Tag: Robot umps

Rob Manfred confirmed that the automated strike zone is coming to MLB ‘in one form or another’

It’s happening.

We already know that Major League Baseball is going to look very different next season with a pitch clock, shift ban and larger bases going into effect for 2023. But the most overdue change of all actually appears to be on the horizon for MLB:

Robot umps!

Over the past few seasons, MLB has experimented with an automated strike zone (ABS) at the minor-league level. And the results have been overwhelmingly positive. With ABS, the umpire is still stationed behind the plate to signal balls and strikes (and call plays at the plate), but the umpire is no longer tasked with judging a strike zone. There has also been a challenge-based system tested that combines the human element and ABS.

On Monday, commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that one of those systems is going to come to MLB — he just didn’t say when.

In all likelihood, we’re still a few years away from ABS in Major League Baseball as it was not listed as a potential rule change in the latest CBA. But there are mechanisms to get it in place sooner, and given the well-documented struggles from MLB umpires, change is needed in the worst way.

And honestly, the challenge system seems like an easy compromise here depending on how many ball-strike challenges are allowed per game.

MLB fans, of course, had thoughts on these latest remarks from Manfred.

MLB may introduce robot umpires with an automated ball-strike zone by 2024

Baseball fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see robot umps.

MLB fans may finally get their wish for robot umpires as early as 2024.

On Wednesday, baseball fans were given a sliver of hope on the future of umpires and officiating in the MLB. ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. spoke to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred for a lengthy interview, detailing some important points of interest for baseball fans.

The biggest note of them all was the likely implementation in 2024 of an automated ball-strike zone system, commonly known as robot umpires, according to Manfred. It’s no secret that the MLB’s umpires make some horrifically embarrassing calls, and the introduction of a robot umpire system would help alleviate the issue plaguing the sport.

ESPN’s interview goes into a bit more detail about how this system would be implemented, from umpires receiving calls in an ear piece made by an automated system to multiple manager challenges that would review replays of called balls and strikes. Currently, the minor leagues use a form of robot umpires to assist their officials in making the correct calls.

It sucks that baseball fans will have to wait until 2024 to see robot umpires implemented in some form, but it’s great to hear Manfred pushing forward on a highly-requested change. After all, good things come to those who wait.

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Umpire Pat Hoberg came stunningly close to calling a perfect game behind the plate

Missed the first pitch and was PERFECT the rest of the way.

We’ve been pretty quick to call out umpires when they have a bad day, especially when it comes to Angel Hernandez who is consistently terrible. But sometimes, you just have to tip the cap to an undeniably great performance.

Umpire Pat Hoberg had one of those games on Monday night in Denver.

If it wasn’t for the first pitch of the game, Hoberg would have pulled off a perfect game calling balls and strikes behind the plate. According to Umpire Scorecards, Hoberg correctly called 122 of the 123 taken pitches correctly in the Rockies’ 4-1 win over the Phillies. His only miss was a borderline pitch that, again, came on the first pitch of the game.

This was that lone missed call:

It wasn’t even that bad.

Baseball could certainly benefit from an automated strike zone because performances like that from Hoberg are so far from the norm. But hey, Hoberg should take a bow. He rolled up to Coors Field and did an excellent robot ump impression.

MLB fans deservedly gave him plenty of recognition for the great night.

The 10 worst strikeout calls of the 2021 MLB season make an undeniable case for robot umps

This can’t continue, MLB.

It is by no means an easy job to be a big-league umpire. In an era where Major League pitchers are throwing harder and with more movement than ever before, the task of calling balls and strikes consistently with any accuracy is beyond difficult.

And all that makes MLB’s refusal to embrace technology and institute an automated strike zone all the more puzzling. The technology is available to make the correct calls behind the plate. It’s even being tested in the minor leagues, but Major League Baseball likely remains years away from a serious conversation about robot umps.

In the meantime, baseball fans are stuck with mediocrity, and frankly, it impacts games.

