SUGAR LAND, Texas — The Sugar Land Skeeters are testing new technology that allows computers to determine balls and strikes during professional baseball games.
The Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) system has some, including umpires, wondering what is next.
Umpire Marshall Thomas wore the device, which includes an earpiece attached to an iPhone, during Monday night’s game at Constellation Field.
He listened but used his judgement to call the game. Tuesday night will be different.
Thomas is used to hearing players, managers and fans lobby calls after every pitch, he said. However, for the first time in 30 years, he will soon have to listen and repeat what he’s told.
“It was bound to happen,” he said. “Where it goes from here it remains to be seen.”
The Skeeters are one of a handful of Atlantic League teams testing ABS.
“We’re just trying it out,” said Tyler Stamm, the Skeeters General Manager. “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.”
Umpires involved hardly love it.
“When I (first) heard about it I thought we (are about) to get replaced,” said Reginald Ligons, an umpire for 25 years.
Fans had questions too.
“Are we going to have a pitching machine to get rid of the pitcher?” asked season-ticket holder Susan Jones.
“Technology is basically taking over society,” another fan said. “It does good in some ways. It does bad in some ways as well.”
In this case, a monitor above the field collects data that is fed to an app called TrackMan.
“It basically emits doppler all over the field,” Stamm said.
Major League Baseball uses it to show fans pitch speed and location. Clubs also use TrackMan to grade and evaluate players.
It is not used to call balls and strikes in MLB yet. Though, officials from the major leagues are closely monitoring what happens at Constellation Field.
“At some point, it’s going to probably, you know, I wouldn’t say irritate us but it’s going to be different,” said Ligons.
Stamm considers himself a traditionalist. He loves ABS, though. His team twice used it on the road and believe ABS provides consistent strike zones.
“Sometimes you hear about umpires favoring one team over the other,” he said. “Now you won’t have that.”
The Skeeters will use ABS to call Tuesday night’s game against Lancaster.
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