Electronic Strike Zones in MLB, Yea or Nay?

[OTD Sports]

 

[GatorOK]

Nay

 

[AgEngDawg]

As a Braves fan, I say yes. Braves would have advanced to the 1997 WS if this was implemented then.

 

[OTD Sports]

As a Braves fan, I say yes. Braves would have advanced to the 1997 WS if this was implemented then.

This is true. However, let us not forget Maddux and Glavine made a career off getting similar strike calls.

 

[denn]

As a Braves fan, I say yes. Braves would have advanced to the 1997 WS if this was implemented then.

As a Braves fan you should go look at the calls Maddux, Smoltz and especially Glavine got as well. I do agree with you though, as I was watching that game I thought that umpire needed to be removed mid game.

I would still say nay on the electronic crap. The human element has always been a part of the game and humans are not perfect.

 

[AgEngDawg]

This is true. However, let us not forget Maddux and Glavine made a career off getting similar strike calls.

No way, Maddux and Glavine never got the benefit of the doubt from the umps.

 

[shiv]

Yes just because I want to see a manager get thrown out of a game for fighting with the nerd that wrote the algorithm

 

[MVTPatriot]

This is true. However, let us not forget Maddux and Glavine made a career off getting similar strike calls.

While I agree that they got some love off the edge, they always hit the target and not nearly as egregious as what Gregg gave Hernandez that day. He routinely got calls a full foot off the plate like the photo showed.

 

[Belezabro]

That pitch was close. The problem was the catcher, moving too much on the catch. Made it look worse than it was.

And, hard pass on more electronics being used in sports, especially baseball. When a runner steals 2B and glides over the bag for a millisecond and by a fraction of an inch, then called out on review? Terrible. Plus it slows down an already slow game.

 

[Concrete Cowboy]

Pet peeve... Strike zone has to adjust per batter... A 6'8" guy does not have same zone as 5'2"... But some umps don't adjust and it's frustrating.

Even watching MLB... Their little box on the screen is always the same size.

I'm a yay, but has to be done right.

 

[LVRebel]

I'd be fine with an electronic zone. The problem would be how to determine the strike zone, based on the player size, stance, etc. Obviously the zone would be different for a 6'-6" player with a tall stance (like Aaron Judge), than a short guy like Altuve, or Ricky Henderson back in the day, with his wide stance.

The width should be constant and easy to determine though. I wish MLB umpires would call the high strike too. Most won't call anything even at the waist of the batter.

 

[Sikness23245]

That pitch was close. The problem was the catcher, moving too much on the catch. Made it look worse than it was.

And, hard pass on more electronics being used in sports, especially baseball. When a runner steals 2B and glides over the bag for a millisecond and by a fraction of an inch, then called out on review? Terrible. Plus it slows down an already slow game.

Electronics would remove the need for reviews, thus speeding up the game, no?

 

[Joe Kings]

That was a strike homeboy. The catcher just made it look bad.

 

[RollyInRaleigh]

The pinheads are hell bent on destroying the game.

 

[Concrete Cowboy]

So... Make the batter stand upright in the box and let the system calibrate from their nipples to their knees, before first pitch.

 

[LVRebel]

So... Make the batter stand upright in the box and let the system calibrate from their nipples to their knees, before first pitch.

You'd almost have to do something like that, or base the strike zone on the players height. For example, a batter that is 5'-6" has the strike zone start at 1-0" high, and go up to 3'-3" or so. For a batter that is 6-6", maybe it starts at 1'-3" high, and goes up to 4'-3 high. Just spit balling, but I like that idea better than the zones changing from one umpire to the next. Some like the high ball, some the low ball, some have big zones, some are tight, etc. The electronic strike zone would make it irrefutable, and also make it non-subjective, to where umps don't have as big of an impact on the game as they sometimes do.

 

[shiv]

So... Make the batter stand upright in the box and let the system calibrate from their nipples to their knees, before first pitch.

Good point

 

[RollyInRaleigh]

So... Make the batter stand upright in the box and let the system calibrate from their nipples to their knees, before first

The strike zone can vary from pitch to pitch based on the hitter’s stance.

 

[OTD Sports]

Before you vote nay, consider this

 

[OTD Sports]

And this

 

[LVRebel]

And this

Honestly, to me, that one didn't look too bad. Even the spot where they showed the ball crossing was just off the plate. If any part of the ball crosses the zone, even just the tiniest sliver, it's a strike.

 

[RollyInRaleigh]

Yeah, that one was real close...

 

[BLatta12]

Yeah, that one was real close...

