Latest news with #strikezone
CNN
21 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
MLB is putting automated balls and strikes to the test in the All Star Game. Some pitchers aren't exactly thrilled
The hottest topic in Atlanta ahead Tuesday's Major League Baseball isn't a player, a coach or a manager. It's not even human. For the first time, the midsummer classic is going to be using automated technology to allow pitchers, catchers and batters to challenge balls and strikes – a system that's been in use in the minor leagues and in spring training but had never been put in place before at a major league park. It's a technology that has the potential to revolutionize the game, a system that might forever change one of the ficklest parts of an incredibly fickle game: The ever-changing, unpredictable strike zone put in place by all-too-human home plate umpires. Pitchers are largely unfazed – at least before the game gets going. 'I don't plan on using them. I'm probably not going to use them in the future. I'm gonna let the catcher do that,' said Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers star who will start the game for the American League. 'I have this thing where I think everything's a strike until the umpire calls it a ball.' Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates fireballer who will start for the National League, felt much the same way. 'Pitchers think that everything's a strike, then you go back and look at it and it's two, three balls off,' he said Monday. 'So, we should not be the ones that are challenging it. I really do like the human element of the game. I think this is one of those things that you kind of think that umpires are great until they're not, and so I could kind of care less either way, to be honest.' According to MLB, the challenge system will have the same rules as were used in spring training: Each team starts the game with two challenges and they keep their challenge if they are deemed correct. Only the pitcher, catcher and hitter can challenge a call and the system is put into place when one of those players taps the top of his cap or helmet twice. The system was in place during the Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday between some of the game's top minor league prospect. When a player would challenge a call, the game would pause, and attention would turn to the stadium's massive screen beyond right center field. A virtual simulation of the pitch would be shown along with a strike zone and the technology would rule if the ball fell within or outside the box. Play would then resume after the short break. It's unclear exactly how the league will determine the size of those strike zones for each batter, and that's something Los Angeles Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw wants to know. 'I did a few rehab starts with it. I'm OK with it, you know, I think, I mean, it works,' he told reporters on Monday. 'I just don't really understand how they're doing the box for the hitter, because I think every different TV or national streaming service has their own box. I think I just hope that they figure out, because Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have different sized boxes, so … know they've obviously thought about that. I haven't talked to MLB about it, but as long as that gets figured out, I think it'd be fun.' The phrase used most on Monday when discussing the technology was an iconic one in baseball lore: The 'human element.' It's one of the things that can make baseball so perfectly imperfect – the ability of umpires to simply get it wrong and make a massive impact on the game. From Jim Joyce ruling a batter safe to ruin Armando Galarraga's perfect game bid to Don Dekinger's World Series-changing call in 1985, ruling Kansas City Royals player Jorge Orta was safe at first base even though replays showed he was out by a step. Instead of being the last out of a St. Louis Cardinals World Series championship, the moment became the spark for the Royals to charge back and win the title. The 'human element' is one of baseball's quirks that give the nation's pastime its identity. But it's also something that many fans would rather see cast off into obscurity. Chris Sale, the Atlanta Braves pitcher and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, said he still wants it to be part of the game. 'Honestly, for me, I kind of like the human element, right? Like I understand why they want to use ABS. And I don't think it's a perfect system yet,' he said. 'I kind of like the old feel, the old way of doing it.'
CNN
21 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
MLB is putting automated balls and strikes to the test in the All Star Game. Some pitchers aren't exactly thrilled
The hottest topic in Atlanta ahead Tuesday's Major League Baseball isn't a player, a coach or a manager. It's not even human. For the first time, the midsummer classic is going to be using automated technology to allow pitchers, catchers and batters to challenge balls and strikes – a system that's been in use in the minor leagues and in spring training but had never been put in place before at a major league park. It's a technology that has the potential to revolutionize the game, a system that might forever change one of the ficklest parts of an incredibly fickle game: The ever-changing, unpredictable strike zone put in place by all-too-human home plate umpires. Pitchers are largely unfazed – at least before the game gets going. 'I don't plan on using them. I'm probably not going to use them in the future. I'm gonna let the catcher do that,' said Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers star who will start the game for the American League. 'I have this thing where I think everything's a strike until the umpire calls it a ball.' Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates fireballer who will start for the National League, felt much the same way. 'Pitchers think that everything's a strike, then you go back and look at it and it's two, three balls off,' he said Monday. 