The MLB world has undergone plenty of changes over the course of the offseason. Is another one on the way?
The possibility of an automated strike zone (Automated Ball-Strike System) is in the works. It already has been implemented across the minor leagues — as advanced as Triple-A. The possibility has some torn across the league, especially those who are savvy pitch framers.
Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais believes it will happen, but admitted it could alter how a catcher is evaluated.
Servais, a former big-league catcher himself, detailed how he viewed someone as a successor behind the plate.
“Could you throw guys out, how did you do blocking the ball and could you hit with power?” Servais told the Associated Press’ Jay Cohen, Noah Trister and Mark Didtler. “That’s how the position was evaluated.”
A main determinant and skill a catcher possesses in the current era of the game is pitch-framing.
The strike zone challenge system they are testing in the minors is pretty cool. Challenges can only come from pitcher, catcher, or batter and have to happen right away. pic.twitter.com/yXspD8Qlmw
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) August 26, 2022
Seven-time All-Star catcher and 12-year veteran Buster Posey was a virtuoso at it and did it so seamlessly that he had to be measured at total pixel movement per frame.
Sorry, had to put that in for the fellow baseball nerds.
New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino himself is an above-average pitch framer as well. He had something to say about the possible auto-takeover.
“I don’t see it happening,” said the Platinum Glove-Award-winning Trevino. “I don’t think [Rob] Manfred has any idea what’s going on whenever he talks about that kind of stuff. He’s obviously never put the gear on, so he doesn’t know.”
Trevino’s 53.8 percent strike rate and 17 framing runs led all of baseball.
Back in 2022, Manfred said the automated strike zone would be implemented into MLB, but didn’t provide an ETA.
“I think that’ you’re going to see the automated system in one form or another,” Manfred said on FS1’s The Carton Show. “We’re using two forms in the minor leagues. One where every pitch is called by the machine. The second one is a challenge system — takes about four seconds for the challenge. I think in one form or another, we’re going to be using it at the big-league level.”
Rob Manfred says the automated strike zone will be used in MLB, but he doesn’t say when pic.twitter.com/5xxvUSDIs6
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 10, 2022
Manfred also has said there are kinks to work out and discussions to be had with the ownership groups. After that, the player’s association will be able to bring up their thoughts as well.
Manfred also acknowledged the framing issue as “a legitimate concern.”
The robo ump is yet another new rule that Manfred looks to implement in the game.
