The AI umpire, also known as the Automatic Ball-and-Strike judgment(ABS) system, is a groundbreaking attempt to combine traditional methods with modern technology and is expected to bring a new experience to baseball fans.
The system was designed to reduce the endless controversy over balls and strikes that plagued baseball throughout the season.
ABS will be used in all games, including the spring season games this year, and is a system that uses a tracking system to track the pitch location of the ball thrown by the pitcher, determine whether it's a strike or a ball, and automatically communicate the results of the pitch to the umpire.
ABS tracks the trajectory of pitches through high-speed cameras and radars installed throughout the stadium, collecting various data such as ball position, speed, and rotation, as well as player behavior data such as pitchers' release points and batters' swing trajectories.
The collected data is analyzed through deep learning algorithms, and big data-based learning models define the strike zone and predict the trajectory of the ball based on a large amount of historical data. The results are analyzed in real time and judged as strikes, balls, and fouls by a computer program.
The results are then transmitted to the umpire via earphones in real-time, who then checks the results and makes the final call. "The results of the robot umpire's call are final and cannot be challenged or protested," says the KBO.
According to data released by the KBO, there were an average of 14.4 incorrect ball calls per game out of an average of 300 pitches thrown in the 2023 season. Strikes were called balls (about 7) and balls were called strikes (about 7.4). Umpire accuracy was 91.3%.
The KBO says it has been piloting the system in the Futures League for the past four years to improve the system's speed, stability, and accuracy, as well as to test and analyze the results of the strike zone variation.
The AI umpires were also used in high school baseball games at Mokdong Baseball Stadium.
With the implementation of the ABS, the league prospects positive changes that the system can newly bring.
Firstly, the system will reduce ball-and-strike errors. Accurate technology will increase the accuracy of calls and significantly reduce the likelihood of incorrect calls.
Secondly, a smoother game flow will be promoted. Quick and accurate calls will minimize delays and improve the tempo of the game.
Thirdly, the referee workload is expected to be eased. Referees will be able to focus more on the game and other relevant factors, freeing them from human error and improving the quality of officiating.
Finally, ABS improves spectator satisfaction. Fair and transparent officiating provides greater satisfaction for spectators, and greater trust can be brought into the sport.
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) noted that the ABS in the 19 games of the 12-day 2024 KBO League spring training games so far has shown a 99.9 percent pitch-tracking success rate. In cases where pitch tracking failed, it was due to the on-field wire cameras encroaching on the tracking range while traveling.
Despite the advantages and positive effects this novel system can bring, there still exist voices of concern regarding the change.
If the KBO is the first league to use the machine, Korea will be at a disadvantage in international games. Experts are concerned that the catcher's "framing ability" will degrade.
In baseball, a technical skill called "framing", also known as "stealing strikes" is the art of catching a pitch on the edge of or outside the strike zone so that it looks like a strike to the umpire.
Under the ABS, the games will now place little significance on a catcher's framing ability since such manipulation will not be able to "trick" the AI with its accurate decisions.
The umpire still makes the ball and strike calls in Major League Baseball (MLB), but the hitter or pitcher/catcher combination has a limited number of pitches to challenge the call. This is why MLB, which has been experimenting with an automated balls and strike system (ABS) in the minor leagues, includes a challenge system.
Every team receives three challenges, with one challenge remaining unclaimed. Only the pitcher, hitter, or catcher may start a challenge, and they must be done right away following an umpire's call.
Another potential problem is the system's vulnerability to manipulation by hackers. If a team can hack into the system by planting a backdoor or buying an administrator to manipulate the strike zone in their favor, it could lead to even more unfair calls than a human judge would make.
Many changes are to be awaited in the upcoming season and many baseball fans not only in Korea but worldwide are looking forward to this change.
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