JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Automatic balls and strikes could soon be coming to the major leagues soon. Meanwhile, the Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS) is being used in the minor leagues.
ABS is designed to eliminate the individual and sometimes, inconsistent strike zones that vary from umpire to umpire, in which have the possibility of turning a game on a bad ball or strike call.
Jumbo Shrimp Manager Daren Brown says he's all about getting the calls right if they can. Brown believes hitters are going to like it, pitchers will as well once they adjust to it. Outfielder Brian Miller says at this level, it's critical that calls are accurate.
"There's a lot on the line in these games," said Miller. "We are all trying to get back to the big leagues and you run through a couple of at bats where you get some tough calls as a pitcher or hitter and that can change your week or night like that. And you get to the big league level and there is a lot of money on the line, wins on the line, I mean these guys really care."
The Jumbo Shrimp use the ABS Monday to Thursday. A human umpire is still behind home plate however, the system tells the umpire whether the pitch is a ball or strike.
When the human umpire is calling the balls and strikes, each team gets three challenges per game. If the team challenges a call, and it's not overturned, then they will lose one of the three challenges.