Do You Support A Technology-Assisted Strike Zone?

[Can_of_corn]

That might be the worse major league strike call I've ever seen. The catcher, the pitcher, the batter, the crowd all knew that was a ball.

If he hadn't tossed the bat and headed to first I bet it wouldn't have been called a strike.

[Tony-OH]

If he hadn't tossed the bat and headed to first I bet it wouldn't have been called a strike.

Huh? I'm guessing you are joking or forgot the winky face. He tossed the bat because it was clearly ball four. I mean, not even close enough for consideration for ball four. Like, that umpire should be fined and suspended or sent to the minors for not calling that ball four.

[Can_of_corn]

Huh? I'm guessing you are joking or forgot the winky face. He tossed the bat because it was clearly ball four. I mean, not even close enough for consideration for ball four. Like, that umpire should be fined and suspended or sent to the minors for not calling that ball four.

I am serious. He tossed the bat because it was ball 4 and tweaked the Ump, who hadn't made the call yet, so the Ump called it a strike.

[Gurgi]

I am serious. He tossed the bat because it was ball 4 and tweaked the Ump, who hadn't made the call yet, so the Ump called it a strike.

If that is true then you just increase the demand for technology assisted strike zones. Because that is just straight up stupid.

[clapdiddy]

Being a homeplate umpire is a very demanding job.....over 200 pitches, requiring concentration. I don't think any umpire would like to do that alone and to be in that position that frequently.

Yeah...I guess I didn't put enough thought into that. That would be extremely tough.

[Can_of_corn]

Another thing. The pitch was definitely a ball but Pierzynski made it look even worse than it was by the way he caught it. Did they show a pitch tracker at all? I wonder if it was low AND outside, or just outside.

For what it is worth:

Marc Topkin

HP ump Marty Foster on call to end #Rays game: "Had I had a chance to do it again I wouldn't call that pitch a strike.''

[Ohfan67]

If he hadn't tossed the bat and headed to first I bet it wouldn't have been called a strike.

Wow. Just wow.

[Can_of_corn]

Wow. Just wow.

Keep in mind that I am speculating.

[bobmc]

Keep in mind that I am speculating.

Exactly what I thought - ump was hesitant but thought Z showed him up....

[Barnaby Graves]

Don't agree at all. I have more respect for the ump than to assume he'd decide a game on an awfully bad call because the batter flipped his bat too soon. Maybe I'm na?ve.

I can't be in the guy's head but he wouldn't be the first umpire in history to think he's the center of the universe, and he wouldn't be the first to spite a player for "disrespect" or some stupid reason.

[DrungoHazewood]

I can't be in the guy's head but he wouldn't be the first umpire in history to think he's the center of the universe, and he wouldn't be the first to spite a player for "disrespect" or some stupid reason.

Umpires do their best and are pretty good at their jobs, but they're people, just like All Star outfielders who occasionally get wrapped up in yelling at themselves and forget to run out a ground ball.

[Barnaby Graves]

Umpires do their best and are pretty good at their jobs, but they're people, just like All Star outfielders who occasionally get wrapped up in yelling at themselves and forget to run out a ground ball.

I'm assuming we agree regarding the RoboUmp strikezone. Frankly I'm not that impressed with "pretty good" anymore. Pretty good might've just cost the Rays a game.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm assuming we agree regarding the RoboUmp strikezone. Frankly I'm not that impressed with "pretty good" anymore. Pretty good might've just cost the Rays a game.

I think we're on the same page. Umpires try their best and make their best judgments the vast majority of the time. But that means they still miss enough calls that TV easily sees them every game. And Pitch F/x shows they miss roughly 10% of all ball/strike calls, maybe 25 a game.

[Art Wing]

It's not a question of IF, but WHEN. Let's get on with it already. I'm in favor of technology assisted everything if it makes the end result more accurate. I just despise injustice at any level.

[Tony-OH]

I am serious. He tossed the bat because it was ball 4 and tweaked the Ump, who hadn't made the call yet, so the Ump called it a strike.

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.