I agree. The 85.3% correct calls is concerning.

 

[LVRebel]

Yeah, that one was real close...

It was. But yes, those ones suck as a hitter. Especially in this case, with a lefty on lefty. The ball is breaking away from you, so at the very front of the strike zone, it is just barely off the plate. But since you're probably going to try to hit that ball the other way, by the time the ball is in the proper depth to hit it the other way, it's another 2-3 inches off the plate, making it appear worse than it was.

 

[ChicagoFats]

So... Make the batter stand upright in the box and let the system calibrate from their nipples to their knees, before first pitch.

I like this idea. Its almost like they could just enter the players height and calculate the strike zone based on that. Hell, they can probably have a pre-loaded scan of the players body loaded into a system. With all the technology it doesn't seem like that should be too hard.

 

[BurntJ]

This is a tough call here......on one hand the game continues to change, and will soon show no remnants of the original game of baseball which is

The other hand....it would remove that retarded asshole Angel Hernandez and his insane (constantly changing) strike zone. FUCK THAT GUY!

So yeah....im all pretzelled up here on what to do.

 

[RollyInRaleigh]

It was. But yes, those ones suck as a hitter. Especially in this case, with a lefty on lefty. The ball is breaking away from you, so at the very front of the strike zone, it is just barely off the plate. But since you're probably going to try to hit that ball the other way, by the time the ball is in the proper depth to hit it the other way, it's another 2-3 inches off the plate, making it appear worse than it was.

A pitcher’s pitch...What usually sets a guy off is a call on another pitch that was worse...even in a previous at bat.

 

[RollyInRaleigh]

I like this idea. Its almost like they could just enter the players height and calculate the strike zone based on that. Hell, they can probably have a pre-loaded scan of the players body loaded into a system. With all the technology it doesn't seem like that should be too hard.

Doesn’t account for a stance that can change from pitch to pitch...at bat to at bat. I’ve seen the Reds Joey Votto change his stance in an at bat...particularly after 2 strikes. Cal Ripken was notorious.

 

[RollyInRaleigh]

I agree. The 85.3% correct calls is concerning.

Hernandez is a terrible umpire. That call was not indicative of his incompetence...

 

[Jayhacker]

3 pitches allowed per batter. If 2 out of 3 pitches are balls you get an automatic walk. If 2 out of 3 are strikes you're out if you haven't put it in play on the 3rd pitch. We'll find out who the hitters are real quick.
I kinda threw up in my mouth typing this.

 

[LVRebel]

3 pitches allowed per batter. If 2 out of 3 pitches are balls you get an automatic walk. If 2 out of 3 are strikes you're out if you haven't put it in play on the 3rd pitch. We'll find out who the hitters are real quick.
I kinda threw up in my mouth typing this.

You're trying to implement slow pitch softball rules here?

 

[Jayhacker]

You're trying to implement slow pitch softball rules here?

Never been anything wrong with a 1 hour game IMO. I do remember games I played in way back in the 70-80's against Steele's, Howards Furniture, Nelson Paints, etc that the scores were 60-50.

 

[LVRebel]

Never been anything wrong with a 1 hour game IMO.

That sounds like something you'd incorporate for an XLB league (instead of MLB), kind of league, kind of like the XFL for football.

 

[grimm515]

I get the feeling MLB specifically keeps putting Angel Hernandez out there as a way to promote electronic strike zones.

 

[RollyInRaleigh]

I get the feeling MLB specifically keeps putting Angel Hernandez out there as a way to promote electronic strike zones.

MLB is doing everything within their control to ruin a great game.

 

[OTD Sports]

 

[LVRebel]

Exactly why I'm all for the electronic strike zone. These umps either screwing the batter on wide zones like that, or hurting the pitchers by squeezing the strike zone. We have the technology, let's do it!

 

[ChicagoFats]

Exactly why I'm all for the electronic strike zone. These umps either screwing the batter on wide zones like that, or hurting the pitchers by squeezing the strike zone. We have the technology, let's do it!

So no home plate umpire at all?

Just one umpire to manage the game?

What does the future of umpiring look like?

 

[TJHall1]

So no home plate umpire at all?

Just one umpire to manage the game?

What does the future of umpiring look like?

Obviously you would have the other umps, to make calls in the middle of plays, like catch/no catch, outs at bases, fair/foul.

 

[LVRebel]

So no home plate umpire at all?

Just one umpire to manage the game?

What does the future of umpiring look like?

You still need a home plate ump, but the ball and strike calls are done electronically. Either it makes it automatically or signals to the umpire who still makes the call