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I believe that we get the electronic strike next year and it can’t come too soon. Tired of seeing umpires clearly missing calls, favoring the vet over the greenie and carrying grudges, plus having their own private strike zone.
Hitters will really welcome the change as they will be able to count on a consistent strike zone and will not be the victim of catchers who do a slick job of framing pitches. Pitcher are not likely to be as happy as they lose the pitcher friendly umpire with the big strike zone and the slick catcher.
Tyler O’Neill should really be happy as he seems to have the most bad strike calls as anyone in baseball. Matt Carpenter too but I think the umpires had it in for him because he was a whiner.
Could not agree more. It will be a welcome change to seeing missed call after missed call and even when they have a consistent private strike zone it doesn’t make it ‘correct’
It will be interesting to see what happens the first time a hitter gets called out looking on a close pitch. Who he is going to yell at? The computer?
I can’t say that I am against the electronic strike zone because those bad calls by umpires make me sick. But I would mention that Mike Shannon’s defense of the umpires is that
‘they are part of the game’. That’s true. Players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes, managers make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes now and then. Mistakes are part of life. If MLB goes to the electronic strike zone, it takes some of the human element out of the game. It stops catchers who are adept at framing pitches from getting a strike called on what might have been a ball. It stops pitchers and batters from trying to influence the umpire’s calls. I don’t like feeling cheated by an umpire who is lazy or incompetent. But I don’t think the electronic strike zone is the answer unless the bad calls get so out of hand that something absolutely has to be done because too many fans are being turned off by the bad calls.The human element has already been mostly reduced with reviewable calls on safe-out calls and other questionable calls. Video technology and review has eliminated many wrong calls and confirmed many more right calls. The discussion has always been human element vs getting it right. I miss managers arguing with umpires, but not seeing this as often is “part of the game” now. Plus, most all sports have some type of video review. There are no perfect solutions but these subjects give the fans something to discuss on boards just like this one. Without technology at our fingertips we would actually not be able to participate on these boards. Life changes, we adapt, and everything is ok. And, I like the electronic strike zone ….
If they aren’t going to police their ranks then I’m all for it. Most umpires are pretty good. But allowing the likes of angel hernandez to continue playing. Nope. Give me a real zone.
I’m all for the electronic strike zone — can’t get here soon enough for me. Too many umps consistently demonstrate they are not up to the task. It’s got to be a tougher task in today’s game due to crazy high velo and spin rates causing the wicked movement they see (or don’t see).
I play/watch a lot of tennis and see a parallel there. Most ATP/WTA tournaments use electronic line calling now. Quite a few players were skeptical at first, but they’ve bought in. In fact, the vast majority prefer it. You now hear complaints about about the unnecessary officiating mistakes at the few tournaments that haven’t implemented the technology.
Will we still have the umps on the diamond?
And what happens if there’s a technical error that delays the game?
This is mlb folks. You know they’ll be bugs to work out.
I don’t think it can work. So I’m against it.
From what I’ve seen and read, the technology is still a long ways away from being an improvement upon the status quo. Hitters come in too wide a range of heights, for one; the computers aren’t yet sophisticated enough to adjust for that — not from what I’ve seen.
And on a more I guess philosophical note, I think excessive perfectionism is an insidious form of mental illness that we already have faaar too much of in sports — all sports, all levels. Electronic umps are just the latest manifestation. “Get the call right” should be a strong preference, yes, absolutely. But not the all-consuming obsession it seems for some fans. But I know I’m an outlier in this matter….
I tend to agree with you on this matter Bob. I am highly skeptical of electronic strike zones being functional and taking the human element out of the game risks turning baseball into a soulless sport. I can tolerate some replay review (could have used it in 1985) if they could ever figure out how to make their decisions quicker. Sitting through a three minute review only to have the call on the field confirmed is tedious to say the least.
As I have stated before, I am against robot umpires as I appreciate the ability of someone like Wainwright working a zone that isn’t exactly textbook. Or last night for example, with Mikolos pitching in the 9th. I almost expect a pitcher pitching a no-no to get the close calls. Yet pitch track showed 2 pitches in the final at bat that were close, but obviously outside the strike zone, go against Mikolos. Who knows, maybe if he gets those calls he completes it. But I like the idea of pitchers adapting to situations rather than a precise cut and dried zone. G Maddux prob would have had an ERA a half a run higher with the robots but he was my favorite pitcher to watch (unless against Cardinals) as he could consistently hit a spot 2 inches off the plate and almost force the ump to call it.
I’ve generally been opposed (and lost) to most of the new rules to date (DH, starting runner on 2nd in extra innings, etc.), but the strike zone simply should not be whatever any given ump on any given day de ides it is. If electronics can give batters a close, consistent picture of what has always been a floating phantom rule book strike zone, I would be persuaded to favor it.
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