This season, we will get our first official taste of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) in Major League Baseball. It has been used in the minors, and was used in the Arizona Fall League the last few years, but will officially be making its MLB debut this year.
Here’s the overview: each team has two challenges on an umpire’s ball-strike call per game. However, only pitchers, catchers and batters can appeal. If they do, ABS is used to determine whether the appeal is justified. If so, that team get to retain the challenge.
Yesterday, we saw its first action of it in the Rockies-Diamondbacks game. The Dbacks challenged three times and the Rockies challenged twice. The teams went 4-1 in their challenges.
Each challenge takes a few seconds, but it gives players a chance to challenge a call, which hasn’t happened in the past. In the Fall League, it looked a “checked swing” challenge was also being developed, but that won’t be added this spring.
So, Purple Row Night Owls, what are you thoughts on ABS? If you watched the game earlier today, what are your impressions? Do you like it, or do you worry it’ll slow down the game (after Rob Manfred added things like the pitch clock to speed up games)?
Let us know!
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