Why MLB's move to expand ABS system is a huge step for baseball | Baseball Bar-B-Cast
Yahoo Sports senior MLB analysts Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz discuss baseball’s decision to utilize “Automatic Ball Strike” challenges full-time starting June 25 and what it could mean for the sport overall. Hear the full conversation on the “Baseball Bar-B-Cast” podcast - and subscribe on , or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
Robo Arms, the concept of Robo arms, the automatic strike zone.
What is automatic ball strike system?
A B A BS as we rock hard as this is something that we have been, has been experimented with in the minor leagues at different levels at different stages over the past few seasons.
The news is that we are now, I believe starting at the end of the month, going full challenge system.
And this appears to be a response to the feedback that baseball is taking from its players.
And we've heard this when we talk to people in the minors and, and players that have played with A BS, which is that they despise the automatic zone and what it does for hitters and pitchers, it hitters, everybody hates it.
It's just a pain in the ass.
However people can dig the challenge system one because it's fun, the fans, it's, it's entertaining for the fans.
It happens really quickly and two because it's like, all right, this is a safety net.
It is not changing everything about the, the, the flow of the game and everything and there is human element.
We get to keep that.
But hey, if the um screws up, we, there is a, a way to do something about that and it seems that the league has recognized that is if we are going to have any sort of form of this in the future, that is it.
And I'm not surprised we got to that point and I appreciate that the league is taking that feedback and is now going full, full system and AAA so that they can get even more feedback with that system, more games under that system, learn more about when players challenge what that adds to the, you know, time of game and all that stuff, how much players like it, pitchers like it, coaches like it.
And I think that that is that they've already acknowledged that and are willing to make that switch mid season.
They could have very easily done if they had done this after the season.
I wouldn't have been surprised whatsoever, but to already make that decision now, I think it's pretty, I think that says a lot.
It's a good sign.
I think it's a good sign.
And I also do think that it makes me think that they're trying to get to this in the big leagues as soon as possible.
I have zero problem with it.
I love this.
It will not make the game notably longer.
MLB is paying me to.
No, I'm kidding.
Like I like this, this is a good thing.
I don't like a 2.5 minute delay before a review on a headset.
And that, that shouldn't, that shouldn't be an issue here, but obviously we're testing and making sure it's ready.