ABS Spring Training

[KeithStone53151]

I've seen this tested in spring training games. It seems the idea is, a hitter/catcher/pitcher can challenge a call immediately after a pitch. They cannot get help from a coach or anyone else. 2 challenges per game. You only lose a challenge if the on field call is confirmed. Curious the thoughts of others on this. Here's one I saw today.

 

[KeithStone53151]

Would have been hilarious to have this when Hernandez was still an ump. Can you imagine how long those games would be with all the challenges?

[wiguy94]

It's a great system. Hope they bring it to the MLB.

[MrTPlush]

Disclaimer: I’m not that old, I’m not a purist, I have zero issues with what can currently be challenged.

I find ABS to be incredibly cringe and a hard watch. It’s just not enjoyable to me. While the video attached shows a blatant call, I also watched one where the batter was ‘right’ on a ball literally (with the naked eye) on the line of the strike zone. 
 

I could see this being a fine system if it was virtually instantaneous and automatically corrected blatant wrong calls. Like the one above where it is way out or a strike easily in the zone. 
 

My enjoyment following baseball has rapidly tanked in recent years and stuff like this makes me want to watch it even less. Ever since we got virtual strike zones everyone has become an expert umpire. It’s annoying and you can’t watch a game without people moaning about it. Half the time they are wrong and don’t even understand what a strike is (thinking at least half a ball needs to be over the plate etc.)

 

 

[Matt]

Anything to progress us towards eliminating the human element of officiating. 

[MVP2110]

Thought the ABS system in the game yesterday went super smooth. I'd like to actually see the number of challenges upped to 3 but that's nitpicking

[KeithStone53151]

11 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

Disclaimer: I’m not that old, I’m not a purist, I have zero issues with what can currently be challenged.

I find ABS to be incredibly cringe and a hard watch. It’s just not enjoyable to me. While the video attached shows a blatant call, I also watched one where the batter was ‘right’ on a ball literally (with the naked eye) on the line of the strike zone. 
 

I could see this being a fine system if it was virtually instantaneous and automatically corrected blatant wrong calls. Like the one above where it is way out or a strike easily in the zone. 
 

My enjoyment following baseball has rapidly tanked in recent years and stuff like this makes me want to watch it even less. Ever since we got virtual strike zones everyone has become an expert umpire. It’s annoying and you can’t watch a game without people moaning about it. Half the time they are wrong and don’t even understand what a strike is (thinking at least half a ball needs to be over the plate etc.)

 

 

I have seen really close ones as well. I think in a real game...we wouldn't see close ones like that challenged aside from key situations as you only get 2 incorrect challenges. It's in a testing phase and I think guys want to test it. The process is generally pretty quick and there are only a couple per game, it's faster than any other type of challenge by a wide margin. It would definitely be better if the result came in quicker and they showed the pitch tracking shortly after the result came in.

Over the years, I have generally tried not to get upset about missed calls that are within a half inch of the zone. For me that's a pretty reasonable margin for error. Pitches like this one that are 2-3 inches high at least for a strike out...having a mechanism to fix that is absolutely worth the minor delays a few times a game for me.

[wallus]

I'm all for it used sparingly as it can affect the outcome of games.

[bigred]

On 2/23/2025 at 9:25 PM, KeithStone53151 said:

Would have been hilarious to have this when Hernandez was still an ump. Can you imagine how long those games would be with all the challenges?

Umps like Hernandez, CB Buckner, etc, constantly made calls that were/are SO obviously horrible, it was basically impossible not to think they were trying to fix games. Because of them, and I hate to say it, this type of technology is almost a must now. 

[BeerSlide]

Absolutely love this system and hope it makes its way to MLB permanently (I think it will.) Most surprising thing for me has been how quickly the system works. Almost no disruption at all, at least far less time it used to take many pitchers to deliver pitches In tight situations pre pitch clock. Was very skeptical before I saw it this spring but now I'm on board 100%. To be fair, I hope I live to see the day all balls and strikes are called this way & the humans just  see to everything else like calls on the bases and base paths etc.