'So, we should not be the ones that are challenging it. I really do like the human element of the game. I think this is one of those things that you kind of think that umpires are great until they're not, and so I could kind of care less either way, to be honest.' According to MLB, the challenge system will have the same rules as were used in spring training: Each team starts the game with two challenges and they keep their challenge if they are deemed correct. Only the pitcher, catcher and hitter can challenge a call and the system is put into place when one of those players taps the top of his cap or helmet twice. The system was in place during the Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday between some of the game's top minor league prospect. When a player would challenge a call, the game would pause, and attention would turn to the stadium's massive screen beyond right center field. A virtual simulation of the pitch would be shown along with a strike zone and the technology would rule if the ball fell within or outside the box. Play would then resume after the short break. It's unclear exactly how the league will determine the size of those strike zones for each batter, and that's something Los Angeles Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw wants to know. 'I did a few rehab starts with it. I'm OK with it, you know, I think, I mean, it works,' he told reporters on Monday. 'I just don't really understand how they're doing the box for the hitter, because I think every different TV or national streaming service has their own box. I think I just hope that they figure out, because Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have different sized boxes, so … know they've obviously thought about that. I haven't talked to MLB about it, but as long as that gets figured out, I think it'd be fun.' The phrase used most on Monday when discussing the technology was an iconic one in baseball lore: The 'human element.' It's one of the things that can make baseball so perfectly imperfect – the ability of umpires to simply get it wrong and make a massive impact on the game. From Jim Joyce ruling a batter safe to ruin Armando Galarraga's perfect game bid to Don Dekinger's World Series-changing call in 1985, ruling Kansas City Royals player Jorge Orta was safe at first base even though replays showed he was out by a step. Instead of being the last out of a St. Louis Cardinals World Series championship, the moment became the spark for the Royals to charge back and win the title. The 'human element' is one of baseball's quirks that give the nation's pastime its identity. But it's also something that many fans would rather see cast off into obscurity. Chris Sale, the Atlanta Braves pitcher and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, said he still wants it to be part of the game. 'Honestly, for me, I kind of like the human element, right? Like I understand why they want to use ABS. And I don't think it's a perfect system yet,' he said. 'I kind of like the old feel, the old way of doing it.'
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Robot umpires to make All-Star Game debut as MLB looks at possible regular-season use
Tarik Skubal views the strike zone differently than robot umpires. 'I have this thing where I think everything is a strike until the umpire calls it a ball,' Detroit's AL Cy Young Award winner said ahead of his start for the American League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game. MLB has been experimenting with the automated ball-strike system in the minor leagues since 2019 and will use it in an All-Star Game for the first time this summer. Each team gets two challenges and retains the challenge if it is successful. 'Pitchers think everything is a strike. Then you go back and look at it, and it's two, three balls off,' Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes, starting his second straight All-Star Game for the National League, said Monday. 'We should not be the ones that are challenging it.' MLB sets the top of the automated strike zone at 53.5% of a batter's height and the bottom at 27%, basing the decision on the midpoint of the plate, 8 1/2 inches from the front and 8 1/2 inches from the back. That contrasts with the rule book zone called by umpires, which says the zone is a cube. 'I did a few rehabs starts with it. I'm OK with it. I think it works,' said three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers. 'Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have different sized boxes. They've obviously thought about that. As long as that gets figured out, I think it'll be fine.' Opinion: Robot umpires aren't meant to get the call right. They're all about manufacturing drama Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred anticipates the system will be considered by the sport's 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives. Many pitchers have gravitated to letting their catchers and managers trigger ball/strike appeals. Teams won 52.2% of their challenges during the spring training test. Batters won exactly 50% of their 596 challenges and the defense 54%, with catchers successful 56% of the time and pitchers 41%. Hall of Famer Joe Torre, an honorary AL coach, favors the system. After his managing career, he worked for MLB and helped supervised expanded video review in 2014. 'You couldn't ignore it with all the technology out there,' he said. 'You couldn't sit and make an excuse for, 'Look at what really happened' the next day.' Now 84, Torre recalled how his Yankees teams benefitted at least twice from blown calls in the postseason, including one involving the strike zone. Opinion: AI officiating gives us a grim look into our future With the 1998 World Series opener tied and the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh inning, Tino Martinez took a 2-2 pitch from San Diego's Mark Langston that appeared to be a strike but was called a ball by Richie Garcia. Martinez hit a grand slam on the next pitch for a 9-5 lead, and the Yankees went on to a four-game sweep. Asked whether he was happy there was no robot umpire then, Torre grinned and said: 'Possibly.' Then he added without a prompt: 'Well, not to mention the home run that Jeter hit.' His reference was to Derek Jeter's home run in the 1996 AL Championship Series opener, when 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall to snatch the ball above the glove over Baltimore right fielder Tony Tarasco.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Robot umpires to make all-star game debut, another step toward possible regular-season use in 2026
