HBO Real Sports - Man vs Machine (Umpires vs computers for balls and strikes)

[dacbrewers]

I'm tired of the inconsistencies...critical at bat for Guyer last night...2 pitches off plate called balls, then strikes out looking on pitch in exact location off plate. With the robot ump there won't be any questioning of balls and strikes.

[sveumrules]

Yeah, that Guyer AB was the perfect example of why the "human element" should be phased out as quickly as possible in the deciding of balls and strikes. He takes two pitches off the plate (correctly called balls) earlier in the AB then Lester comes back to the same spot on 3-2 and now it's a strike?

[Point Beer Is Best]

If the Cubs manage to win Game 7, that Guyer AB in Game 5 is going to draw a lot of attention. I had read someplace that the win expectancy for the Indians dropped 10 percentage points after that single blown strike call.

[dlk9s]

Officials tend to be swayed by the home crowd. It also seems like the closer the crowd is to the field, the more the officials are biased. It may just be selective memory on my part, but it seems as if home plate umpires are more eager to give the home team's pitcher a big punchout because the crowd is going nuts. They don't do it on purpose, it's just that the crowd's emotion gets the ump excited and he tends to skew in favor of the home team.

 

It seems worse in basketball. I feel like there are a lot of big blocking/charge calls that go the home team's way because the ref is charged up with the crowd.

[MrTPlush]

If the Cubs manage to win Game 7, that Guyer AB in Game 5 is going to draw a lot of attention.

 

The strike/ball calls for the entire series should put into question. It was really bad.

[jerichoholicninja]

Officials tend to be swayed by the home crowd. It also seems like the closer the crowd is to the field, the more the officials are biased. It may just be selective memory on my part, but it seems as if home plate umpires are more eager to give the home team's pitcher a big punchout because the crowd is going nuts. They don't do it on purpose, it's just that the crowd's emotion gets the ump excited and he tends to skew in favor of the home team.

 

It seems worse in basketball. I feel like there are a lot of big blocking/charge calls that go the home team's way because the ref is charged up with the crowd.

 

Sports Illustrated did a study a couple years ago about how home field influences officiating. Their conclusion was of the pro sports they studied (it was like 8) baseball had the least influence and soccer had the most.