You know what you’re getting into when you step into the box and to him, that’s the epitome of fairness. He thinks the challenge system will end up being used in the major leagues, but admitted he prefers full-on ABS because of its consistency. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal)Ĭoco Montes is one of the Isotopes’ strongest hitters as well as one of their more cerebral, balanced personalities. “Or, obviously, if I know 100% it’s going to be a ball.” Albuquerque’s Elehuris Montero (21) and Coco Montes (right) celebrate at home plate after Montero hit a home run during action on May 20 vs. “I’m only really challenging in situations that I notice are big situations – when there’s runners on base, (behind) in the count, late in a tight game,” he said. When reached earlier in the week, he echoed Lopez’s sentiment that the right challenge is just as much based on a sense of moment as it is an innate feel for the zone. Infielder Nolan Jones wasn’t in the lineup Friday evening after a morning callup to the Rockies. (Rainiers) leadoff hitter, first pitch of the game, he’s challenging. “But now with the challenge, (we’ve) seen guys challenging first-pitch strikes. “I mean, there’s pitches that we take right down the middle and as hitters, we’d say, ‘so what, it’s strike one, and I only need one strike to hit.’ “We have had quite a few (situations) where we challenge (with) nobody on, first pitch and I just don’t get it,” he said. But like a lot of his players, Lopez is clear on one thing: whether you’re right or you’re wrong, it has to be used in the right spot. Whether or not that mark ends up being closer to how some of the best challenging teams in the minors fare is to be determined. Since challenge games started up again a few weeks ago, the Isotopes are 7-for-19 (36.8%) when it comes to hitters challenging pitches, with no true playbook. Isotopes’ Nolan Jones high fives teammates after scoring a run against the Round Rock Express at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque on Tuesday. As MLB’s senior director of on-field strategy, Joe Martinez said the speed of the transaction has been a critical focus as the challenge system continues to expand testing at the minor league level. If all goes well – and it typically does – it’s a 15-20 second exchange between six parties. A team either keeps its challenge or loses it. Then, a crowd reaction - either positive or negative depending on the outcome. A graphic of the pitch’s location is played on the video scoreboard for all to see, fans included. If either party does so, the umpire taps the top of his head, a signal to both the ABS technician and video board coordinator watching.įrom there, the official scorer speaks into the intercom and says “challenge ball” or “challenge strike.” The ABS technician verifies whether or not it was a strike according to the computer and relays it to the official scorer – “call upheld” or “call overturned” over the PA. Sunday’s game at Isotopes Park between Round Rock and host Albuquerque will be one of them.Ī pitcher, hitter or catcher can challenge a pitch he feels isn’t a ball or strike as the home plate umpire called it. However, each team is allotted three challenges at the start of a “challenge game” being regularly played on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays in Triple-A this season. Now, how the challenge system works: The home plate umpire is brought back into play, calling the balls and strikes. He doesn’t make the call on a taken pitch he only relays it. They played on.Īnd with that, another datapoint in Major League Baseball’s test of its next potential innovation – the ABS (Automated Balls and Strikes system) challenge system - was quietly logged.įirst, if you’ve been to Isotopes Park in recent years, you’re aware how the ABS system works: The use of several ultra-high-speed cameras tracking pitches and spitting out the result into an earpiece worn by the home-plate umpire in less than half a second. Turns out, the home plate umpire was right. So instead of turning to the umpire and asking for an inch away here or an inch away there or pleading his case for a strike, like he would to so many other umpires in so many other games before him… His catcher, Brian Serven, must’ve thought so, too. In the top of the fourth inning on a gusty Friday night in Albuquerque, Dinelson Lamet thought he had thrown a strike. The scoreboard informs spectators that a pitch is under review during a game against the Round Rock Express at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque on Friday night.
0 kommentar(er)
