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Jeff Passan reveals MLB ABS details no one knew that fans are loving
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- Jeff Passan reveals MLB ABS details no one knew that fans are loving
Jeff Passan reveals MLB ABS details no one knew that fans are loving appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
After some initial trepidation, the new MLB Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system has been deemed a resounding success by fans.
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Games are moving at a feverish clip, bad calls are being changed in almost real time , and the excitement of pitchers, batters, and catchers alike using ABS has added an additional element of drama to the game that has produced even more compelling television.
While the impact of ABS on the game has been an obvious success, it’s also had a positive impact on officiating , with Jeff Passan revealing that umpires are getting an added bonus from the new system, too.
“MLB, I think, has done a decent job of giving umpires the ability to get in-game feedback. I don’t know if you knew this, but umpires have the two-way microphone, and they can talk to the ABS operator and be told that, hey, your call-in strikes a little bit off the plate today, bring it in a little bit,” Passan explained.
“And that real-time feedback, I think, has helped, and it’s great. I understand that hitters want a consistent zone, but I think, more than anything, they just want the correct calls, because they have their idea of what a strike is, too. And as close as umpires can come to replicating that, I think the better the game is.”
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Because the new ABS system varies a bit from player to player due to their size and stance, there has been a bit of a learning curve for hitters, pitchers, and even umpires as they adjust to the new system. If umpires receive feedback from MLB during the game, it will ultimately produce a better system and product for all parties involved.
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