Advanced data analytics firm Aimpoint Digital set out to show just how bad the umpiring has been in Major League Baseball this season and analyzed nearly 710,000 pitches from 2021. The study showed that some umpires particularly struggled in the most important moments of games (2 outs, runners in scoring position or games within three runs). Jerry Layne and Mike Muchlinski performed the worst this season and got worse as the season continued. Angel Hernandez astonishingly avoided the bottom 10.

The study also broke down bad umpiring into specific missed calls, and that’s where we were able to see the 10 worst strikeout calls from the regular season. Buckle up because it gets really bad.

MLB umpire Fieldin Culbreth did his best robot ump impression by calling a near-perfect game

Best game by an ump … ever?

We’re so used to calling out umpires for missed calls because, well, it happens far too often. After all, the job of accurately calling balls and strikes for today’s big-league pitching is no small task. It’s precisely why MLB should consider instituting an automated strike zone.

But on Wednesday, something astonishing happened. MLB umpire Fieldin Culbreth (yes, that’s a real name) channeled the energy of a robot umpire and essentially called a perfect game behind the plate for the crucial Phillies-Braves matchup in Atlanta.

According to Umpire Scorecards, Culbreth saw 122 taken pitches during Wednesday’s game and called 121 of those pitches correctly. On top of that, none of his ball calls were inside his established strike zone — he was 100 percent consistent. His one missed call was borderline too.

If every umpire could do that on a daily basis, we wouldn’t be calling for robot umps. It wasn’t even a performance that Culbreth has shown the ability to consistently pull off. He ranks 72nd out of 99 umpires in terms of accuracy, according to Ump Analysis.

But Culbreth deserves credit — he had a phenomenal game behind the plate. Possibly the best ever. MLB fans agreed.

Little League batter had a priceless reaction to umpire’s laughably bad strike call

Is Angel Hernandez umping Little League now?

Major League umpires have been under increased scrutiny in recent years because, well, they’ve been terrible. Pitchers are throwing faster and with more movement than ever before, and umpires — like Angel Hernandez — have generally been unable to adjust with any consistent accuracy.

But if you thought Major League umpires were bad, let me introduce you to Little League umpires.

Little League umps generally work games on a volunteer basis, and their training doesn’t approach that of even the worst high school umpire. They miss a lot of calls, and those mistakes go unnoticed until the televised Little League World Series (and regionals) come along. And, oh man, it’s wild to see those missed calls when TV cameras are around.

Just look what happened during Tuesday’s Southwest Region championship between Texas West and Louisiana.

The Yankees broadcast was baffled after the umpire called a ball on a pitch right down the middle

Make it stop, MLB.

I will be the first to admit that Major League umpires have a difficult job, especially when it comes to working behind the plate. They have to call balls and strikes on pitches that are coming in faster and with more movement than ever before.

It isn’t easy.

And that’s exactly why Major League Baseball needs to stop leaving the strike zone up to humans who are clearly not up for the challenge. The mistakes keep happening, and they’re seemingly worse by the game.

During Sunday’s game between the Yankees and Astros — which also had some cheating-themed trolling — home plate umpire John Bacon called a ball on middle-middle breaking ball that should have ended the sixth inning.

Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly had a hilarious reaction to getting a strikeout off blatant missed call

Just a bit outside…

Here at For The Win, we’re pretty staunch advocates for robot umps (and yes, I’m speaking for everyone). There’s only so much tolerance one can have for an endless stream of missed calls from across the MLB umpiring roster.

But there are those rare moments where a missed strike-3 call can be appreciated, and for that, I can thank Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly.

During Wednesday’s game between the Dodgers and Miami Marlins, Kelly struck out Starling Marte on filthy 99 mph sinker that was a solid six inches off the plate. Marte was right to let that pitch go, and Nestor Ceja — who is unfortunately not a robot — was wrong to call it a strike.

Just check out how Kelly reacted to the call:

Turn the sound on to hear the perfectly applied Curb Your Enthusiasm music.

Kelly knew the call was wrong. Like, very wrong. But hey, it helped him out. He’ll take it.

The Marlins, though, would go on to win, 9-6.

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