Automated Balls and Strikes: Coming to the Majors Sooner Rather Than Later
- May 25, 2024 05:03pm
- 380
The debate over automated balls and strikes has been heating up in recent years, and it seems the change is coming to the majors sooner rather than later. Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has hinted that the change is coming, and he made some telling comments Thursday.
The debate about automated balls and strikes (ABS) continues to be a hot one, and it seems it's coming to the majors sooner rather than later.
The thought was unimaginable even within the last decade, but as technology has improved, interest has increased.
Automated strike zones were a hot topic on an episode of the now-defunct "Real Sports" on HBO in 2017, but Major League Baseball finally acted in 2019.
The ABS system started on an experimental basis and, beginning last year, has been used at all Triple-A ballparks.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has hinted the change is coming to the big leagues, but he made some telling comments Thursday.
"There’s a growing consensus, in large part based on what we’re hearing from players that the challenge form should be the form of ABS, if and when we bring it to the big leagues, at least as a starting point," Manfred said, via The Athletic.
Manfred has been at the forefront of major changes to baseball, most notably those he made ahead of the 2023 season to quicken the pace of play by adding a pitch timer, larger bases, and pick-off limitations.
And they have worked.
According to Baseball Reference, the average nine-inning game last year took two hours and 39 minutes to complete, more than 31 minutes faster than the record 3:10 in 2021. It was the first time the average nine-inning game took less than three hours to complete since 2015, and the 2:39 duration was the fastest since 1985, when the average nine-inning contest took the same amount of time. This year, games last two hours and 35 minutes on average. Only 0.4% of games took over 3½ hours, as opposed to 18.7% in 2021. And 30.5% of games in 2023 took less than 2½ hours versus 2.5% three years ago.
The rule changes also led to an increase in attendance despite cries from fans that the game was changing too much. MLB drew 70.7 million fans to its stadiums in 2023, the most since 2017.
Manfred said he will retire from his role after his contract expires in 2029.
Related articles
-
The Curious Case of Caitlin Clark: Snubbed and Underappreciated in the WNBA
Despite setting a WNBA record for assists and leading her team to the playoffs, Caitlin Clark has been notably absent from All-Star events and the...
- 06 Oct 2024
-
Yankees Announcer Michael Kay Slams Fans for Rooting for Rival Mets
Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay criticized fans who have been rooting for the crosstown rival Mets during their recent playoff run,...
- 06 Oct 2024
-
Trump's Pennsylvania Ground Game Gets Boost from Former Steeler Antonio Brown
Former Pittsburgh Steelers star Antonio Brown is using his platform to encourage Pennsylvanians to register to vote in the upcoming election,...
- 06 Oct 2024
-
Remembering Billy Shaw: Legendary Hall of Famer and Buffalo Bills Icon
Pro Football Hall of Fame guard and Buffalo Bills legend Billy Shaw, a trailblazer who spent his entire career in the American Football League,...
- 06 Oct 2024
-
Lee Corso Misses "College GameDay" for First Time in 2023 Season
ESPN's iconic college football pregame show, "College GameDay," was missing a familiar face on Saturday as legendary analyst Lee Corso was absent due...
- 06 Oct 2024
-
Spine-Chilling Moment: NC State Quarterback Grayson McCall Carted Off After Vicious Hit
NC State quarterback Grayson McCall was involved in a terrifying incident during Saturday's game against Wake Forest, sustaining a severe blow to the...
- 06 Oct 2024
Leave a comment
Your comment is awaiting moderation. We save your draft here
0 Comments
Chưa có bình luận nào