Robo-Umps Now!

[Big Al]

18 hours ago, Frobby said:

They are still tweaking the electronic strike zone down in AAA.  My guess is it’s still at least a year away. 
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/triple-a-strike-zone-pitch-clock-being-tweaked-for-stretch-run/

At Tides games the batter or pitcher can challenge a call. They then show an animated version on the big screen like Wimbledon and the call is either changed or kept. It takes no more than 10 seconds and if the call is overturned in the challenger’s favor, his team doesn’t lose a challenge. 
 

At one game, they only used the roboump and it was wonderful. You could see where every pitch was and there was nothing to challenge. 

[Roll Tide]

7 hours ago, Uli2001 said:

Do you have any actual arguments?

Yes …. I’m barely 5’9” and played competitive ball. It’s lunacy for the strike zone to be the same for a 5’9” person as a 6’5” person. That 8” would produce a wheel house pitch to the taller player and an almost unfit table pitch above the letters.  In closing, it would pretty much remove shorter players from baseball.

[Morgan423]

2 hours ago, Big Al said:

At one game, they only used the roboump and it was wonderful. You could see where every pitch was and there was nothing to challenge. 

This version is the one that makes the most sense to me.  If robo ump is 99.9% accurate, and the relay beep to the signalling umpire only takes a half second per pitch, I'm perfectly happy to add two minutes to an average game in order call nearly every pitch correctly.  No need for challenges, that feels like it'd actually be slower.

[Chavez Ravine]

Has the error rate for Robo Ump ever been published? Or a paper written describing what factors affect the error? Robo Ump gets the benefit of that very fixed box we see on the screen. And it’s that fixed immutable box that makes us happy at the moment. But when Angel Hernandez has passed into folklore, we will still be arguing about that box. Who is making it and what are their motivations? Do exceptional/weirdo players (pitchers and hitters) get screwed by the box? Who is running the equipment and compiling the data? What are their motivations? What actually is the error? Wasn’t that box different last year? Fans will create their own “true” box based on crowd sourced data. Just the same ‘ol same ‘ol.

[jdwilde1]

19 hours ago, Uli2001 said:

I wouldn't mind a rule change to make the strike zone fixed for all batters, regardless of height. They don't lower the basket in the NBA if you are short. It would make things easier for pitchers/catchers and I think hitters would adjust, with practice.

[Uli2001]

53 minutes ago, Chavez Ravine said:

Has the error rate for Robo Ump ever been published? Or a paper written describing what factors affect the error? Robo Ump gets the benefit of that very fixed box we see on the screen. And it’s that fixed immutable box that makes us happy at the moment. But when Angel Hernandez has passed into folklore, we will still be arguing about that box. Who is making it and what are their motivations? Do exceptional/weirdo players (pitchers and hitters) get screwed by the box? Who is running the equipment and compiling the data? What are their motivations? What actually is the error? Wasn’t that box different last year? Fans will create their own “true” box based on crowd sourced data. Just the same ‘ol same ‘ol.

The only thing that matters is that the box be the same for both sides and throughout the game. That's why I would prefer a fixed box.

[Morgan423]

10 minutes ago, Uli2001 said:

The only thing that matters is that the box be the same for both sides and throughout the game. That's why I would prefer a fixed box.

It can be fixed at the inside and outside edges of the plate, but not up and down, or else you're really hosing the tallest and shortest players.  

But you can still make up and down consistent.  Down would be measured at the knees (in a neutral batting stance) for each individual player.  Top of the box is a specific percentage of the distance between the belt and the shoulders... just decide what that percentage is, and measure it for each player.

So while the up and down changes for each hitter, the pitcher has the consistent markers for bottom and top of the zone anyway.  It's really the only way to do it fairly for both hitters and pitchers. 

[Malike]

Watch: Saints walk off on rare 'Robot Umpire' challenge vs. Iowa - Sports Illustrated Minnesota Sports, News, Analysis, and More

Players can challenge the Ump and ask the robot lol.

[waroriole]

 

[Uli2001]

On 9/3/2023 at 3:37 PM, Big Al said:

At Tides games the batter or pitcher can challenge a call. They then show an animated version on the big screen like Wimbledon and the call is either changed or kept. It takes no more than 10 seconds and if the call is overturned in the challenger’s favor, his team doesn’t lose a challenge. 
 

At one game, they only used the roboump and it was wonderful. You could see where every pitch was and there was nothing to challenge. 

That sounds like heaven...

[Uli2001]

On 9/3/2023 at 8:48 PM, Morgan423 said:

It can be fixed at the inside and outside edges of the plate, but not up and down, or else you're really hosing the tallest and shortest players.  

But you can still make up and down consistent.  Down would be measured at the knees (in a neutral batting stance) for each individual player.  Top of the box is a specific percentage of the distance between the belt and the shoulders... just decide what that percentage is, and measure it for each player.

So while the up and down changes for each hitter, the pitcher has the consistent markers for bottom and top of the zone anyway.  It's really the only way to do it fairly for both hitters and pitchers. 

I still think hitters would adjust to it. They don't change the rim based on the height of a basketball player, they don't change the size of the goal in soccer or the NHL, a first down requires 10 yards for everybody in the NFL, etc. I understand that this variable strike zone is ingrained in baseball tradition, but there's really not a strong reason for it, other than tradition.

[Uli2001]

By the way, a fixed strike zone would stop some hitter from gaming the system. Remember Jeff Bagwell and his crouching stance? There you go.

[Number5]

10 hours ago, Uli2001 said:

I still think hitters would adjust to it. They don't change the rim based on the height of a basketball player, they don't change the size of the goal in soccer or the NHL, a first down requires 10 yards for everybody in the NFL, etc. I understand that this variable strike zone is ingrained in baseball tradition, but there's really not a strong reason for it, other than tradition.

Umm, what about the fact that no one can see where it is?  Impractical.

[Frobby]

10 hours ago, Uli2001 said:

I still think hitters would adjust to it. They don't change the rim based on the height of a basketball player, they don't change the size of the goal in soccer or the NHL, a first down requires 10 yards for everybody in the NFL, etc. I understand that this variable strike zone is ingrained in baseball tradition, but there's really not a strong reason for it, other than tradition.

Probably what would happen is baseball players would get bigger.   Smaller guys would be less effective with a bigger strike zone, and bigger guys would be more effective with a smaller strike zone.  So, smaller guys would become more rare than they already are.   Personally, I think that would be a shame.  One of the charming aspects of baseball is that average sized guys can still compete.   Yes, the average baseball player is bigger than the average human, but it’s nowhere near as dramatic as in basketball or football and there are many more exceptions than in those sports.   It’s one of the many reasons I prefer baseball to those sports. 

[ArtVanDelay]

10 hours ago, Uli2001 said:

By the way, a fixed strike zone would stop some hitter from gaming the system. Remember Jeff Bagwell and his crouching stance? There you go.

So Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have the same strike zone? 
 

That makes no sense.