Robot Umps?!

[mvp 78]

Possible, but the pitch clock is already in the rules...

 

Yes, but fans aren't used to seeing a live clock at baseball games. The beauty of the game is that it can go on for 30+ innings over the course of months apparently.

[mvp 78]

At the very least, if you keep instant replay, stop using to see if a sliding base-runner breaks contact with the base for an infinitesimal period of time...

 

The worst.

[jad]

The worst.

 

Exactly. They can fix that with a simple rule change (a player is considered in contact with the bag whenever he is over the bag on a slide).

[moonslav59]

Just start with ball & strikes called by automation.

 

The rest can be decided later. This issue dwarfs all other robo or replay concerns, IMO.

[oldtimer]

Just start with ball & strikes called by automation.

 

The rest can be decided later. This issue dwarfs all other robo or replay concerns, IMO.

 

Agreed. Just too many really bad calls. It has to be impacting the game.

[jad]

Pitch clock will be an even more drastic change for the game.

 

Why? I've been to minor league games w/ a pitch clock, visible to fans, and it hasn't done a thing other than to speed up the game. It's not drastic in any way (well, unless you're josh Beckett and want to take 45 seconds to a minute and a half between pitches).

[Kimmi]

A thousand times NO to robot umps.

 

That is all.

[Elktonnick]

A thousand times NO to robot umps.

 

That is all.

 

I think we should have robot umps so there would be no more mistakes by umps. Then we could have robot pitchers so there would be no more mistakes by pitchers. Then we could have robot fielders so there would be no more mistakes by fielders. Then we could have robot hitters so there would be no more mistakes by hitters. There game all fixed. What could go wrong. Play ball!

[mvp 78]

Why? I've been to minor league games w/ a pitch clock, visible to fans, and it hasn't done a thing other than to speed up the game. It's not drastic in any way (well, unless you're josh Beckett and want to take 45 seconds to a minute and a half between pitches).

 

“Traditional” fans will absolutely hate it.

[jad]

“Traditional” fans will absolutely hate it.

 

Yeah, well they can go back to banning interleague play, eliminating the playoffs, and counting walks as hits.

[mvp 78]

Yeah, well they can go back to banning interleague play, eliminating the playoffs, and counting walks as hits.

 

Interleague play should go away.

[jad]

Interleague play should go away.

 

Interleague play is fantastic. Without it, I wouldn't get to see half the players in the league play. I don't have any interest in more games with the Orioles.

[Maxbialystock]

Max, it's not the rectangle. We all Know it's not accurate and that the ball is dropping and moving as it crosses the plate.

 

What the rectangle exposes is the inconsistency of umps. You can see the same pitch be called a ball then a strike. It's not an illusion.

 

Sure, one pitch might be dipping more than another one we think are identical, but for real, the umps suck.

 

23 missed calls are about 20 more than what is acceptable.

 

Why should a pitcher be able to "expand the strike zone?" Why should that be a part of the game?

 

Why not let good basketball players expand the hoop size when they shoot?

 

 

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.

 

The strike zone, whose precise definition you are so obsessed with, is actually an approximation, as described in the rule book, the same rule book that gives umpires the authority to call balls and strikes. They have that authority because the variable size of the strike zone cries out for human judgment. Oh, and how about the dimensions of home plate, which is incredibly idiosyncratic?

 

And, by the way, rectangle on your screen is invisible to everyone on the field of play. It's real--phony though it is--to us, but it is not real to anyone on the field of play. They can see the bases, the lines on the field, the stands, the backstop, the pitchers mound and rubber, the fans the ballboys/girls, even the dimensions and idiosyncrasies of the ballpark. But they can't see that rectangle, which you insist must play a dominant role in games and, along the way, emasculate umpires. As I understand it, that would be fine with you because you actually don't want any umpires out there because, heaven forbid, one of them might make a mistake.

 

I have to ask this. I think Chris Sale is about as professional a pitcher as I've ever seen. Not the best, but very professional. He fields his position beautifully. More than that, he makes sure he is in position to field his position. He almost never shakes off his catcher. He rarely wastes time between pitches. He is incredibly focused on preparing for and executing each pitch.

 

And he never gripes about calls by the ump. Why is that? I mean, you gripe all the time and you have nothing at stake. Do you think Sale simply doesn't care about the overall good of baseball which you insist necessitates robo-umps?

