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Would baseball be a better game with an automated strike zone?

?

  • Better

    Votes: 55 63.2%

  • No change

    Votes: 14 16.1%

  • Worse

    Votes: 18 20.7%
  • Total voters
    87
Yes. Or have Pat Hoberg call balls and strikes for every game.
 
Yes!
 
So whats next then? Robots at the bases too? Sensors in the bags/ball? Where does it end?
 
justincredible said:
Replay is fine for those. The strike zone is pretty easy to automate.
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I think replay should be gone. I hate it, especially in baseball more than any other sport. Other than reviewing a homerun I don't want it. Now....get off my lawn! ;)
 
jdtox said:
I think replay should be gone. I hate it, especially in baseball more than any other sport. Other than reviewing a homerun I don't want it. Now....get off my lawn! ;)
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Too much technology in all sports with slo-mo cameras, instant replays, coaches challenges, etc. It takes away all of those great discussions we used to have whether a call was right or wrong well into off seasons. Of course, the real reason behind the use of all that technology is money!
 
I also think there needs to be a concrete pitch clock from the time the pitcher gets the ball in his hand. If the batter isn't ready too bad and if the pitcher doesn't deliver the ball it is a ball. Batters stepping out of the box, fixing their gloves and pitchers stepping on and off the mound is crap.
 
Baseball is fine as is. Minor changes to speed up pitching. Whatever they determine.
 
I think an automated strike zone would have little to no affect on games, as even with a bad strike zone both teams are generally dealing with the same strike zone.

Overall i think the introduction of more technology in baseball like replay has hurt the game. It adds unnecessary breaks in the action to an already slow game and has lead to increased cheating in the game which, along with MLB's lack of actual discipline of those found cheating, has alienated a good amount of fans.

An actual Hard salary cap/minimum is one of the few things I think would help baseball at this point.
 
Do I get mad when a terrible call is made by the home plate umpire that ocst my team a rally ending out, sure. But as a purist, I would rather keep the human element in the game as much as possible so voted no change. Without the automation showing the strike zone, may people would not be able to tell with the naked eye that a ball called a strike was actually a small fraction of an inch outside.
 
Who will the managers and players yell at during the game? :LOL:

No matter what they do, one of baseball’s pressing issue is that it’s too slow - too much time between pitches etc. I don’t know if an automated strike zone will speed things up. The human element in calling balls and strikes generally doesn’t bother me. As long as the ump has a consistent strike zone.
 
Here's an unawesome opinion, while robots would in theory make the game more objective, the human element is a major factor and I think it still needs to be a major element of the game.

Reviews of safe/out on the paths and home runs is fine. But the strike zone I like being human controlled.

I also like commotion that happens when Angel Hernandez is umping. I like the chaos.
 
captaincaution said:
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The worst part about that is the umpire apologizing after the game, he knew he ****** it up. I just don't think everything needs to be perfect. Without the human element we are taking away the game we all loved as kids.
 
I have no problem with it if they do what they've been doing in the minors this year. Here is how it works...

Fully automated I am against. Automated with the challenge system = definitely.
 
If it means we can get rid of Laz Diaz, Angel Hernandez, and Ron Kulpa then yes.
 
jdtox said:
The worst part about that is the umpire apologizing after the game, he knew he ****** it up. I just don't think everything needs to be perfect. Without the human element we are taking away the game we all loved as kids.
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While it was a terrible call in the moment. Jim Joyce having the humility to step up and say he blew call and he cost Galarraga the perfect game, stepping in front of the camera to take those arrows, was commendable. A lot of other umpires would have hid and shrugged and probably sued somebody.
 
jdtox said:
The worst part about that is the umpire apologizing after the game, he knew he ****** it up. I just don't think everything needs to be perfect. Without the human element we are taking away the game we all loved as kids.
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There is a lot of the human element to all sports, and I can definitely appreciate that.

With all of the major sports teams building marketing relationships with sports gambling operators, they should do whatever they can to reduce the human element when it comes to the adjudication of the game. Every time an ump or ref messes up, that's where a lot of peoples' thoughts go. That only gets worse when the stadium has a sportsbook inside of it.
 
captaincaution said:
There is a lot of the human element to all sports, and I can definitely appreciate that.

With all of the major sports teams building marketing relationships with sports gambling operators, they should do whatever they can to reduce the human element when it comes to the adjudication of the game. Every time an ump or ref messes up, that's where a lot of peoples' thoughts go. That only gets worse when the stadium has a sportsbook inside of it.
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Thats a fair point and something I hadn't really thought about. It's a real problem.
 
If it works as intended and improves the accuracy of a strike zone, that will be a positive. But I think there are going to be some side effects.

Its really going to change the game for teams and catchers specifically. Good catchers add value with framing and the ability to exploit the humanity of the guy standing behind them. This will basically remove that skill set, and that makes me a little sad as a former catcher. I love watching my teams catcher steal a call with a great setup and framing. However, I think it's absolutely egregious when the other teams catcher does the same. Its agonizing watching my pitcher deliver a perfect down and away strike 3 that gets called ball 4 just because it fooled the batter and the umpire. But, it feels like a new lease on life when my team is at the plate. Strangely enough, bad calls add a lot of drama to a game that I think we'll kind of miss? From a competitive standpoint it has to be better in every way imaginable, but from an entertainment perspective will it still be as wild to watch?

I think it definitely comes out as a net positive, but there are going to be some Ls along the way we don't understand right now.
 
Yes.

As a hardcore baseball fan, please.

I have seen some videos of it in the Minor Leagues, there are still some kinks to work out, but it is promising.
 
I'm for it!

When I watch Brewer's games, the bad calls on balls and strikes doesn't seem consistent

a 3" outside pitch called a strike really affects the batter, and vice versa for the pitcher on a good pitch called a ball
 
1000% yes. I used to be in the old school camp that the umps are part of the game, and they are. However the home plate balls and strikes calling has gotten so bad it's time for the automated zone.

And to Angel Hernandez - Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Worst umpire in MLB history.
 
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