There is something about baseball that makes it better than other sports and it is that there is an element of human error in it. Just about every sport now has instant replay and lasers to make the perfect call on every play. The only thing I can think of that does not have this is in football they have the chain gang and in baseball there is the strike zone. Players arguing balls and strikes has probably been happening since the very first pitch in the MLB was thrown. However, this all may just be coming to an end with the automated ball/strike zone.
Umpires having different versions of the strike zone is what makes baseball so unique. Favoring more towards pitchers or hitters is what makes each baseball game different and for me personally it what keeps each game different as a player. I always hated when players would argue ball and strikes with the umpire because there was no way to overturn the call so why even bother. But the times are changing.
I like how quick and efficient calls can get overturned. It only takes about 20 seconds from the player saying they want to challenge to the call being confirmed/overturned. This is much quicker than the replay system for on the field challenges in baseball which is so nice because it is painfully slow waiting for the correct call.
That is what I like about the ABS, but here is what I don't like about it and how I think it can be improved. First off, in a Cleveland Guardians vs. LA Angels game, it was the bottom of the 9th and the Angels were down 14-1 (shocking I know) and a called strike 3 ended that game. But no, it was challenged and overturned and that player would then walk. Then there was a pitching change before the final out was recorded. In total it was about an extra 10 minutes of time added to a blowout. I get it that this is spring training and players are fighting for roster spots that can be worth millions of dollars and that every at bat counts, but the minute that this happens in a July game between 2 teams that are completely out of playoff positions, the baseball world is going to explode.
The solution to this problem is pretty simple. If a team is up or down by 10 in the 7th inning or later, then there is no more challenges. Keep the game moving and get it over with. No one cares that the pitch that is 1/4 inch outside the zone was called a strike instead of a ball.
My other issue is that even though the entire process of the challenge is less than 30 seconds, that has got to mess up with the rhythm and timing of the players. Changing your mindset as a pitcher or batter from a 2-1 count vs a 1-2 count is a complete 180° in the mental and physical approach of the game. Going from complete control of the count to on your heels and fighting back to an even count is a hard thing to just flip in your brain.
I do not have any real solution to that problem other than making the challenge process quicker and more efficient. Now lets get to the fun part of the worst challenges so far in spring training.
Here we have Max Scherzer challenging a pitch that is very clearly low. I know he liked to mess with the pitch clock when it first started to test the limits of it. The aggression of the challenge call and how far off the pitch is from being a strike is quite funny.
The Tampa Bay Rays challenged a pitch that was at the letters saying that it should be a strike. I am going to put a video of the great Jomboy breaking this down and a little bit more about the ABS system. But the pitcher saying that this pitch should be a strike is comical.
Thats it, thats the blog for the day. I hope it brought you one more smile than if you did not read my blog. Like and share with a friend who is enjoying this nice warm weather that we are having here in Pennsylvania.
That is today's Tea, with T
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