Do You Support A Technology-Assisted Strike Zone?

[Can_of_corn]

We also have the technology to catch every speeder, people who roll through stop signs, etc. Technology for more destructive weapons and much more. Just because there is better technology doesn't mean it will make things better. It is a game, please note GAME, the more variables the more interesting.

Well lets just get a fan from in the stands to Ump. That will make things really variable.

[Il BuonO]

Well lets just get a fan from in the stands to Ump. That will make things really variable.

My 7 yr. daughter thinks umpiring would be a kick!

[El Gordo]

I think what people are overlooking is that there is no position better than the umpires current position from which to assess a ball or strike call. Where could you position a camera that would be more accurate? Unless you go to a laser configured strike zone you can't say this or that was clearly a ball or strike. The camera places you at an angle that makes you estimate. How cam you say that at no point that pitch did not pass through the 3 dimensional strike zone? You can't with any certainty.

[sevastras]

I think what people are overlooking is that there is no position better than the umpires current position from which to assess a ball or strike call. Where could you position a camera that would be more accurate? Unless you go to a laser configured strike zone you can't say this or that was clearly a ball or strike. The camera places you at an angle that makes you estimate. How cam you say that at no point that pitch did not pass through the 3 dimensional strike zone? You can't with any certainty.

I agree with you, except the strike zone is 2 dimensional. The instant it hits the front of the plate, that is the spot that it is considered a ball or a strike(theoretically, the human element might catch the ball before or after that point, but that point is where it is suppose to be determined.). If you stuck a piece of paper at the front of the plate, the exact spot where it hit that paper should be the spot that determines strike or ball.

[El Gordo]

I agree with you, except the strike zone is 2 dimensional. The instant it hits the front of the plate, that is the spot that it is considered a ball or a strike(theoretically, the human element might catch the ball before or after that point, but that point is where it is suppose to be determined.). If you stuck a piece of paper at the front of the plate, the exact spot where it hit that paper should be the spot that determines strike or ball.

I disagree, I think it is three dimensional. A pitch can start out of the zone, pass through the zone and end up out of the zone.

[sevastras]

I disagree, I think it is three dimensional. A pitch can start out of the zone, pass through the zone and end up out of the zone.

If you throw the ball from say 1st base in this example, the ball hits the front of the plate right in the middle and thigh high and then the catcher catches the ball 4 feet off the plate, it is a strike. The only thing that matters is the snap shot when the ball hits the plane of the front of the plate. I say that is a 2 dimensional zone because once it passes the front of the plate it doesnt matter if it stays in the strike zone or not. We agree that it can start out, hit in and end out. We just disagree on the definition of 2 and 3 dimensional.

[sevastras]

Further more, I think that a ball that is chest high at the front of the plate but drops into the strike zone in the back of the plate is not a strike.

[El Gordo]

If you throw the ball from say 1st base in this example, the ball hits the front of the plate right in the middle and thigh high and then the catcher catches the ball 4 feet off the plate, it is a strike. The only thing that matters is the snap shot when the ball hits the plane of the front of the plate. I say that is a 2 dimensional zone because once it passes the front of the plate it doesnt matter if it stays in the strike zone or not. We agree that it can start out, hit in and end out. We just disagree on the definition of 2 and 3 dimensional.

I am not sure you understand the difference between 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional. A slider often reaches the plate inside at the front plane of the strike zone, passes through the zone deeper, but ends up in the catchers mitt out of the zone.

[sevastras]

I am not sure you understand the difference between 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional. A slider often reaches the plate inside at the front plane of the strike zone,passes through the zone deeper, but ends up in the catchers mitt out of the zone.

I understand 2 and 3 dimensional.

I just went back and read the rules and they are a bit hazy, but I did find that others do interpret the rules the same as you. Instead of the front being a snap shot, some people feel the same as you in that you could throw a ball from my hypathetical first base, miss the front of the plate and then catch the back diamond part of the plate and it would be a strike. Now while I still think the official rules are unclear, I now see perfectly where you are coming from.

While it would be hard to hit the back of the plate with a strike and not touch the front, I would think that curveballs that hit you letter high might very well drop into your interpretation of the rules hitting the back part of the strike zone. While I dont say you are wrong in your thinking, I do say that some curveball strikes are missed regularly if you are indeed correct.

[UpstateNYfan]

I believe EG is correct, all it has to do is cross any part of the plate. What further complicates the issue is the players positioning in the batters box. The batter has a six foot range in there. Often a low strike will be a ball by the time it crosses the batter deep in the box.

[DrungoHazewood]

I believe EG is correct, all it has to do is cross any part of the plate. What further complicates the issue is the players positioning in the batters box. The batter has a six foot range in there. Often a low strike will be a ball by the time it crosses the batter deep in the box.

I don't think it's an issue, because the current method of calling balls and strikes inconsistently or incorrectly judges nuances like that all the time. The ball passes from the front of the plate to the back in less than 1/100th of a second. The umps have only vague ideas if a ball crosses one part of the plate or another.

[UpstateNYfan]

It does matter if an electronic strike zone is to be developed. The system would have to transfer the batter's position to square it with the plate. Umpires eye mechanics are not quick enough to do what can be done electronically. I actually think that many outside pitches that appear to be balls do cross the plate, but the catcher catches them "way outside." Likewise some balls that hit the catcher's target and appear to be strikes never cross the plate. What we see on the TV screen is a demensional view of a three demensional game. It can create illusions.

[DrungoHazewood]

Bill Klem umpired in 18 World Series from 1908-1940 and was one of only two umpires in history to have worked in five different decades. He essentially invented modern umpiring at a critical point in the development of professional baseball which would have been anarchy without professional umpiring. He invented the use of arm and hand signals from behind the plate, the first use of chest protection, positioning at either side of catchers to more consistently assess the pitch, straddling the base lines as an umpire and many other techniques. His role in baseball is as important as any manager or player, in my humble opinion.

I understand all of that. But he was completely wrong if he really thought that he decided what was a ball and what was a strike. His goal on every pitch should have been to decide if that pitch met the rulebook requirements of what is a strike. Any quote can be taken out of context, but he appeared to be taking the stance of the worst of the rogue umpires of the 1990s - this is all about me, and if I want the strike zone to be xyz, it is xyz.

[El Gordo]

If they did institute an electronic strike zone imagine the impact on the game. If the actual MLB rule book strike zone would be consistently called. Knees to letters. A lot of offensive numbers down the drain.

[Can_of_corn]

If they did institute an electronic strike zone imagine the impact on the game. If the actual MLB rule book strike zone would be consistently called. Knees to letters. A lot of offensive numbers down the drain.

For a season. Then they would adjust the zone to fit the game they want. In fact those adjustments would mostly be made wherever the system was tested before it was introduced league wide.