When the idea of the Automated Ball-Strike system was introduced, it was impossible to count the number of baseball fans who thought it would be a good idea. Every baseball fan has had to deal with their team getting robbed in a big moment by a bad call. Whether it was a strike well below the zone or one that was called too far to the east or west, umpires are humans; they’re imperfect. When the opportunity arose to give players a chance to point out those imperfections, it was widely regarded as one of the best modern ideas to come to the forefront of the sport.
However, while the ABS system was initially designed (and thought of by the public) as strictly a way to give players in the batter’s box, on the mound, or behind the dish some power in what decisions were being made by officials on the playing field, it has managed to award umpires some fun, maybe-not-so-foreseen power as well.
Arguing balls and strikes has rarely changed the zone of an umpire in the middle of a game, so while it’s easy for players and managers to get frustrated with how an ump is calling a game, there usually isn’t a point unless you’re a manager trying to send a message by being ejected. But even as pointless as those arguments are, they’re even more useless now with the ABS system. Since its introduction this year in Major League Baseball, there have been a handful of instances where the umpire has told players or managers to use a challenge if they truly don’t think the call was a good one. Like this most recent spot with Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz:
Another recent one that came against the Yankees was with the Athletics and pitcher Aaron Civale, who was unhappy with a pitch being called a ball, argued his case, but was ultimately told to challenge it if he felt confident the call was wrong:
While some may argue that giving baseball umpires more power is not a good thing, this isn’t necessarily giving them more power. The ABS system is merely giving the umpires an outlet to say “put up or shut up,” which I do believe is a good thing for baseball. Many, many fans want to see umpires receive their comeuppance, with everyone at some point having been burned by a bad call, while the umpire who made said call wasn’t held accountable. On the other end, players and managers whining about calls can sometimes be over-the-top and annoying, especially so now that they have the power to try and change the call if they’re so confident it was wrong. In this way, giving players the power to actually do something about it also gives umpires the chance to tell them to put their money where their mouth is.
The ABS system is an idea that is almost universally viewed as beneficial for the sport. Giving players a chance to have their say if they think a call is wrong (especially in big moments that could change the course of a ballgame) is an excellent addition. Given how much chatter there was constantly about MLB and its umpires, the system is an excellent way to hold umpires accountable and ensure they get it right. However, it also gives umpires a bit of breathing room. They don’t have to sit around and listen to whining and complaining from the batter’s box, mound, or the dugout. Instead, they have the ability to tell the people complaining to stop because there’s an avenue for them to object to the call. If they don’t challenge, they have no reason to complain. And while the system was initially designed for players, it’s a welcome change to see umpires telling players and managers to stop barking for the sake of it.
