ABS accuracy

[Deja Doh]

I really doubt the accuracy of ABS with a 2 dimensional strike zone plain set in the middle of the plate, 8.5" from front of the plate especially when it's giving ball calls with a measurement of 0.1"  low on a curve.  I get they had problems in the minors using the Hawk-Eye camera system with a true 3 dimensional strike zone, but I'm surprised they don't have a vertical sensor around the plate.

[moonslav59]

It may not be 100% accurate, but it's consistent and pitchers/batters will know what is a strike and what is a ball.

[JoeBrady]

11 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

It may not be 100% accurate, but it's consistent and pitchers/batters will know what is a strike and what is a ball.

I think that's one of the keys.  When gamblers bet the under/over, they take the HP umpire into consideration.  The higher the K/W, the lower the ERA.  It's not huge, but I'm guessing that the ERA difference at the two extremes is a solid 0.25.

IMHO, one of the best changes since the NFL stopped measuring for first downs.

[notin]

22 hours ago, Deja Doh said:

I really doubt the accuracy of ABS with a 2 dimensional strike zone plain set in the middle of the plate, 8.5" from front of the plate especially when it's giving ball calls with a measurement of 0.1"  low on a curve.  I get they had problems in the minors using the Hawk-Eye camera system with a true 3 dimensional strike zone, but I'm surprised they don't have a vertical sensor around the plate.

It’s still more accurate than human umpires…

[jdc69]

Why not make it 3D.

[illinoisredsox]

On 4/5/2026 at 7:14 PM, jdc69 said:

Why not make it 3D.

I read somewhere that they tested a 3D strike zone but it was leading to too many strike calls and thus more strike outs, so the powers that be decided on the 2D one instead.  Ideally, 3D is by the book, but I can't say I object too much to what was decided; there are already too many K's in the game.  

[jdc69]

5 minutes ago, illinoisredsox said:

I read somewhere that they tested a 3D strike zone but it was leading to too many strike calls and thus more strike outs, so the powers that be decided on the 2D one instead.  Ideally, 3D is by the book, but I can't say I object too much to what was decided; there are already too many K's in the game.  

But the new abs way, they are challenging pitches a hair off. If they dont make it what it actually is, they might as well stick to umpires, or change it to 2d officially. 

[jad]

Since they correct calls and even judge umpires with ABS, just use ABS, for god's sake.  It's not am umpire contest.

[illinoisredsox]

I would hope not all misses are rated equal when it comes to rating umpires.  Missing a call by 0,1 inch isn't the same as missing a call by 2+ inches.

[notin]

On 4/5/2026 at 7:14 PM, jdc69 said:

Why not make it 3D.

First people want it to be 3D.  Then the’ll want is shaped like a dinosaur.  Then an animated dinosaur.  Before you know it, that’s not enough and they’ll be using cloning technology to bring surviving DNA matter back to life to bring the dinosaurs back.  And once those dinosaurs start reproducing, there’s no putting that toothpaste back in the tube.  Which is fine with me..  You got greedy and demanded a Cretaceous Apocalypse, and then go mucking anout trying to clean up messy toothpaste spills in the most futile manner possible!!  Some nerve!

Just stick with 2D and be glad you have it…

[notin]

17 hours ago, illinoisredsox said:

I would hope not all misses are rated equal when it comes to rating umpires.  Missing a call by 0,1 inch isn't the same as missing a call by 2+ inches.

Rumor has it if CB Bucknor acknowledges a pitch was thrown, it’s considered a moral victory…

[moonslav59]

On 4/5/2026 at 7:14 PM, jdc69 said:

Why not make it 3D.

Agreed, and do away with stupid challenge systems. Just have robo calls 100%. Why slow things down?

[jdc69]

8 hours ago, notin said:

First people want it to be 3D.  Then the’ll want is shaped like a dinosaur.  Then an animated dinosaur.  Before you know it, that’s not enough and they’ll be using cloning technology to bring surviving DNA matter back to life to bring the dinosaurs back.  And once those dinosaurs start reproducing, there’s no putting that toothpaste back in the tube.  Which is fine with me..  You got greedy and demanded a Cretaceous Apocalypse, and then go mucking anout trying to clean up messy toothpaste spills in the most futile manner possible!!  Some nerve!

Just stick with 2D and be glad you have it…

The strike zone is 3D, not a dinosaur. That may be a bit subtle for you, dont strain too hard.

[oldtimer]

10 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, and do away with stupid challenge systems. Just have robo calls 100%. Why slow things down?

I totally agree. The time for consistent and accurate calls has come, since the technology is here and has been shown to work. 

[notin]

7 hours ago, jdc69 said:

The strike zone is 3D, not a dinosaur. That may be a bit subtle for you, dont strain too hard.

And dinosaurs are extinct, never to be seen on Earth again, much like your sense of whimsy…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'm in for 100% robots calling balls and strikes, with no challenges -- and most importantly, that includes eradicating the most obnoxious calls in baseball: Check The Check swings.

If the MLB and fans want complete computer accuracy on balls and strikes, they also deserve a calibrated angle that constitutes whether or not a batter actually checks his swing -- a definition, by the way, that has never been officially stated in any rule book.

It's a complete joke that the most inconsistent call this century is repeatedly left to the indiscretion of umps 90 feet away who use whatever parameters they each decide to determine when a hitter moves his hands, flinches an eyebrow or wiggles his knob.

The Miz throws 100 mph every pitch and umps get to penalize someone for trying to prepare to be on time?

[mvp 78]

Let robots decide balk calls. 

