Balls And Strikes No Longer Called By The Umpire

What would happen if balls and strikes were no longer called by Major League umpires, but used technology instead?

For baseball fans who like to live bet on the game, this would be a dream come true. No more bad calls ruining your bets! But for purists who love the human element of the game, this could be a nightmare.

Either way, it seems that baseball technology is headed in this direction. There are already several types of high-tech devices being used in minor league games to call balls and strikes, and it’s only a matter of time before they make their way to the majors.

Balls and strikes the way I see it

The way I could see it happening would be through an earpiece that the umpire is wearing, and when the ball passes through the strike zone which is visible when watching the game on TV, the umpire would hear, Ball or Strike, and call it that way.

This would be a happy medium and compromise of the traditional human element of calling balls and strikes but leverages the technology available in today’s world. Similar to the instant replay that looks at close calls, it’s always great to get the call right.

I mean if you really think about it it’s a win-win situation. The empire is still going to be calling all of the plays on the field, but the balls and strikes are now left to technology that can do it better and more consistently.

According to Morning Consult, 48% of baseball fans support using “robot umpires.” If approved for 2024, calls will be relayed to umps through an earpiece — meaning the aggressive “STEE-RIKE” isn’t going anywhere.

Now, just as a quick summary, let’s go over some of the most common terms in baseball.

What are balls and strikes in baseball?

A pitch is considered to be a strike when it travels beyond the home plate and passes through the strike zone. If the pitch does not pass through the strike zone, and the batter does not swing at it, the pitch is considered a baseball.

According to mlb.com “The official strike area is the area above the home plate that lies between the midpoint of a batter’s shoulders, the top of his uniform pants and the batter’s stance — when the batter is ready to swing at a pitched ball — and just below the kneecap.”

What is a “Foul Ball”?

Foul ball refers to when a batter swings the baseball and makes contact with it, but the ball doesn’t land on the field. A foul ball is a hit and is considered a strike.

Even so, the batter can get unlimited foul balls. A player on defense cannot catch the foul ball and the batter can’t be called out. This rule applies to all leagues, even softball leagues.

Strikeouts vs. Walks

We will now look at what is a “strikeout” or “walk”. If a batter is called upon by the umpire for three strikes, he is considered a strikeout. If a batter hits three pitches, he may be called a strikeout. A strikeout is considered an “out”.

If the batter does not swing at four pitches outside the strike zone, he is given first base. This is known as a walk or “base on balls”.

So what do you think? Would you be happy to see technology take over the job of calling balls and strikes, or do you prefer the human element of the game? Let us know in the comments!

I would also love to hear major league baseball’s position on this idea…Commissioner?

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