I actually think hitters will benefit the most at first from a robot strike zone. Those guys have to adjust to a changing strike zone in game and from game to game, and a lot generally do it with success. If they get a consistent strike zone that doesn't change, a lot of pressure is going to move to a pitcher having be more accurate on the edges. I just think it will take pitchers a little longer to catch up.alvtimes said:
not sure Im on board..but Im getting tired off umpires response...... " I call MY strike zone"..... listen....YOU dont have a strike zone..... its clearly defined..... call the defined strike.... if batters dont like the defined strike or pitchers dont like the defined strike.... they can lobby for rule change..... as it currently stands.... i think hitters will voice the most complaints over new strike zine
Quote:
I actually think hitters will benefit the most at first from a robot strike zone.
Agree, I think the high zone will be a big adjustment to hitters. Not called very often.aggiebrad94 said:Quote:
I actually think hitters will benefit the most at first from a robot strike zone.
My brain went the opposite. I thought pitchers would now get the benefit of a MUCH bigger space to throw to. How many times have you seen the strike zone stay below the waist? Now it has to come up a few inches and the pitcher can throw the high heat.
This is a good point.aggiebrad94 said:Quote:
I actually think hitters will benefit the most at first from a robot strike zone.
My brain went the opposite. I thought pitchers would now get the benefit of a MUCH bigger space to throw to. How many times have you seen the strike zone stay below the waist? Now it has to come up a few inches and the pitcher can throw the high heat.
There's still an ump behind the plate, he just gets info in his ear on ball/strike. He can override obvious errors and is there for plays at the plate, etc.91AggieLawyer said:
Who is going to call safes/outs on steals (few) or passed balls/wild pitches with runners advancing (much more likely)? You'd have to either have the first or third base umpire, who's positioned 15 feet behind the bag to start, try to catch up to the play. Do you have a home plate umpire back there doing little else?
I can see a system trained to call balls and strikes but not one able to call safes/outs in terms of tags. Not to mention force plays at home (catcher's foot off the plate, say).
I view it as the democratization of umpiring. There are like half a dozen guys great at calling balls and strikes right now. If the hardest part of the job is handed off to robot-umps, then it makes the job more open to other guys who can excel at all other parts of the job who might have struggled with balls and strikes.Furlock Bones said:
the solution to fixing refs/umps in sports is not taking them away. the solution is hiring, firing, promoting, and demoting much quicker. we need 35 year olds to be calling the biggest games. not 70 year olds.
While I agree that the younger guys tend to be much better at balls and strikes, until the league decides to take out the trash (CB, Angel, et al), bring on the robots.kb2001 said:
I'm against robot umps. The younger umps in the game today do a really good job. I think the increased scrutiny on umpires given the technology available has made them more precise and accurate. Given the trend and the quality of the younger umps, I'd prefer to give it time. The catcher framing pitches, the pitcher trying to stretch the zone for his low breaking balls is part of the gamesmanship and makes it more entertaining.
The biggest problems we find in umpiring is from older guys who are safe enough in their job that they don't have to be better, and from the crew rotating home plate. Some umps are just better at balls and strikes than others, and they need to be behind the plate more often. If an ump is consistently not performing well behind the plate, or he is no longer performing well behind the plate, he needs to lose that job.
