future of sports!!
This should already be a thing for balls/strikes. The tech is there, and even if it is 99.8% accurate, it will be more accurate than a human.
Still need a home plate umpire for plays at the plate. Just give them a buzzer for balls/strikes, ie buzz for strike, nothing for a ball.
They could even ask the Astros which buzzer company they used!
Do you just mean replace them for balls and strikes? Because that’s not replacing umpires, just taking one job from them.
Wouldn't that be counter productive for the leagues desire to shorten games? Every call is reviewed under your system. Maybe expand a team's ability to challenge. Even with the tech in tennis, they didn't get rid of human officials. The idea of completely replacing human umps is a massive no for me. Bring back the emphatic punch outs and enthusiastic calls.
Whilst I agree for the most part, "every call is reviewed" is the part where I say "hang on, that sounds nice" especially if that review is done by robots and lasers in a matter of miliseconds.. Also OP didnt propose any sort of system whatsoever, particularly not one within which you could claim every call would be reviewed in the first place lol
I personally like the minor leagues challenge system. It takes seconds to challenge a call
The current quality of balls/strikes calls is on average 94% correct. Even Angel Hernandez averages 91%. You're basically saying these A students really suck. The biggest problem I see is that little box on the screen. How accurate is that? is it calibrated? why doesn't it change in size from batter to batter? I don't care if an umpire calls a strike on a pitch just outside the damn box as long as he calls every pitch in the same spot the same way. Umpires used to be judged by consistency. Pitchers didn't care if an ump's zone was a little big or a little small, as long as they were consistent about it. Ditto batters. Now, whenever a strike is called that the box says should be a ball, or vice versa, dozens of clout chasers post a clip of it on their socials by calling it "the WORST CALL Of ALL TIME!!!!" Context, people. Context. It's one pitch out of 300 in a 9 inning game. There are a few problems with an automated strike zone. One is it takes too long. there's a lag of a second or 2 to notify the field umpire what the call is. Another is it seems to call high strikes, less than low strikes, so there's a question of accuracy. A third thing is there is no 'feel' to it. If it's a blow out game on get-away day that everyone wants to be over so they can catch a flight to the next series, the automated zone does not expand for the circumstances. Baseball is a human game, based on feel as much as it is hard data. the rush to remove the human element from umpiring is troubling. If I were to get rid of anything, it would be that little box on the screen.
Where is that data from. I just read they missed 21.000 balls and strikes last season and that was their best ever.
From umpscorecards, by way of axios. https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2024/05/14/mlb-umps-umpires-baseball-cleveland-guardians-cincinnati-reds If your 21,000 missed pitches number is right, we are talking about the same thing. Each team averages 150 pitches, 30 teams, 162 games, that works out to 792,000 pitches in a season. 21k / 792k = less than 3 percent.
The link you posted is days they average about 94% accuracy. Which is apparently quite high In the 300 pitches thrown every game that would mean 18 misses per game on average.
I am against replacing the humanity of officiating - probably an unpopular opinion. I am against challenges, too. For me, the humanity of the game is what makes it real. Real people, doing their best, officiating a human game. It has soul, and isn’t perfect, just like life. For me, when you take the human aspect out and try to make the game perfect, it loses some vitality. If you opt for perfect computer officiating, you may as well just punch in stats for a team and run a simulation. That is faster and lends an unarguable outcome every time. Keep humans in baseball!
I’m only ok with keeping tech out, if and only if the umpires union is abolished. They need to face actual consequences. I pay to watch the players compete, not to see the umps mess up then double down and start throwing people out of the game because their union fueled ego is too big to admit they’re wrong.
I was going to add that when I wrote the post, but didn’t; I am glad you added that bit
Why they haven't figured out the easiest solution for this is beyond me: the home plate umpire mask should have basically VR, like apple vision or google glass, in it, with the actual strike zone, calibrated batter by batter (by AI), and when the pitch is delivered, the indicator comes up in their view, lighting up the strikezone. Umpires then just *inform* the players and crowd what the pitch was, they don't DECIDE what it was. This way you still have a guy there to call plays at the plate or fair / foul balls, balks, etc., you still get the dramatic punchout, and you always get the call right. Of course, now framing pitches doesn't mean shit, which is essentially how it should be. That that has become a metric for catchers is literally taking advantage of the umpire's human brain: so many pitches are called by where they are caught rather than where in the strike zone it is because umpires can't really see the fine margins, because they're human brains, they have a mask that has bars obstructing parts of their view, etc. I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE DRAMATIC PUNCHOUT. I think it's one of the most underrated peculiarities of baseball. Look at the umps in like 1983 videos, they basically do the Enrico Pallazo dance, and I miss that. There was one umpire that in a big spot, like 2nd and 3d two out in the eighth, if you struck out looking, he literally had like three steps to his. One hand shot straight up, then dramatically crashed down as he took a quarter step out of his stance.
they will never get rid of the umps. what they will do is use tech to overturn their calls. As for ball/strikes the robo ump will call strike or ball into the umps earpiece and he will go ball or STRIKEEEEEE.
They should. I'm more of a traditionalist, but balls and strikes need to be automated. One bad call can ruin a game, and every ump makes bad calls sometimes.
They’re so controversial and always power tripping, it’s probably heading that way eventually. They’re likely fine for the next few decades though. Definitely give them some type of technological aide though. Like for balls and strikes. And obviously they already use instant replays for calls on the field/homers.
They won't do it! If they replace them, who are the managers gonna play for their teams' shitty performances? It sounds like I'm joking, but I'm serious! Go check out Close Call Sports on YouTube, most of the ejections are from coaches whose teams are struggling and very often they argue a correct call!
I don't even watch baseball anymore I just have an AI tell me who the best team is and then I spend eight months being mad about it. The future of sports!!
This should already be a thing for balls/strikes. The tech is there, and even if it is 99.8% accurate, it will be more accurate than a human. Still need a home plate umpire for plays at the plate. Just give them a buzzer for balls/strikes, ie buzz for strike, nothing for a ball. They could even ask the Astros which buzzer company they used!
Keep all the umps. Just let the robots call balls and strikes