Do You Support A Technology-Assisted Strike Zone?

[nevadaO]

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_08_tbamlb_texmlb_1&mode=video&content_id=26135013&tcid=vpp_copy_26135013

[nevadaO]

If that's true, that's even more of a reason to fine or suspend this umpire. Clearly Zobrist was not showing up the ump. He was taking his base.

I don't think that's it, honestly. If you watch the link above you can hear what sounds like the ump calling strike before the bat toss/strike 3 arm motion.

[UpstateNYfan]

Agreed that was a very bad call, but Robbie Alomar call, in a pennant race wasn't much better. Rarely is the whole clip shown, but as I recall he was back in the dugout before and the ump (Hirschbeck) came over to the dugout which led to the spitting.

[El Gordo]

I'm all in favor of instant replay for every thing except balls and strikes. On the fence there. Don't need the challenge system, just a guy in the booth who can be consulted at the discretion of the crew chief. The problem is that before TV the umpires were in the best position to see the play. Nobody could have a better view to over rule them. Now the fans often do get a better view and it is eroding the faith in the integrity of the game, IMO. With a pitch fx type system, I have some questions. When tracking pitches do they see the strike zone as a three dimensional cube, or is it a two dimensional plane? With the Zobrist call, the call strike one was the same distance off the plate as the call strike 3. According to the pitch fx. Strike one was mid strike zone and strike three was at the bottom. No one complained about strike one as outside, so the problem with strike 3 must have been the height of the pitch. Pitch fx showed it to be at the knees, borderline. Where the ball ends up doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't passed through some part of the zone.

[isestrex]

Agreed that was a very bad call, but Robbie Alomar call, in a pennant race wasn't much better. Rarely is the whole clip shown, but as I recall he was back in the dugout before and the ump (Hirschbeck) came over to the dugout which led to the spitting.

This one?

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[DrungoHazewood]

Agreed that was a very bad call, but Robbie Alomar call, in a pennant race wasn't much better. Rarely is the whole clip shown, but as I recall he was back in the dugout before and the ump (Hirschbeck) came over to the dugout which led to the spitting.

After the whole umpire mass resignation in the 1999 the number of belligerent rouge umpires seems to have quickly approached zero. You just don't see many umps chasing down players and picking fights.

With a pitch fx type system, I have some questions. When tracking pitches do they see the strike zone as a three dimensional cube, or is it a two dimensional plane? With the Zobrist call, the call strike one was the same distance off the plate as the call strike 3. According to the pitch fx. Strike one was mid strike zone and strike three was at the bottom. No one complained about strike one as outside, so the problem with strike 3 must have been the height of the pitch. Pitch fx showed it to be at the knees, borderline. Where the ball ends up doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't passed through some part of the zone.

I think a system that consistently calls the same strike zone, even if it's not capturing 100% of by-the-book strikes, is leaps and bounds ahead of what we have today. Right now there's a 6" or 8" gray area on the edges of the zone where it's essentially random whether a ball or strike is called. We're not looking for a flawless representation of the rules, and I don't want to wait for perfection. Not when a big leap in performance is possible right now.

[Can_of_corn]

Agreed that was a very bad call, but Robbie Alomar call, in a pennant race wasn't much better. Rarely is the whole clip shown, but as I recall he was back in the dugout before and the ump (Hirschbeck) came over to the dugout which led to the spitting.

There was also some unacceptable language used on Hirschbeck's part.

[Mayor McCheese]

WOW

[ShaneDawg85]

WOW

Wow is right. That may be one of, if not the worst called third strikes I've ever seen.

[Can_of_corn]

Right. Define the strike zone wheter it's two dimensional or three (which sounds more right). They do the electronic eye in tennis and then they have some camera simulation that shows if a ball is out or in. I would imagine the same technology would work.

I wonder what the cost would be to chip the balls? I don't think it would effect flight characteristics more then the current allowances do.

[Gurgi]

I wonder what the cost would be to chip the balls? I don't think it would effect flight characteristics more then the current allowances do.

I think the technology is already beyond requiring chips. I think cameras can do it all now.

They should do a trial run somewhere. Maybe just one stadium where they get everything real tight.

[Can_of_corn]

I think the technology is already beyond requiring chips. I think cameras can do it all now.

They should do a trial run somewhere. Maybe just one stadium where they get everything real tight.

Not sure a camera based system could be real time, which is what you would need for Ball/strike calls.

I think chips would be less likely to run into issues with weather. It would also serve as a boon to the legitimate memorabilia market if MLB wanted it to.

[DrungoHazewood]

Not sure a camera based system could be real time, which is what you would need for Ball/strike calls.

I think chips would be less likely to run into issues with weather. It would also serve as a boon to the legitimate memorabilia market if MLB wanted it to.

I have little doubt that a camera-based system could be realtime enough for our purposes. The only question might be cost.

[Can_of_corn]

I have little doubt that a camera-based system could be realtime enough for our purposes. The only question might be cost.

Cost really shouldn't be a factor when you are talking about an organization with the earning power of MLB.

[Gurgi]

Cost really shouldn't be a factor when you are talking about an organization with the earning power of MLB.

Yeah but money is usually the deciding factor in everything.