Edited October 22, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[moonslav59]

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.

 

The strike zone, whose precise definition you are so obsessed with, is actually an approximation, as described in the rule book, the same rule book that gives umpires the authority to call balls and strikes. They have that authority because the variable size of the strike zone cries out for human judgment. Oh, and how about the dimensions of home plate, which is incredibly idiosyncratic?

 

And, by the way, rectangle on your screen is invisible to everyone on the field of play. It's real--phony though it is--to us, but it is not real to anyone on the field of play. They can see the bases, the lines on the field, the stands, the backstop, the pitchers mound and rubber, the fans the ballboys/girls, even the dimensions and idiosyncrasies of the ballpark. But they can't see that rectangle, which you insist must play a dominant role in games and, along the way, emasculate umpires. As I understand it, that would be fine with you because you actually don't want any umpires out there because, heaven forbid, one of them might make a mistake.

 

I have to ask this. I think Chris Sale is about as professional a pitcher as I've ever seen. Not the best, but very professional. He fields his position beautifully. More than that, he makes sure he is in position to field his position. He almost never shakes off his catcher. He rarely wastes time between pitches. He is incredibly focused on preparing for and executing each pitch.

 

And he never gripes about calls by the ump. Why is that? I mean, you gripe all the time and you have nothing at stake. Do you think Sale simply doesn't care about the overall good of baseball which you insist necessitates robo-umps?

 

Kinda off on a tangent.

 

No pitcher or batter should need to study who is upping that game.

 

Consistent strike zones are what every ump strives for. It’s their job, and it’s impossible for them to do it because of the catcher blocking their view plus human frailties.

 

You’ll get used to it. It’s coming soon.

[moonslav59]

J

Interleague play is fantastic. Without it, I wouldn't get to see half the players in the league play. I don't have any interest in more games with the Orioles.

 

They should expand inter league play.

[Bellhorn04]

Interleague play is fantastic. Without it, I wouldn't get to see half the players in the league play. I don't have any interest in more games with the Orioles.

 

That's a pretty good point.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't think anyone gets very upset about borderline pitches. It's the clear-cut misses that hurt. When a pitch 6 inches outside the zone is called a strike, or vice versa, and it impacts the game, there's no way you can convince me that makes the game better for anyone.

[jad]

I don't think anyone gets very upset about borderline pitches. It's the clear-cut misses that hurt. When a pitch 6 inches outside the zone is called a strike, or vice versa, and it impacts the game, there's no way you can convince me that makes the game better for anyone.

 

It doesn't (except for those few fans/posters whose primary purpose in attending games seems to be abusing officials). There are cases where robo-calls are great: Hawkeye in tennis. Players still get to act like a-holes (again, for those fans who watch sports to witness this), but not on every point. Strike calls are similar. Those who K will then have to limit their moralistic posturing to staring down the pitcher who just blew them away (a response I've never fully understood!). In my day, you trash-talked the guy you beat, not the guy who just kicked your butt.

[notin]

Interleague play should go away.

 

No. Interleague play is fine. Just get rid of the whole "pitchers batting" thing.

 

Watching pitchers bat is like watching punters tackle...

[Bellhorn04]

No. Interleague play is fine. Just get rid of the whole "pitchers batting" thing.

 

Watching pitchers bat is like watching punters tackle...

 

Watching pitchers bat is one of those things you want to be over as quickly as possible so they can get back to the real game.

[moonslav59]

I don't think anyone gets very upset about borderline pitches. It's the clear-cut misses that hurt. When a pitch 6 inches outside the zone is called a strike, or vice versa, and it impacts the game, there's no way you can convince me that makes the game better for anyone.

 

Exactly, but along the way, let's clean up those borderline pitches and make the calls uniform, so the batter and pitchers know, with 100% accuracy, what will be called a stike, and what will be called a ball.

 

Take the guess work out of that part of the game.

 

Take away team strategizing based on who the ump is that night.

 

Honestly, I could care less about all the drunken fans missing out on some extra ump- abuse opportunities. (Plus, they'll be so drunk, they'll still scream at the ump.)

 

Nothing needs to look any differently. The home plate ump can still call "Ball" or "Strike" to keep the traditionalists happy.

