Over the first week of games, you may have noticed pitchers, catchers, and hitters tapping their head after a pitch, signaling for a review. After six years of testing in the minors, MLB has implemented an Automated Ball Strike (ABS) challenge system that allows players (not coaches) to ask for a replay review of balls and strikes. Through the first week of games, the new wrinkle has brought added excitement and accountability to umpires. So how does it work?
Human umpires still call balls and strikes behind home plate. But if a pitcher, catcher, or hitter wants to challenge the ruling, they have to tap their head. Each team will be given two challenges during the first nine innings, with one challenge in each extra inning. Each team gets an additional challenge in the tenth inning. If that challenge is used, they’ll receive another in the next inning; if not, it carries over
The home plate umpire will announce the challenge, and the replay will be displayed on the ballpark video board. It should take no more than 15 seconds for the Automatic Ball Strike ruling to be issued. If the call is confirmed, the challenging team loses its challenge, but a team with a successful challenge will retain its challenge. Challenges are not allowed after replay reviews, or when a position player is pitching. If there is potential for a replay review after an ABS challenge, umpires will check to see if either manager wants to initiate a replay review before restarting the pitch clock. MLB has implemented a delay on all pitch location data to prevent teams from basing their challenge on the GameDay feed or other ball-tracking systems.
How is the strike zone determined? Each ballpark has a dozen Hawk-Eye technology cameras installed to capture player and ball movement. Each player has been officially measured, which has led to some amusing cases of players “shrinking.”
The top of the strike zone is set at 53.5% of the player’s height, while the bottom is set at 27%. The depth of the zone extends 8.5 inches in front of and behind the center of the plate. The zone is 17 inches wide, the width of home plate.
The strike zone is two-dimensional, rather than three-dimensional. Testing in the minors showed that some breaking balls barely nicked the front of the zone, only to move out of the zone as it crossed the batter, causing inconsistencies in calls.
Players have two seconds to challenge a pitch, although as we found out in the Royals’ game on Monday, the challenge may be made within two seconds after the play ends, such as when Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers made a snap throw to first.
How will ABS affect the placement of runners? The umpires will let stand any calls unaffected by the incorrect call, but if an incorrect ball/strike call impacts a play on the bases, the umpires have discretion to then place any runners involved.
In the Royals/Rangers exhibition game last month, Seth Lugo threw a pitch that was called ball four. But the runner at first took off for second and eased up – perhaps because he thought it was a ball four call that would have forced him to second safely. Salvador Perez called for a challenge, and the call stood, but if it were overturned, Langford could have potentially been called out at the umpire’s discretion. Players will have to learn to ignore any calls, assuming it could be overturned.
Speaking of Salvy, he has been terrific at calling for challenges, successful on four of five so far. Baseball Savant even tracks which players are making the most valuable challenges. Here is the catcher leaderboard:
Royals hitters have made just one challenge, with Maikel Garcia getting a call overturned on Monday against the Twins. The Royals have been formulating a strategy on how to deal with challenges, and will not allow pitchers to challenge.
“No. 1, I don’t think pitchers should challenge any call,” pitching coach Brian Sweeney said Saturday. “Let the guy behind the plate, who has the feel for it, [do it]. I’m sure we’re going to see it over there right away. A pitcher is going to square up the glove, it’ll be a ball, he’ll go like that [tap his hat], and it’ll be a foot off the plate. It’s a process we’re trying to understand and talking to R&D and the guys in the Minor Leagues who have used it before.
The early data shows that teams are successful overturning calls slightly more than half the time, consistent with numbers from testing in the minors.
But the addition of the challenge system has brought an added measure of excitement to the ballpark. Testing in the minors showed it only added a minute to the length of games. It has added some drama to situations as fans await the outcome of a challenge.
It has also added some accountability for umpires, particularly for those that have been notoriously inconsistent.
It will also be interesting to see how the technology impacts the game. Will pitchers nibble more at the edges, hoping to hit the strike zone box? Could we see more high strikes – something many umps are less likely to call? How will teams use their challenges? Will hitters draw heat from teammates for overusing challenges? Will a catcher like Salvador Perez, who has fared poorly in framing metrics – seem like a more valuable catcher based on his challenges and the lessening value in framing? Will the system undermine the authority of umpires?
What do you think of the ABS challenge system so far? Any tweaks that need to be made?
COVERS INTEL: Kevin Gausman is averaging 7.8 strikeouts per game over his last five starts.
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