If Baseball goes to robot strike zone and pitch clocks...I'm done

[bagdropper]

The Joe West post I think nails it for me.

Soon, we will have the technology to accurately call balls and strikes. I've watched a lot of baseball over the years, and there's no goddam reason why a strike is a strike no matter who the umpire is.

Yet, every umpire's strike zone is different. Why? Hell, their strike zones will change during the game!

My opinion is it's old geezers like West who are from the prior era of the umpire's union, where they damn well could literally call a strike zone any way they see fit, with zero repercussions.

Now, youth is no guarantee of efficiency obviously, and I do believe the union snobs intimidate the young guys to "call it any damn way you want to" instead of the what the definition of what a strike to a batter is.

...so, if one day the technology becomes available to call the strike zone instantaneously, I'm all for it.

 

[ANYCHawk]

The Joe West post I think nails it for me.

 

[TDJ7]

Wanna cut 40 minutes off a game? Get rid of 1 commercial every half inning. But that will never happen. They would rather screw with the game rather than mess with the money.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Sounds like some of you really want SNES baseball 2020

 

[SoDakHawk]

So you guys want to fundamentally change the sport because of one crappy umpire. Sure, there are others, but Joe West is the poster boy. How about we reform the umpires union and get the bad ones out and promote the good ones?

 

[TDJ7]

So you guys want to fundamentally change the sport because of one crappy umpire. Sure, there are others, but Joe West is the poster boy. How about we reform the umpires union and get the bad ones out and promote the good ones?

Angel Hernandez is up there.

Joe West....MLB's Smokey Barr

 

[bhawk24bob]

So you guys want to fundamentally change the sport because of one crappy umpire. Sure, there are others, but Joe West is the poster boy. How about we reform the umpires union and get the bad ones out and promote the good ones?

With what goal? To try to achieve the same result that the computer would give? Just use the computer

 

[ANYCHawk]

Angel Hernandez is up there.

Joe West....MLB's Smokey Barr

Well don't forget about the man "ump show" was invent for.

Then you have one of the worst men to ever live:

 

[pocha444444]

Yes to robot umps. No to pitch clocks. I don't have a problem watching a three hour game. It's less time than the football games I watch.

 

[moral_victory]

That would be just awful if we had a more accurate way of calling strikes and balls.

 

[HawCory]

The strike zone Greg Maddox got was a complete fricking joke.

He was a great pitcher because he figured out how to get a ball thrown 6 inches out of the strike zone called a strike with regularity, which resulted in hitters swinging, and missing, at pitches 8 inches out of the strike zone with regularity.

 

[JRHawk2003]

If they don't, I'm probably done. Shit is unwatchable on TV until October.

Because you have the attention span of a gnat

 

[JRHawk2003]

The Joe West post I think nails it for me.

Soon, we will have the technology to accurately call balls and strikes. I've watched a lot of baseball over the years, and there's no goddam reason why a strike is a strike no matter who the umpire is.

Yet, every umpire's strike zone is different. Why? Hell, their strike zones will change during the game!

My opinion is it's old geezers like West who are from the prior era of the umpire's union, where they damn well could literally call a strike zone any way they see fit, with zero repercussions.

Now, youth is no guarantee of efficiency obviously, and I do believe the union snobs intimidate the young guys to "call it any damn way you want to" instead of the what the definition of what a strike to a batter is.

...so, if one day the technology becomes available to call the strike zone instantaneously, I'm all for it.

And then we can get robots who don't make errors....and we can play a string of 0-0 games. yay! Lets get all the human element out of the game. Heck, we already have total stiffs like Len Kasper calling games who make paint drying seem exciting. Why not?


"Let's Play Global Thermonuclear War.....Let's play Tic Tac Toe"

 

[JWolf74]

As long as a robot rings someone up like this, I'm fine with it.

 

[bagdropper]

And then we can get robots who don't make errors....and we can play a string of 0-0 games. yay! Lets get all the human element out of the game. Heck, we already have total stiffs like Len Kasper calling games who make paint drying seem exciting. Why not?


"Let's Play Global Thermonuclear War.....Let's play Tic Tac Toe"

JR, I'm as traditionalist as it gets with baseball. I abhor the DH for example.

