Major League Baseball Finally Begins Experimenting With Robot Umpires (espn.com)

"Baseball's potential future will be showcased in the independent Atlantic League this year, and it includes robot umpires..." reports ESPN, calling it part of "a wide variety of experiments that the Atlantic League will run this season as part of its new partnership with Major League Baseball." While MLB has long tested potential rule changes in the minor leagues, its three-year partnership with the Atlantic League -- an eight-team league that features former major leaguers trying to return to affiliated ball -- offers the ability to try more radical rules. MLB has chafed at using technology to replace ball-and-strike-calling duties for umpires, fearful that it's not yet consistent enough to warrant implementation... [W]ith the TrackMan system installed at Atlantic League stadiums, MLB will have a trove of data to analyze and see the effect of doing so.
Other changes aim to speed up the game, including bans on visits to the pitcher's mound and shortening the amount of time between innings.

Comments

Interesting, but balls called for holding runners

[mykepredko]

The rule changes are interesting, I think adding the radar system for helping call balls and strikes will probably cause more problems than it will solve.

Many of the changes will result in a faster game, but they don't address what I see as the real time waster and energy drag - the throw from the pitching mound to hold a runner at first.

How about calling a ball on the batter each time that's done? It will mean that if the runner is a slug will stay close to the base but if the runner is fast, knowing that the pitcher will give up a ball throwing to first, will probably be more aggressive about getting ready to steal second. This will add tension to the game and eliminate the endless throwing balls to the first basemen, destroying the rhythm of the game.

Oh, if you're adding robots, don't forget the blackjack - and hookers!

Baseball is a human game played by humans

[mcarp]

Baseball is a human game played by humans. If you replace the umpire, may as well replace the batters pitchers catchers runners and fielders managers coaches bat boys...