Tarik Skubal views the strike zone differently than robot umpires. 'I have this thing where I think everything is a strike until the umpire calls it a ball,' Detroit's AL Cy Young Award winner said ahead of his start for the American League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game. MLB has been experimenting with the automated ball-strike system in the minor leagues since 2019 and will use it in an All-Star Game for the first time this summer. Each team gets two challenges and retains the challenge if it is successful. 'Pitchers think everything is a strike. Then you go back and look at it and it's two, three balls off,' Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes, starting his second straight All-Star Game for the National League, said Monday. 'We should not be the ones that are challenging it.' MLB sets the top of the automated strike zone at 53.5 percent of a batter's height and the bottom at 27 percent, basing the decision on the midpoint of the plate, 8 1/2 inches from the front and 8 1/2 inches from the back. That contrasts with the rule book zone called by umpires, which says the zone is a cube. 'I did a few rehab starts with it. I'm OK with it. I think it works,' said three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers. 'Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have different sized boxes. They've obviously thought about that. As long as that gets figured out, I think it'll be fine.' Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred anticipates the system will be considered by the sports' 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives. Many pitchers have gravitated to letting their catchers and managers trigger ball/strike appeals. Teams won 52.2 percent of their challenges during the spring training test. Batters won exactly 50 percent of their 596 challenges, and the defense 54 percent with catchers successful 56 percent of the time and pitchers 41 percent. Hall of Famer Joe Torre, an honorary AL coach, favors the system. After his managing career, he worked for MLB and helped supervised expanded video review in 2014. 'You couldn't ignore it with all the technology out there,' he said. 'You couldn't sit and make an excuse for 'Look at what really happened' the next day.' Now 84, Torre recalled how his Yankees teams benefitted at least twice from blown calls in the postseason, including one involving the strike zone. With the 1998 World Series opener tied and the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh inning, Tino Martinez took a 2-2 pitch from San Diego's Mark Langston that appeared to be a strike but was called a ball by Richie Garcia. Martinez hit a grand slam on the next pitch for a 9-5 lead, and the Yankees went on to a four-game sweep. Asked whether he was happy there was no robot umpire then, Torre grinned and said: 'Possibly.' Then he added without a prompt: 'Well, not to mention the home run that Jeter hit.' His reference was to Derek Jeter's home run in the 1996 AL Championship Series opener when 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall to snatch the ball above the glove over Baltimore right fielder Tony Tarasco.
CTV News
a day ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Robot umpires to make All-Star Game debut, another step toward possible regular-season use in 2026
The Automated Ball-Strike System plays on the scoreboard after a pitch call was challenged during the first inning of a spring training baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the San Diego Padres, Feb. 26, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) ATLANTA — Tarik Skubal views the strike zone differently than robot umpires. 'I have this thing where I think everything is a strike until the umpire calls it a ball,' Detroit's AL Cy Young Award winner said ahead of his start for the American League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game. MLB has been experimenting with the automated ball-strike system in the minor leagues since 2019 and will use it in an All-Star Game for the first time this summer. Each team gets two challenges and retains the challenge if it is successful. 'Pitchers think everything is a strike. Then you go back and look at it, and it's two, three balls off,' Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes, starting his second straight All-Star Game for the U.S. National League, said Monday. 'We should not be the ones that are challenging it.' MLB sets the top of the automated strike zone at 53.5 per cent of a batter's height and the bottom at 27 per cent, basing the decision on the midpoint of the plate, 8 1/2 inches (21.6 centimetres) from the front and 8 1/2 inches (21.6 centimetres) from the back. That contrasts with the rule book zone called by umpires, which says the zone is a cube. 'I did a few rehabs starts with it. I'm OK with it. I think it works,' said three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers. 'Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have different sized boxes. They've obviously thought about that. As long as that gets figured out, I think it'll be fine.' Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred anticipates the system will be considered by the sport's 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives. Many pitchers have gravitated to letting their catchers and managers trigger ball/strike appeals. Teams won 52.2 per cent of their challenges during the spring training test. Batters won exactly 50 per cent of their 596 challenges and the defense 54 per cent, with catchers successful 56 per cent of the time and pitchers 41 per cent. Hall of Famer Joe Torre, an honorary AL coach, favors the system. After his managing career, he worked for MLB and helped supervised expanded video review in 2014. 'You couldn't ignore it with all the technology out there,' he said. 'You couldn't sit and make an excuse for, 'Look at what really happened' the next day.' Now 84, Torre recalled how his Yankees teams benefitted at least twice from blown calls in the postseason, including one involving the strike zone. With the 1998 World Series opener tied and the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh inning, Tino Martinez took a 2-2 pitch from San Diego's Mark Langston that appeared to be a strike but was called a ball by Richie Garcia. Martinez hit a grand slam on the next pitch for a 9-5 lead, and the Yankees went on to a four-game sweep. Asked whether he was happy there was no robot umpire then, Torre grinned and said: 'Possibly.' Then he added without a prompt: 'Well, not to mention the home run that Jeter hit.' His reference was to Derek Jeter's home run in the 1996 AL Championship Series opener, when 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall to snatch the ball above the glove over Baltimore right fielder Tony Tarasco. ___ Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