We're talking balls and strikes, which one would think would be uniform for all games. We're not talking about computerized players.

I'm sick and tired of seeing pitches right down the middle of the plate not getting called strikes and pitches a good 3 baseball widths off the plate called strikes.

Teams keep scouting reports on umpires, for crap's sake. That's ridiculous. I don't see what's wrong with a strike being called a strike and a ball being called a ball - if and only if a method to make that occur can be come up with.

I guess it's apparently too much to ask for umpires to be better at their job. Maybe that is what you should rail upon.

 

[JRHawk2003]

JR, I'm as traditionalist as it gets with baseball. I abhor the DH for example.

We're talking balls and strikes, which one would think would be uniform for all games. We're not talking about computerized players.

I'm sick and tired of seeing pitches right down the middle of the plate not getting called strikes and pitches a good 3 baseball widths off the plate called strikes.

Teams keep scouting reports on umpires, for crap's sake. That's ridiculous. I don't see what's wrong with a strike being called a strike and a ball being called a ball - if and only if a method to make that occur can be come up with.

I guess it's apparently too much to ask for umpires to be better at their job. Maybe that is what you should rail upon.

Missed and blown calls are part of the game. The number of strikes they actually miss is very small.

 

[aflachawk]

What's wrong with a pitch clock.

Baseball is damn near unwatchable anymore. It's like watching paint dry.

I watched Iowa in the NCAAs but the slow pace was grueling.

I think the ca Los would be better. I believe it would add scoring to the game

 

[HawkPT]

Those who push for a pitch clock don't fully understand or appreciate what goes on from pitch to pitch in baseball. I agree that some batters go through way too much routine. That should be corrected. But baseball is a game not made for a clock.

I'm as much a baseball purist as they come, but I fully support robo umps for ball-strike calls. The technology already exists, and it doesn't replace the home plate ump. You still need them there for calls at the plate, check swing judgment, etc. It was trialed last year in a minor league game and went off without a hitch.

 

[pocha444444]

And then we can get robots who don't make errors....and we can play a string of 0-0 games. yay! Lets get all the human element out of the game. Heck, we already have total stiffs like Len Kasper calling games who make paint drying seem exciting. Why not?


"Let's Play Global Thermonuclear War.....Let's play Tic Tac Toe"

I disagree with your anti-computerized strikezone argument, but I have to give you a thumbs up for your anti-Len Kasper sentiment. Can we please start a petition to get this guy out of the booth? Can't believe I'm going to be 70 years old some day, reminiscing on the Cub glory years that had Len Kasper with the call. He's the absolute worst in the business, and JD isn't much better.

 

[fredjr82]

Because you have the attention span of a gnat

Not really. Although I do find myself having hard time watching anything under 2 hours at present. I shouldn't say October but in reality baseball has too many games. These players don't care about a 3 game series in May. Nobody outside of diehards and ESPN analysts watch these games until the middle of September at the earliest.

Now the way the playoffs are setup it is quite exciting.

 

[ClarindaA's]

Missed and blown calls are part of the game. The number of strikes they actually miss is very small.

But they happen to have huge effects on the game....again, game seven of the world series last year with Hendricks...should have gone a couple more shutout innings, but a terrible call by the ump led to a whole new ballgame.

 

[93hawkeye]

Yes to making the hitter stay in the batter's box. And yes to a pitch clock. An NFL QB has a much more complicated job to get a play off in his 25 seconds and it works fine.

 

[hawkeyekid]

Keep the umps, put in a pitch clock/batter clock, and get rid of throwing the ball around after every out.

 

[unIowa]

As long as a robot rings someone up like this, I'm fine with it.

Ump so wanted that strikeout to happen.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Ump so wanted that strikeout to happen.

Tom Hallion done it for years

 

[mehawk]

Missed and blown calls are part of the game. The number of strikes they actually miss is very small.

This is true, too many people believe the little white box they see on the screen is accurate. MLB umps will be in the very high 90's on ball strike calls. I will have to see if I can find the numbers from the world series last year.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Yes to making the hitter stay in the batter's box. And yes to a pitch clock. An NFL QB has a much more complicated job to get a play off in his 25 seconds and it works fine.

play clock is 40 seconds.

