Picture courtesy Imagn Images
Major League Baseball has been much more enjoyable to watch now than it was before 2023. Before the introduction of the pitch clock, games were less exciting to watch and far too long for fans to remain engaged.
Since the implementation of the pitch clock in 2023, along with larger bases to increase the chances of a player stealing, there has been a cultural shift in how “America’s Pastime” is perceived in the public eye.
Nevertheless, incorporating the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) in the MLB would keep the calls consistent, save time on manager-umpire disputes, and cut the need for the home plate umpire (human error).
Accuracy of Calls
The strike zone is a piece of baseball not seen in any of the other major sports in North America. It can alter depending on which batter is at the plate, due to the batter’s height and stance. Additionally, the calls of the umpire depend on how accurate it was in either calling a ball or a strike.
The accuracy of an ump’s call has a basis in the explanation of the rules controlling the zone. At the same time, though, the strike zone will change based on the umpire, too.
A current system used for consistency is the use of “Umpire Scorecards”. Accuracy is the percentage of correct calls within the official strike zone. On the other hand, consistency represents the accurate number of correct calls within an umpire’s preferred strike zone.
When others grade these cards, the numbers are mesmerizing. In fact, the worst Umpires have an accuracy grade of 90%, within their own strike zone, while the best have about a 95% accuracy rate.
Now let’s see what would happen if basketball tried to apply this similar concept.
Suppose in basketball, the hoop is set up at 10 feet in one game and 11 feet in the next. An alternative could be a 10-foot hoop on one side of the court and an 11-foot hoop on the other side. Theoretically, a promising proposal, but it ultimately results in an experimental nightmare.
And that is how it goes down every game in the MLB.
A Look at the Numbers
As per Umpire Scorecards, they rate Edwin Jimenez (95.95%) and Mark Ripperberger at (95.9%) the most accurate home plate umpires in the MLB. Call it like it is, but between the Hawkeye camera system and Statcast, they can call a ball a strike, and a strike a ball.
It’s very easy to tell, because the system displays a box (the strike zone) on your television, and the replay captures pitches either inside or outside the box. A few selected networks have a tennis-like replay where the ball lands in or out.
So, if fans can do the basic math, they would rate 5% inaccuracy as pretty good. This would be an A on many test scores or exams.
But, what if your favorite MLB team was playing in game 7 of the World Series, was tied, with two outs, and the count was 3-2 on your batter with the bases loaded? Would you want to take that 5% inaccuracy rate with the ump?
Meanwhile, Rob Drake (90.99%) and Roberto Ortiz (91.8%) are graded as the worst umpires in the MLB. An A- is solid, but knowing that 1 of every 10 pitches is called wrong is really unheard of.
Answers are Simple
The answers to the ABS system have already been tried and evaluated in the Minors and in MLB Spring Training. There are already challenges in sports like Tennis and the NFL.
The MLB enjoys them too, just not for balls and strikes. I’ve seen the ABS live at the Rochester Red Wings’ AAA games, and it hardly slows the pace of the game down at all.
The review is quick and transparent because they can see the call right in the booth. The MLB tested the ABS system during Spring Training, and the public generally liked it.
In total, 51% of challenges ended up overturning the call. The catchers have the sharpest defensive eye, resulting in a 56% overturn rate, while pitchers have the worst eye at 41%. Batters are at the halfway point at 50%.
To the fans’ surprise, games in Spring Training averaged only 4.1 challenges per contest. Even better news is that the game was only extended by one minute.
To no one’s surprise, batters challenged more pitches during more (2-2 or 3-2) counts, but were less fortunate (44%). The batter was clearly attempting to add in another swing to avoid striking out.
Teams also tried more challenges late in games, as they attempted to change the result, but were less victorious (60% success rate in the first three innings, 51% in fourth through sixth, 43% in seventh and eighth, and 46% in the ninth).
Why the ABS needs to be implemented in 2026
The answer suggests that challenges certainly work in a sport like the MLB. The technology for evaluating each pitch is already there at the ballparks. It has already been tested and can be implemented quickly.
It doesn’t add any additional wait times for long reviews. So why not just implement the Automated Ball-Strike System? This way, the umpires can make the right calls (at least consistently) 100% of the time.
