The A-Team: Why Is MLB Waiting To Implement Automatic Strike-Ball Calls?

This coming spring training, Major League Baseball is going to have the same automatic strike/ball calls, that allow for instant replay to possibly correct the call on the field. This conversation between Adam Clanton and Adam Wexler on The A-Team; stems from the fact that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is going to meet with media in Arizona next week. The conversation centers around, why is this not already in use for baseball's highest level of play?! 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I was at a game last year in Sugarland in
which Justin Verlander was pitching.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Yeah, the noted space cowboy veteran.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Yeah, obviously, and it was I mean I might call
it seamless. It was he was able to just go.
Did you see him do it?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Because the pitcher Yeah, okay, yeah, I was there for
a handful of game I wanted to call got investigated. Yeah,
the catcher, the batter or the pitcher can call for
a challenge. They basically just turn around or in Justin's case,
stare down the umpire. Yeah that's but again, they send
a signal upstairs. You see the review on the board,

(00:40):
which at Constellation Field is in dead center field, and
you see where the pitch came in.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Took a seconds, and then they made.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
A call change or non call change.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
I don't understand why we need to have this in
spring training games now before we can get it, because
the technology is there. It's not even a matter of oh,
we're just saying it. Technology is there, but it's not
really the no ready to go, ready to go right now?
In fact, bigger screen to watch the review on right

(01:10):
there at tik In Park.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, no question, And you know this major league baseball
and technology versus minor league baseball and technology. I can
imagine it's it's very easy at the major league level
to push let's get this like you know, you know launched,
Let's get it installed, let's get it tested.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
That question for it? When's man for doing this silly
charade in front of the media. Tomorrow? No, the thirteenth,
Oh so basically tomorrow a couple of days, two days.
It's it's not far away. In other words, correct, How
like if I allow myself obviously, how much is my
blood pressure going to be raised?

Speaker 2 (01:43):
I'm sorry Tuesday of next week?

Speaker 1 (01:45):
Oh, I gotta wait way longer, so I like, but seriously,
what is he going to say? That's my favorite part?

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Will there also be a presentation made after by other
people to kind of go through more of it? But
the question you're asking on this very show, it should
be one of the very first questions asked of him.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
What are you waiting on?

Speaker 2 (02:05):
There are other people involved, the Umpires Association and the
players Association. Remember, just like with this ridiculous runner on
second stuff, you and I keep being amazed when they
say they're not one hundred percent against it and they've
said the same thing about this. They're not one hundred
percent we want human error element human element er error.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
No I do. I say it because that's what it is.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
They want the error when you're in the in the
scrum and they go, well, some people like the human element,
you need to jump in a mirror and error.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
No, Like, seriously, what benefit I'm not even being like,
what is the benefit of having some form of potential
error in there?

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Silence?

Speaker 1 (02:53):
I mean, if you can give me a reason, I'd
love to hear it. Otherwise, you're just keeping the game
from being more accurate than it already is. That's all.
So I can't wait to hear what he has to
say on next Tuesday.