(also don't tell me it works fine. Hell Iowa can barely get the playcall right after a 2 minute timeout)

 

[ClarindaA's]

This is true, too many people believe the little white box they see on the screen is accurate. MLB umps will be in the very high 90's on ball strike calls. I will have to see if I can find the numbers from the world series last year.

Again, depending on the timing of the call, it can be a very big moment.

 

[theiacowtipper]

They need to only call balls in the strike zone strikes. Right now, they are calling pitches below the knees strikes. Hitters can't hit them. Make them throw balls in the strike zone. More balls in play. More runs scored. More exciting game.

 

[JRHawk2003]

But they happen to have huge effects on the game....again, game seven of the world series last year with Hendricks...should have gone a couple more shutout innings, but a terrible call by the ump led to a whole new ballgame.

Part of the game...Its called the human element...its a game by and for humans...not robots and AI

 

[unoHawkeye]

The obvious and correct answer here is to let the players decide on a robot calling balls and strikes. It should be tested at a minor league level, and if the players like it, install it in the majors. If not, scrap it. I see the argument for both sides.

Many think of the players or themselves, but almost all forget about the umps themselves. Look at the high school kids umping your kids' 5th grade baseball game getting yelled at by the parents in the stands (hopefully you are not one of these people). Imagine that on the major league level where fans are... fanatic. I'm pretty sure Jim Joyce received death threats after the blown perfect game. Maybe it would be best for the umpires to do away with umpires...?

 

[pocha444444]

So you guys want to fundamentally change the sport because of one crappy umpire. Sure, there are others, but Joe West is the poster boy. How about we reform the umpires union and get the bad ones out and promote the good ones?

How is this fundamentally changing the sport? The sport isn't changing at all, we are only asking for balls and strikes to be called the way it is written in the rule book.

 

[yippitiyiyo]

I wont attend a game umpired by a robot.

I hate the constant tinkering. The more they screw with it....the more they will go downhill.

They want to take the human element out of the game. Rob Manfred can go get zika and rot...

If the robot strike zone gets it right, then it gets it right. Not sure why anybody would be against getting it right.

 

[JRHawk2003]

How is this fundamentally changing the sport? The sport isn't changing at all, we are only asking for balls and strikes to be called the way it is written in the rule book.

And that is what the umpires do to the best of their ability and are correct over 95% of the time.

 

[JRHawk2003]

If the robot strike zone gets it right, then it gets it right. Not sure why anybody would be against getting it right.

and you are against players making errors too and swinging at bad pitches?

 

[unoHawkeye]

and you are against players making errors too and swinging at bad pitches?

To be fair, umpires aren't players. Baseball (and team sports) is a game played between two teams to determine the better team, not to determine who is better able to take advantage of an umpire's deficiencies.

I get the "human" aspect to the game, and agree with it, but you can't compare umpires to players considering umpires are technically only supposed to be there to make sure the correct calls are made so that the better team wins, not to be a part of the game itself/determine the outcome

 

[Tiny Hands Trump]

Yes to robot strike zone. Yes to pitch clock. Also limit mound visits by the catcher/infielders.

There are a few pitchers that seemingly throw 1 pitch per minute (a Dodgers relief pitcher comes to mind but I can't remember his name). If you can't throw a pitch once every 30-40 seconds, a ball should be called. If you step off, then you have 15-20 seconds to reset and pitch the ball.

 

[SoDakHawk]

They don't get it JR. They don't understand the human element to sports, apparently. Too many video games growing up I guess. Everything is about computers and "getting it right". In sports players don't always get it right, coaches don't always get it right, and game officials aren't always going to get it right. Sports is great theater being played out for the audience. Sterilizing it with technology is sucking the soul out of the games.

 

[yippitiyiyo]

and you are against players making errors too and swinging at bad pitches?

No. I understand that players have different skill levels, are you saying that you want your umps to have different skill levels? Do you know the difference between players and umps?

 

[unoHawkeye]

They don't get it JR. They don't understand the human element to sports, apparently. Too many video games growing up I guess. Everything is about computers and "getting it right". In sports players don't always get it right, coaches don't always get it right, and game officials aren't always going to get it right. Sports is great theater being played out for the audience. Sterilizing it with technology is sucking the soul out of the games.

When I play video games, I keep the human strike zone on

My point was that the comparison between the umps and players is a poor one