Keep technology in its place

In the mid-spring of 2003, Major League Baseball’s commissioner, Bud Selig, decided to create a system of cameras that would watch the strike zone over home plate. What they did with this system is monitor the home plate umpire’s calls of the game. Afterward the umpire is informed of his performance. If the umpire’s calls disagreed with the system more than 10 percent of the time, he would get a deduction in his salary. This system has spread to 13 ballparks in the Major Leagues.

The use of this machine has angered many players and coaches, as well as the umpires. In my opinion, I think it is absolutely ridiculous. It takes the whole human eye perspective out of the game. As a catcher on a baseball team, I know that a good catcher is able to frame a ball to make it look like a strike. By taking that out of the game, the pitchers will have a harder time throwing strikes that hit the inside and outside corners.

If you take away an umpire’s ability to call balls and strikes his way, is that not like replacing pitchers with pitching machines?

DJ Mackie

Spokane