GDT: O's @ Braves : Spring Training Opener

[Carp]

When robo umps arrive we are going to see a pretty big change in the catcher position.

With framing a non factor we will see pop times and blocking be the only things catchers need to focus on. New techniques opened up by no longer needing to receive the ball calmly and player selection may effectively eliminate the stolen base altogether.

I can't believe are ok with this. Eliminating skill sets that have been around for decades seems like a pretty piss poor way to appease the casual fan. Again, another step into turning the sport into beer league softball.

[Southcack77]

I can't believe are ok with this. Eliminating skill sets that have been around for decades seems like a pretty piss poor way to appease the casual fan. Again, another step into turning the sport into beer league softball.

Getting ball and strike calls right = Beer League Softball?

[thewupk]

I can't believe are ok with this. Eliminating skill sets that have been around for decades seems like a pretty piss poor way to appease the casual fan. Again, another step into turning the sport into beer league softball.

Framing has only been a thing for a decade at most. Caught staling and blocking have been the old school evaluation for catchers for decades and that's not going anywhere.

[bravesfanMatt]

I think caught stalling is a very important stat going forward if they are truly trying to increase pace of play.

[The Chosen One]

Framing has only been a thing for a decade at most. Caught staling and blocking have been the old school evaluation for catchers for decades and that's not going anywhere.

Framing has only been quantified for the last decadish... but the art and skill of framing has gone on forever. Imagine how valuable framing must've been pre-all games televised era, where umps couldn't even look at the tape to judge their own mistakes.

[Carp]

Framing has only been a thing for a decade at most. Caught staling and blocking have been the old school evaluation for catchers for decades and that's not going anywhere.

Framing has been around a lot longer than that. It's only been measured recently.

[Carp]

Getting ball and strike calls right = Beer League Softball?

For one, I could not care less if every single ball and strike are called correctly. In game adjustments are part of the game and it all equals out in the end.

Secondly, my gripe is more about the league wide focus on increasing runs while simultaneously saying they want to shorten games, which is basically an oxymoron. And now they want to eliminate entire skill sets.

[DirkPiggler]

For one, I could not care less if every single ball and strike are called correctly. In game adjustments are part of the game and it all equals out in the end.

Secondly, my gripe is more about the league wide focus on increasing runs while simultaneously saying they want to shorten games, which is basically an oxymoron. And now they want to eliminate entire skill sets.

Why not get it right if the technology is there? We'll never get 100% perfection, but we're probably at 75% or worse right now on balls and strikes. There is a ton of room for improvement.

Players will still have to make in-game adjustments. They shouldn't have to adjust to what is effectively a different set of rules depending on which umpire is behind the plate.

[bravesfanMatt]

How could anyone support not using robo umps. Balls and strikes are the most subjective part of a human ump and where someone is most likely to inject personal feelings to influence a game. I never want to see another fat ****er like Eric fat **** Gregg to impact an important game with his bull**** biased **** face strike zone. I want to **** on his grave that fat piece of ****. Hope he is getting skull ****ed by the worst, nastiest creatures around right now.

[Snowman]

I'm not on board with robo umps until the tech is a bit more improved (obv, I think, but maybe not), but I feel the fact that the league has shown absolutely no willingness or ability to tamp down ump bad behaviour over the last Zeus only knows how many decades makes it an inevitable necessity. Players, managers, coaches, executives all get punished, but umps are untouchable no matter what they do. So to hell with em.

[Tapate50]

That’s a bit where I am... Umps seem to be operating without reproach right now and it doesn’t seem to be changing course anytime soon.

Most of the escalation on field has been because of the Ump.

[Tapate50]

FG article on Soroka

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/examinin...rokas-arsenal/

[Snowman]

That’s a bit where I am... Umps seem to be operating without reproach right now and it doesn’t seem to be changing course anytime soon.

Most of the escalation on field has been because of the Ump.

John Hirschbeck was the final straw for me, and that was over 20 years ago. When an ump can make a regular habit of screaming racial slurs at players who disagree with his calls, and all the league can do is for the commish to lamely give an interview and say he should apologize, and the ump can just refuse to do so and keep being a crew chief? At that point, you've gone so far beyond the pale there's just no repairing the situation.

[Hulavol]

I actually hate the idea of robo umps. Can't really explain it. I just don't like the game being changed. I sorta feel less connected to it as they make these all these changes.
I'm still gonna watch all 162- no question. BUT...

I really wish they would leave it the hell alone.
So what if an ump sucks? It's entertainment. Think about this- no way in hell we hang that banner in
'95 with robo umps. No way in hell.

[goldfly]

Getting ball and strike calls right = Beer League Softball?

i really don't think there is a gross miscalculation of balls and strikes being called

but you should look at some of the calls the computer made for strikes and it's a pretty big stretch to say that should really be called