Whether we like it or not, it’s coming. Instant replay was the first step. Computers calling the strike zone is going to happen. It’s jusr a matter of when.

With that in mind, Bleacher Report decided to ask players what they thought of the concept.

As you might expect, opinions varied.

Adam Jones: “It’s hilarious how they’re trying to change every single facet of this game now.” 

Brandon Crawford: “Doesn’t seem like baseball to me. It takes away the human element. Unless it’s 100 percent accurate, it would be tough to implement in the big leagues.”

C.C. Sabathia: “If they can get it right and make sure it’s accurate, I think guys would be all for it.”

It is being tested now in the Atlantic League. And, so far, biggest issue is time. It’s adding a few seconds to each pitch. That’s because it’s still up to umpires to make the call. All this computer assistance is just that. Assistance.

The umpire has an earpiece. He hears one of three calls. “Strike.” “Ball.” Or “no track,” meaning the computer failed to register. Meaning, the umpire still has to call every single pitch because he doesn’t know if the computer is going to work on that pitch.

And, it takes a second or two for the call to be registered, made, then relayed to the umpire. So, there’s a delay in the call. 

While opinions vary among players, major league umpires are not in favor of it.

They issued this statement:

“We are graded by MLB’s own system every single day. Although some seem to believe that a machine will get it right 100 percent of the time, that simply isn’t the case. Under MLB’s own grading system, the entire MLB umpire staff averaged over 97 percent correct ball and strike calls over the 2018 season. There will always be a human element to umpiring this great game. Major League umpires are the very best in the world at consistently calling balls and strikes, and we believe there is no substitute for the judgment and experience we bring to the field.”

But the 97 percent accuracy number MLB umpires claim is just made up. Boston University tracked every single pitch thrown in 2018 and found that umpires missed, on average, fourteen calls per game, or 1.6 mistakes per inning. Their research shows that umpires miss calls over twenty percent of the time.

In fact, fifty-five games in 2018 ended on the wrong ball-strike call from an umpire.

Umpires are most wrong when the batter has two strikes on him. Twenty-one percent of the time a ball is erroneously called a strike in that situation.

Here are the ten worst umpires in baseball today:

Robo-umpiring is coming whether we like it or not. 

*****

TODAY’S GAME:

Alex Young (2-0, 0.68) vs. Lance Lynn (12-4, 3.69)

Game time: 7:05