IronPigs' 1st home game with robo-umps goes off without a glitch

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Unless you were in the know, nothing seemed different about the IronPigs’ first home game featuring “robot umpires” at Coca-Cola Park on Tuesday.

With the introduction of the ABS, or automated balls and strikes system, plenty of people had questions about how the game against the Memphis Redbirds would play out — though at the end of the day, the results were rather mundane.

• The IronPigs played their first home game using the ABS, or automatic balls and strikes, system
• Officials said they were ready for anything, but the system worked smoothly thanks to extensive practice and training
• The ABS system will be used from Tuesday through Thursday, while weekend games will utilize the challenge system

Everything went off without a hitch, er, glitch.

Sam Jellinek, the IronPigs’ play-by-play announcer, said the introduction of the ABS system at the ballparkwas a success, noting minor issues over the past few weeks appear to have been cleared up.

“From where I've seen it both on the road and now here at home, it's going pretty smoothly,” Jellinek said after the 'Pigs 6-3 loss on Tuesday . “I mean, the first couple of games, you could tell that there was like a slight delay between when the umpire hears something when they call it. But now that they’re three weeks in, I think they'll probably get used to it. There wasn't really even a delay today.”

As part of a trial for ABS, the IronPigs are joining several other Triple-A teams in testing the new technology, which debuted in April.

The system works using a set of at least a dozen cameras that triangulate a precise measurement of the strike zone, which is a two-dimensional rectangle set at 27% and 51% of the batter’s height, falling between the knees and the middle of the chest.

An ABS operator, sitting in a room adjacent to the press box above home plate, tracks pitches and radios the call to the home plate umpire through an earpiece.

Though the tech behind the scenes is rather innovative and intriguing, what fans saw at Tuesday’s game was nothing out of the ordinary.

“You know, it's much simpler than people would have expected,” Jellinek said. “But I think that's a good thing, how seamless it's been.”

No problems with ABS at Coca-Cola Park

It was a three-up, three-down start in the first inning, with 'Pigs pitcher Michael Plassmeyer christening the ABS system with a strikeout.

And while the umpire was stationed behind the catcher, all the calls were coming from inside the box above home plate. Most fans wouldn’t even notice the use of the ABS system, as the delays on calls were practically imperceptible.

As for the crowd, they were far more invested in the excitement of a day at the park than challenging any calls made by the ABS.

Jellinek and the IronPigs crew were pleased to see the system work so well on Day 1, but come Friday, they’ll have to deal with the onset of another new feature of the rules — a challenge system that allow teams to question the legitimacy of a call from human umpires.

While Kevin Whitehead, director of video production, and his team have tested the system and run through various scenarios to ensure it works, it remains to be seen how well it will work.

“It’s kind of like pulling the fire alarm in a way, you know. It happens very quick, and you’re trying not to disrupt the pace of play,” Jellinek said.

The IronPigs scored three runs in the ninth inning, including a homer by shortstop Weston Wilson, but it wasn't enough to catch the Redbirds.

The future of baseball?

The ABS system will be used in games played Tuesday through Thursday at Coca-Cola Park, providing Major League Baseball data and feedback from the players, coaches and managers.

It is uncertain if the ABS system will be introduced in the MLB next year, though Commissioner Rob Manfred indicated that may be the case in an interview with ESPN last summer.

Jellinek characterized the launch of the ABS system as a welcome success story, even if those in the know were a bit let down – after all, with a system based on carefully monitored cameras and computers, there’s no need for Rose the Robot to put on a mask and get on the field.

“That’s the thing – everybody has come to me a little disappointed about it, every time we talked about robo-umps," Jellinek said. "They see it happen when it’s full ABS, like this, and they’re like, ‘There’s nothing going on.’ Like you can’t even notice, can’t even tell. The calls are very accurate, the umpires do a great job. There’s instant communication.”

The IronPigs’ first home game with the player challenge system will be against the Redbirds at 4:05 p.m. Friday, May 12.

EDITOR'S NOTE: LehighValleyNews.com is a media sponsor of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.