Heston Kjerstad 2024

[Malike]

I'm sort of convinced that after watching the game last night with the fully automated strike zone that offense is going to go up. Really close pitches were called balls so pitchers really have to try to keep the ball in the zone and bad stuff tends to happen when you have to stay in the zone and can't try to finesse close pitches.

[Frobby]

11 minutes ago, Malike said:

I'm sort of convinced that after watching the game last night with the fully automated strike zone that offense is going to go up. Really close pitches were called balls so pitchers really have to try to keep the ball in the zone and bad stuff tends to happen when you have to stay in the zone and can't try to finesse close pitches.

The mere fact of consistency also favors the hitters.   

[Malike]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

The mere fact of consistency also favors the hitters.   

Absolutely, I know we've been clamoring for robo umps for years, but now it's sort of scary unless they widen the actual zone a hair or something.

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, Malike said:

Absolutely, I know we've been clamoring for robo umps for years, but now it's sort of scary unless they widen the actual zone a hair or something.

I believe they’re still noodling with the top and bottom of the electronic zone, but not so much the width.  

[Malike]

Just now, Frobby said:

I believe they’re still noodling with the top and bottom of the electronic zone, but not so much the width.  

It's going to be interesting to see how this ends up working out. It definitely seemed to affect both pitchers last night.

[jdwilde1]

5 minutes ago, Malike said:

Absolutely, I know we've been clamoring for robo umps for years, but now it's sort of scary unless they widen the actual zone a hair or something.

Or MLB could go back the traditional strike zone, which was top of the batter’s shoulders to his knees.  High-heat and the 12-6 curve would really be back in vogue.

 

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/rules/strike-zone#

[RZNJ]

5 minutes ago, Malike said:

It's going to be interesting to see how this ends up working out. It definitely seemed to affect both pitchers last night.

Last year they thought it helped McDermott as his walk numbers improved in AAA.  A lot of umps have trouble calling the big 12-6 type breakers.

[Fiver6565]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I’m enjoying it plenty!  

I know you are, which is why I made sure to indicate my response wasn't meant to be calling you out indirectly.

It really has been fun to watch.  Makes the MLBTV subscription all the more justified, even though I can't watch the O's themselves on there.  And the other minors teams haven't even started yet, which I guess changes today.

[Can_of_corn]

30 minutes ago, jdwilde1 said:

Or MLB could go back the traditional strike zone, which was top of the batter’s shoulders to his knees.  High-heat and the 12-6 curve would really be back in vogue.

 

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/rules/strike-zone#

I think they should go back to being able to ask for a high ball or low ball.

[jdwilde1]

22 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I think they should go back to being able to ask for a high ball or low ball.

I’m okay with that as long as they don’t go back to requiring nine “unfair balls” for a walk.

[emmett16]

3 hours ago, Malike said:

I'm sort of convinced that after watching the game last night with the fully automated strike zone that offense is going to go up. Really close pitches were called balls so pitchers really have to try to keep the ball in the zone and bad stuff tends to happen when you have to stay in the zone and can't try to finesse close pitches.

This is a fantastic point and one I had not thought of before.  Good post. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

This is a fantastic point and one I had not thought of before.  Good post. 

But the game will have the ability to adjust the strike zone to adjust the offense.  If scoring is up too much, they widen the strike zone a couple of inches.

If it is a true representation of what the strike zone is actually supposed to be (in three dimensions) then I expect someone to break out a Rich Hill style curve ball that clips the strike zone but is basically unhittable. 

I can see a future where guys can just clip the front end of the zone with a breaking ball that ends up in the dirt.

[emmett16]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

But the game will have the ability to adjust the strike zone to adjust the offense.  If scoring is up too much, they widen the strike zone a couple of inches.

If it is a true representation of what the strike zone is actually supposed to be (in three dimensions) then I expect someone to break out a Rich Hill style curve ball that clips the strike zone but is basically unhittable. 

I can see a future where guys can just clip the front end of the zone with a breaking ball that ends up in the dirt.

I agree.  The game would respond.  It would have to.  But in the interim it would be a very favorable run scoring environment.  

[Sports Guy]

3 hours ago, Fiver6565 said:

Yeah no stadium in the world was holding Mayo’s late bomb last night, as just one example. 

I think it’s funny that we see exactly what we want to see from players, and so many people are so quick to qualify it. The Os win and it’s ’yeah but they had to walk it off, and this is the soft part of the schedule’. AAA hitters go bonkers and it’s ’yeah but is the ball juiced? But Charlotte sucks right?’

We can’t just enjoy how amazing a run this is without someone crapping on it. 

(and this is not a barb at Frobby, who you quoted:  more a general observation)

I think people are just trying to temper the emotions to this huge start.

That said, there is context to it. Frobby being a wet blanket (  )and pointing out the pitching and park is accurate but it’s also accurate that they are just knocking the cover off the ball and hitting to places that it doesn’t matter what party they are in. 

[RZNJ]

37 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

I agree.  The game would respond.  It would have to.  But in the interim it would be a very favorable run scoring environment.  

Do we know that more strikes are called balls versus balls that are called strikes.  I think you would need to know that before concluding that the robó ump is better for hitters.  In ML games I see plenty of pitches on the line or inside the box that are called balls.