Sugar Land, Texas (KTRK) – Three strokes. Three outs. Three challenges?
“We leave the game as it was, and the judges make the calls,” explained Mickey Storey, Sugar Land Space Cowboys Game Director. “But we have to decide if he was wrong.”
In June, ABC13 brought you for the first time a fully automatic ball striking system (ABS) in use at Triple-A Sugar Land. On each court, the ball/kick call is identified by cameras as part of the Hawk-Eye system and transmitted via an earpiece to the human judge to indicate the ball or hit.
But late last month, Constellation Field at Sugar Land, home of the Houston Astros’ largest minor league affiliate, became one of the few Three-A ball fields selected to begin using the ABS Challenge system. A source familiar with the situation tells ABC13 that the shift isn’t because a full ABS didn’t work. This is said to be the latest test in technology.
SEE ALSO: MLB Recruitment for Robot Referee Technology Officer to be Included in the Sugar Land Constellation Field in Sugar Land
In the ABS challenge system, the human house board referee calls balls and hits, but each team has three challenges to use during the game if they think the call is wrong. The challenge consists of a home board referee using his earpiece to listen to the Hawk-Eye system to determine if the playing field is a ball or a shot.
Story admitted, “It’s fun. It’s fun.” “The thing is: We want to make the calls right. I don’t know which method is best. This is worth a try. It’s a bit like pulling a slot machine.”
But Story is not part of that gamble. Only the bowler, and the hitter catcher can challenge the ball/kick call. If the call is cancelled, the team will keep the challenge for use later in the game.
“This leaves room for the human element,” Storey noted. “But also, let’s get that connection right. It leaves some room for players who already know the strike zone to have an advantage.”
As part of this system, fans in attendance will know the strike zone. When the ball or strike is challenged, technology is displayed on the field for everyone to see how correct – or incorrect – the referee is.
With ABC13 on hand for the game earlier this month, the call for Third Strike was finally cancelled. Pedro Leon of Sugar Land hit the next court for two at home.
“In the end, I don’t care who calls it,” Storey said. “You have to get better.”
However, challenges can be dismissed.
If the home board referee determines that the bowler, hitter, or catcher has taken too long to challenge the play, which is more than 10 seconds, or if he feels the player has received help from the bunker, the referee can decline the challenge. Storey calls that “gray” area and hopes that will change.
“I don’t think this part of the system is fair,” Storey said. “It was left up to debate whether the referee thought the hitter took too long or looked around or got help from somewhere else. This is a slippery slope. It has to be corrected. I think with the right amount of tweaks and adjustments, it’s something that can be played.” “
Which means that every play is subject to the watchful eye of both humans and technology.
See also: First stop, Sugar Land. Next stop, Minute Maid Park? Robot referee system may be heading to MLB soon
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