MLB tests automated strike zone during Arizona Fall League
Each team has two challenges that can be used; automated zone showed on big screen for everyone to see
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Major League Baseball sometimes uses the minor leagues to test different changes that could one day be implemented in the big leagues.
The pitch clock was a feature tested in the minors before it was used by major leaguers a couple of years later.
MLB tested out an automated strike zone during the Arizona Fall League this fall.
For several weeks from October through the first half of November, some of the best young prospects play on one of six teams in the Valley to work on their skills to hopefully lead them onto a major league roster one day.
During the season, teams were given two challenges they could use on ball and strike calls.
Right now in the majors, players and coaches cannot argue balls and strikes and can be ejected if the criticism of the umpire crosses a line. During the fall league, only players could challenge a call. Coaches are not allowed according to Surprise Saguaros Pitching Coach Sean Buchanan.
“Having the catchers and the hitters issue the challenges has been part of our strategy here,” Buchanan said. “It’s been a really cool thing.”
Buchanan is a minor league coach in the Houston Astros organization. He admitted he was a bit skeptical about the automated strike zone, but he says the challenges benefit baseball.
“For the most part it’s been pretty accurate. Guys are typically challenging pitches that are close are its tough to argue after you see it on the board,” Buchanan said.
So here is how it works: A pitcher, hitter or catcher are typically the ones challenging a call. They tap their helmet as the signal to challenge, and the umpire can accept or deny it based on how long it takes for a player to challenge. If accepted, the umpire will call a timeout, step out and announce who is challenging the call at the plate.
Within a few seconds, a graphic will appear on the big board and show the ball in flight and whether it was in the automated strike zone. It looks like a replay you’d see during a game you’re watching on TV. The animation will even show how far out of the zone a pitch is if it is a ball.
After seeing the animation, the umpire will then share whether the call on the field was confirmed or overturned. The whole process takes less than about fifteen seconds.
We witnessed a few challenges during Thursday’s game between Surprise and Salt River. In the first inning, a batter challenged a called third strike on a full count. The call was overturned, and the batter was given first base on a walk.
The next batter hit a three-run home run. If there had been no challenge, the score would have been tied 0-0, but the challenge allowed the inning to continue and led to the homer that put Surprise up 3-0 early.
“I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been a great new experience,” said Saguaros catcher Cody Huff. “It adds a whole new level of strategy to the game. It took a few games to get used to the feel to the zone it changes batter to batter based on height.”
Huff is a minor league catcher in the Cleveland Guardians’ organization.
He says the automated zone is a bit lower than he expected, so he has avoided challenging pitches in the upper part of the zone. Huff also gets to see umpires up close and how they react to challenges about their calls.
“Some are very open to the instant feedback and holds the umpires and catcher accountable. Others I can tell don’t like they’re getting challenged all the time and everybody looks up to the scoreboard,” Huff said.
If teams make the right call to challenge, they get to keep them to use later in the game. Huff says the automated zone is improving his sport and expects it will expand and be used more often as time goes on.
“Getting to experiment with new technology that I wouldn’t be surprised to watch on TV one day. To be able to look back and yes, I tested that out when it was first making its way around so yeah it’s cool,” Huff said. “A science that’s not perfected yet on when to use it and how. Curious to see what the strategy morphs into eventually.”
The fall league hosts the championship game on Saturday evening. We’ll let you know if MLB expands the feature in the future and if it will be used in the big leagues.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