[drewski6]

Anybody ever play base wars on regular Nintendo in the early nineties?

[moonslav59]

56 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Let robots decide balk calls. 

Yes.

Balls and strikes

Balks

Check Swings

Plays at 1B

Robo umps on the rise!

[notin]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I'm in for 100% robots calling balls and strikes, with no challenges -- and most importantly, that includes eradicating the most obnoxious calls in baseball: Check The Check swings.

If the MLB and fans want complete computer accuracy on balls and strikes, they also deserve a calibrated angle that constitutes whether or not a batter actually checks his swing -- a definition, by the way, that has never been officially stated in any rule book.

It's a complete joke that the most inconsistent call this century is repeatedly left to the indiscretion of umps 90 feet away who use whatever parameters they each decide to determine when a hitter moves his hands, flinches an eyebrow or wiggles his knob.

The Miz throws 100 mph every pitch and umps get to penalize someone for trying to prepare to be on time?

You definitely have a Crusade on your hands, complete with slogan.  When tee shirts become available, count me in.  

L.  Maybe XL for that baggy look….

[JoeBrady]

18 hours ago, notin said:

Rumor has it if CB Bucknor acknowledges a pitch was thrown, it’s considered a moral victory…

After Bucknor had that really bad game, he was umping at 1st.  He called out the runner because he said the guy missed 1st.  The guy's foot landed right in the middle of the bag, in a regular stride.  If any of us saw that play 1000 times, we would get it right all 1000 times.  The runner was safe on appeal, but that was a play you should never, ever get wrong.

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, notin said:

And dinosaurs are extinct, never to be seen on Earth again, much like your sense of whimsy…

I'd bet that we'll have dinosaurs at some point.  Technology is advancing too quickly.

[jdc69]

5 hours ago, notin said:

And dinosaurs are extinct, never to be seen on Earth again, much like your sense of whimsy…

I want to reward crafty pitchers who can shave the back corner of the zone or slice a front corner. To not, yet worry about a half a hair in 2D, is obviously flawed. Take care of the basics before whimsy. 

[jdc69]

21 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, and do away with stupid challenge systems. Just have robo calls 100%. Why slow things down?

Im ok with challenge system for now. It adds an extra layer of complexity that seems to add more fun. It may be the proof needed to make it completely robotic, but it may make the umps look so foolish that they are forced to train their eyes to see better.

[moonslav59]

35 minutes ago, jdc69 said:

Im ok with challenge system for now. It adds an extra layer of complexity that seems to add more fun. It may be the proof needed to make it completely robotic, but it may make the umps look so foolish that they are forced to train their eyes to see better.

The thing is, if the umps wore earpieces that told them the call, we would not even notice a change.

[notin]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

The thing is, if the umps wore earpieces that told them the call, we would not even notice a change.

It’s going to have to be that way, because the system right now doesn’t determine if the batter swings..

[notin]

3 hours ago, jdc69 said:

Im ok with challenge system for now. It adds an extra layer of complexity that seems to add more fun. It may be the proof needed to make it completely robotic, but it may make the umps look so foolish that they are forced to train their eyes to see better.

It’s not about making umps look foolish or training them to see better.

Calling balls and strikes looks easy, and maybe in local Beer League Softball games it is.  But in MLB, it’s a job that requires determining if a projectile traveling 95-100 mph touched any part of an invisible box with varying dimensions, and doing so live with no help from any electronic tools.  Oh and also includes being scrutinized by fans watching TV that think they have a better view and commentators that have access to replays, and now being checked against an electronic sensor system.  It’s an insanely difficult job to do in the first place - probably the most difficult task of any official in any sport - and the failure to be perfect opens the door for someone who thinks you look foolish and just need to “see better”.

That said, Bucknor does often look foolish and needs to see better…

[notin]

6 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I'd bet that we'll have dinosaurs at some point.  Technology is advancing too quickly.

Technology is market-driven.  There is no market for dinosaurs…

[notin]

4 hours ago, jdc69 said:

I want to reward crafty pitchers who can shave the back corner of the zone or slice a front corner. To not, yet worry about a half a hair in 2D, is obviously flawed. Take care of the basics before whimsy. 

If they’re taking the 2D reading at the back corner of the rectangular portion of the plate, that should work almost as well as 3D.   The only pitchers getting shorted are the ones hitting the very bottom of the zone at the front end of the plate.

3D might be accomplished as easily as doing two 2D planes - one at the front of the plate and one at the back corner before the taper.  It’s not going to be a strike and miss both of those planes…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

8 hours ago, notin said:

You definitely have a Crusade on your hands, complete with slogan.  When tee shirts become available, count me in.  

L.  Maybe XL for that baggy look….

Speaking of dinosaurs, when I was a kid, a check swing only became a swinging strike if a batter "broke his wrists" -- which means turned the top hand down (like we all were taught to hit line drives) and the bottom hand up.

Hard to believe a guy could stop his swing and turn his torso so the bat crossed the entire plate and it was still called a ball. For evidence, watch any classic World Series games on MLB channel from the 1960s that they show in the winter.

I'm not advocating to go back to that, but I swear to the Church of Baseball that a check swing is absolutely not a strike if the batter flares a nostril (so sick of catchers saying "Check-check-check" like they're trying to leave every diner before they finish their cup of coffee).

With pitchers on every team throwing 100 mph, MLB knows it needs to do something to help offense. So watch how many batters get new life, longer counts and hittable pitches when Check-the-Check is gone.

The pros will never have to juice their balls again.