Robot Umps in AAA this year

[Mike D.]

Originally Posted by Lucas00

I like the ump behind the plate still to kind of "keep the peace" imagine two teams on edge. It's kind of a lawless thought. Ganging up on the batter or the batter intentionally backing up to hit the catcher etc. Imo definitely still needs to be somebody behind the plate at the very least with an earpiece keeping track of the count and keeping everything in check.

I think Robo Umps will be fine at this. I'm basing this on what I've seen in movies like Terminator and RoboCop.

[Fred]

Maybe they'll start sewing sensors to the uniforms to make things even tighter for strike/ball calling accuracy.

Just think, they can cut up the used sensors and apply them to cards to create really nifty chase cards

This is going to take some getting used to but when you think about it, there will be one strike zone. It'll be interesting to see how accurate it will be with some of those nasty breaking balls that run in/out/up/down as the ball crosses the plate. No more nasty looks a the ump on called pitches. It'll be funny when the players get called on something they thought was a ball and then look at the ump really funny. What will be really interesting is to have the umps have maintain a device they use to call the balls strikes and then have MLB see just how far off the umps are. What will about 5%-6% more accuracy on ball calling do for the game?

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Fred

Maybe they'll start sewing sensors to the uniforms to make things even tighter for strike/ball calling accuracy.

Just think, they can cut up the used sensors and apply them to cards to create really nifty chase cards…

With GPS tracking, tied to an NFT. Monitored by MLB.

OMG

[D. Bergin]

Get the right call. I can't wait.

...and if the Roboump makes 1 bad call for every 100 bad calls an ump makes, I'll gladly accept the ramifications of whatever that means for the "sanctity of the game".

If this gets bumped up to MLB anytime soon, the Yankees might very well get their money's worth out of Aaron Judge if he stays healthy for at least a few more years.

Biggest downside out of all of this, is I think this will benefit the hitters long-term, much more then the pitchers. Once hitters get a sense of where their zone is being set up by the computer, they will settle in without having to worry about where today's strike zone is going to be...depending on who's standing behind the catcher.

The better hitters will learn to become much more selective about what they chase or bail out on, and what they don't.

I think we will see a lot more walks.

[Mike D.]

Interesting thought Dave on this benefiting hitters. It's quite possible...although I could see the high strike actually getting called benefiting pitchers.

Of course, the consistency benefits everyone...hitter, pitchers, managers, fans...and that's a good thing.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Get the right call. I can't wait.

...and if the Roboump makes 1 bad call for every 100 bad calls an ump makes, I'll gladly accept the ramifications of whatever that means for the "sanctity of the game".

If this gets bumped up to MLB anytime soon, the Yankees might very well get their money's worth out of Aaron Judge if he stays healthy for at least a few more years.

Biggest downside out of all of this, is I think this will benefit the hitters long-term, much more then the pitchers. Once hitters get a sense of where their zone is being set up by the computer, they will settle in without having to worry about where today's strike zone is going to be...depending on who's standing behind the catcher.

The better hitters will learn to become much more selective about what they chase or bail out on, and what they don't.

I think we will see a lot more walks.

Great point about a possible long-term benefit to hitters. Makes excellent sense that better hitters can take advantage of a truly fixed and more consistent strike zone.

And as a potential added collateral result, it may also lead to more emphasis down the road on grabbing pitchers that throw balls that move more than others, rather than just those that throw 100+ MPH fastballs. Extreme backend movement could become the new 101 MPH fastball seemingly desired in every pitcher's repertoire today.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by BobC

And as a potential added collateral result, it may also lead to more emphasis down the road on grabbing pitchers that throw balls that move more than others, rather than just those that throw 100+ MPH fastballs. Extreme backend movement could become the new 101 MPH fastball seemingly desired in every pitcher's repertoire today.

Yeah, I think that's already standard practice. Fans bag on modern hitters approaches, but one thing they can do, is hit a 100mph fastball very far, pretty routinely.

Clay Holmes throws a 100+ mph sinkerball, but when it's not sinking, he gets tattooed. Aroldis Chapman isn't worth the mound he's standing on when his ball isn't moving for him...even when he's hitting 104 or so. His occasional wildness actually works to his advantage. He might be out of a job permanently, if hitters just wait for him to put it inside of their batters box for them.

[jayshum]

This also means that catchers trying to frame pitches will no longer be needed. I don't think they're going to fool a roboump.