MLB 2024: Age Of The Robots?
Ashley Marie
Director AV Weisman Worldwide Entertainment || Founder: BAM Tech || Nominee for Forbes 40 under 40 || Web & Game Dev || Post Producer || Media Connector || Author
America's game has been getting some updates in the last years. Along with the rules being changed there were updates as to the how the layout of the games structure proceeded as well.
The Future What?
Talk on the streets has also indicated to robots moving more into the sports arena through baseball.
Prior to 2020 the use of robotic umpires (ABS or automated ball strike system) starting with the foreign leagues and moved into the minors.
What is ABS?
ABS or automated ball strike system is a system used to electronically monitor pitches and strike zone areas through high tech sensors and tracking. It was designed to increase the overall accuracy of the game and umpire calls. Stats seem to show that those leagues using the ABS system show an increase in the accuracy of calls in a game by quite a bit. This then seems to increasing game performance and fan attendance.
The ABS system tracks ball movements to see if they go outside ball striking zones and then sends the results to the umpire on the ground. There are various versions which are being tested currently in different leagues.
"Some things are best kept simple and wholesome." - As
Will MLB See This System This Year?
There was talk about it coming to the big leagues this year, but as would be expected this idea has been met with loads of controversy. The mindset behind how the game "has always been" and nostalgia to how the game is timeless just the way it is seems to be keeping the umpire robots away somewhat in the major leagues for now.
ESPN had an interview with Rob Manfred where he reassured the world that robots would not make it into the big leagues in 2024.
Later KBO agreed to allow their own ABS systems into the field to be tested, but would not allow into the big leagues in 2024 fully. On top of this the rest of the major leagues have chosen to not enforce the use of ABS this season.
What Is Tracking Stats Currently?
Trackman system (a sensor and tracking system for ball speed and basic game stats) is being used for the majority of baseball fields across the nation. This is still not implemented in all stadiums, but is increasing it's reach year after year and will continue to be in use to track and analyzes pitches and game stats 2024.
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