 

How anyone can be against getting every call right is beyond my comprehension. Nothing looks any different when watching the game, unless the earpiece in the umps ear bothers you.

[jad]

Exactly, but along the way, let's clean up those borderline pitches and make the calls uniform, so the batter and pitchers know, with 100% accuracy, what will be called a stike, and what will be called a ball.

 

Take the guess work out of that part of the game.

 

Take away team strategizing based on who the ump is that night.

 

Honestly, I could care less about all the drunken fans missing out on some extra ump- abuse opportunities. (Plus, they'll be so drunk, they'll still scream at the ump.)

 

Nothing needs to look any differently. The home plate ump can still call "Ball" or "Strike" to keep the traditionalists happy.

 

How anyone can be against getting every call right is beyond my comprehension. Nothing looks any different when watching the game, unless the earpiece in the umps ear bothers you.

 

OK except for the last point. Remember the early days of replay review? and the chorus of announcers saying "the important thing is to get the call right"? My favorite case was the USC/Oregon game 10 or so years ago (ok, maybe 15). The replay review (on a run-of-the-mill kickoff), took 22 minutes. The important thing is to keep the game flow going with as few interruptions as possible. (To me, umpires with head-sets on is as boring as mound visits, or a player or manager storming around, kicking dirt, and lamenting the Injustice of the Universe.)

[moonslav59]

OK except for the last point. Remember the early days of replay review? and the chorus of announcers saying "the important thing is to get the call right"? My favorite case was the USC/Oregon game 10 or so years ago (ok, maybe 15). The replay review (on a run-of-the-mill kickoff), took 22 minutes. The important thing is to keep the game flow going with as few interruptions as possible. (To me, umpires with head-sets on is as boring as mound visits, or a player or manager storming around, kicking dirt, and lamenting the Injustice of the Universe.)

 

The ball strike call can be through a near invisible earpiece. The call should be instantaneous.

 

No headsets.

 

No delays.

 

Just 100% right and timely calls.

[Kimmi]

I think we should have robot umps so there would be no more mistakes by umps. Then we could have robot pitchers so there would be no more mistakes by pitchers. Then we could have robot fielders so there would be no more mistakes by fielders. Then we could have robot hitters so there would be no more mistakes by hitters. There game all fixed. What could go wrong. Play ball!

 

Exactly. I don't even like instant replay.

[Kimmi]

I don't think anyone gets very upset about borderline pitches. It's the clear-cut misses that hurt. When a pitch 6 inches outside the zone is called a strike, or vice versa, and it impacts the game, there's no way you can convince me that makes the game better for anyone.

 

There has been a suggestion to have only the obvious calls made by technology, and to let the umpires continue to make calls on borderline pitches. I'd be more inclined to accept that than having robot umps make all the calls.

[moonslav59]

Exactly. I don't even like instant replay.

 

This can be nothing like replay and seamless. We don't even have to notice any change.

 

You can even pretend the ump is making the call he is hearing in his invisible earpiece.

 

Win-win!

[Kimmi]

This can be nothing like replay and seamless. We don't even have to notice any change.

 

You can even pretend the ump is making the call he is hearing in his invisible earpiece.

 

Win-win!

 

Nope, that wouldn't work for me. Not when I know the guy behind the plate is not making the call.

[Elktonnick]

I agree. Baseball is a game and and a sport. It is not supposed to be perfect. Instant replay takes the spontaneity out if the game. Let the boys play. Let the umps make the calls. If they make mistakes such is life. The quest for automation is ruining sport.

[moonslav59]

I agree. Baseball is a game and and a sport. It is not supposed to be perfect. Instant replay takes the spontaneity out if the game. Let the boys play. Let the umps make the calls. If they make mistakes such is life. The quest for automation is ruining sport.

 

Robo calls for balls and strikes is not replay.

 

Mistakes by refs have always been something all sport leagues have tried to reduce by providing training for refs.

 

This is just assisting them, and it will not take any longer to make the calls.

 

It will speed up teh game, because it will greatly reduce arguing, and batter stepping out of the box to regroup after an horrific call.

[moonslav59]

Nope, that wouldn't work for me. Not when I know the guy behind the plate is not making the call.

 

I will never understand why that would matter to anyone.

 

It's the right call.

 

Watching an ump make a bad call is not entertainment and should never be.