Robot Umpires in MLB?

[TATUMUS]

According to this article, MLB may use COVID social distancing as an excuse to experiment with computerized umpires to call balls and strikes if/when baseball returns this season. Although I hate to see an inconsistently called game, I'm not in favor of taking away this human element either. I still like to see a manager kick some dust on an umpire occasionally and we don't even get to see that now with replay. (If this had been around in the 70s and 80s, no one would even know who Earl Weaver or Billy Martin were as managers.)

They experimented with this in the Atlantic League last year. Does anyone here follow that league and have any feedback on how that went?

I guess the one upside is that Joe West won't be able to make himself the center of attention behind home plate every fourth game.

[RudyRuetigger]

should have them in baseball and tennis

no question about it

[EasyCover]

Studies have shown umpires are terrible at calling balls and strikes.

Some of the findings of a Boston University study using pitch FX•

+ For a batter with a two-strike count, umpires were twice as likely to call a true ball a strike (29 percent of the time) than when the count was lower (15 percent).

• During the 2018 season, this two-strike count error rate was 21.50 percent and repeated 2,107 times.

Last season, umpires were three times more likely to incorrectly send a batter back to the dugout than to miss a ball-4 walk call (7 percent).
• From from 2008 through 2018, pitches thrown in the top right and left part of the strike zone were called incorrectly 26.99 percent of the time on the right side to 26.78 percent on the left.
• Incorrect calls around the bottom right of the strike zone in 2018 was 18.25 percent.



There is a human element in the game, it's called human players. For those who don't like technology, you should sell your car and get a Horse and Buggy.

While Robot Umps aren't perfect, the question is basically do you want the call to be correct or incorrect.
I

[slayer14]

You still need a home plate umpire behind home plate yeah, it would look so weird without one.

[jjgold]

should have them in baseball and tennis

no question about it

yep game would be more efficient

[TATUMUS]

You still need a home plate umpire behind home plate yeah, it would look so weird without one.

Yes, there will still be a home plate ump to call safe/out at the plate. They will also be relaying the electronic call to the fans (from an earphone?) and will have the ability to override any obvious mistakes made by the robot. (e.g. ball bounces in the dirt but crosses the plate in the strike zone, robot would call it a strike but home plate umpire can overrule it.)

[pologq]

love the idea. tired of not using technology when it would stop obvious shit calls.

[ThaTopMoron]

strike 3!!! batter upset that he didn't at least take a swing so he takes a swing and destroys the robot umpire!

chaos ensues with both benches clearing... everyone tests positive for corona a week later

[SBR_Guest_Pro]

could do everything with cameras but will be less fun.

[pavyracer]

I don't trust machines. The software can be rigged or interfered.

[cincinnatikid513]

anything to get rid of cb buckner angel hernandez and joe west

[GUMMO77]

Studies have shown umpires are terrible at calling balls and strikes.

Some of the findings of a Boston University study using pitch FX•

+ For a batter with a two-strike count, umpires were twice as likely to call a true ball a strike (29 percent of the time) than when the count was lower (15 percent).

• During the 2018 season, this two-strike count error rate was 21.50 percent and repeated 2,107 times.

Last season, umpires were three times more likely to incorrectly send a batter back to the dugout than to miss a ball-4 walk call (7 percent).
• From from 2008 through 2018, pitches thrown in the top right and left part of the strike zone were called incorrectly 26.99 percent of the time on the right side to 26.78 percent on the left.
• Incorrect calls around the bottom right of the strike zone in 2018 was 18.25 percent.



There is a human element in the game, it's called human players. For those who don't like technology, you should sell your car and get a Horse and Buggy.

While Robot Umps aren't perfect, the question is basically do you want the call to be correct or incorrect.
I

You think this dude is terrible at his job?

[Shute]

anything to get rid of cb buckner angel hernandez and joe west

Whoa now kidddd

[hawkeye 16]

How do you handicap a robot?

[TATUMUS]

How do you handicap a robot?

Good point. Will the robot's in each stadium have its own "personality"? Or will umpire stats become a "capping stat of yore".

[DrunkHorseplayer]

I read a few years ago that robot umpires are ready right now but they want to work out all the kinks first; one person was quoted as saying that they want to debut Version 4.0, not 1.0. Within 10 years max, they'll be everywhere.

[hawkeye 16]

Good point. Will the robot's in each stadium have its own "personality"? Or will umpire stats become a "capping stat of yore".

I think it will become a thing of yore.

[trobin31]

Astros would hack the robot

[Hman]

MLB umpires the worst officials in all of sports

[Mike Huntertz]

Fat robots I assume?

[Hman]

Fat robots I assume?

And robots who ignore the rulebook and make up their own strike zones each & every game?

[Checkerboard]

More rigged games, bots will be boughts.

[nyplayer33]

When can i turn on a computer for wives after sex...they ysually get it wrong the thinking...

[JIBBBY]

Implement robot players with Corona and BLM taking over everything these days might really work now also ..

I'd bet on Team Robot!!

[captrobey]

[PAULYPOKER]

Umpires control outcomes this way so I doubt they would do this since it'd make capping much easier......

Newsflash: they are not blind as they can see perfectly well until they choose not to......

[Mike Huntertz]

More rigged games, bots will be boughts.

Kewl komment!

[cincinnatikid513]

they are showing a replay of 1997 nlcs on marlins channel fox sports how cow the umpire in game 6 was so bad calling strikes a foot off the plate, then i remembered game 5 eric gregg game, no wonder pitchers were so good back then strike zone was huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge

[TATUMUS]

Most of those were swinging strikes (at some really bad pitches...correction, really good pitches because the pitcher got them to swing at them). There were about five REALLY bad called strikes by the ump and then there were some that were borderline.

[EasyCover]

Umpires control outcomes this way so I doubt they would do this since it'd make capping much easier......

Newsflash: they are not blind as they can see perfectly well until they choose not to......

Older human eyes have problems correctly gauging exact location of a pitch that is 90 MPH in regards to an imaginary zone. This makes the variables and outcome much clearer and not as arbitrary.