For one week in Sugar Land, Texas, the calls of “Come on, Blue!” meant something again.
The Pacific Coast League, and the Albuquerque Isotopes, have been giving a test run this season of the new computerized automated ball-strike (ABS) system more commonly known as “robo umps” to many around the sport.
But last week, for a road series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, umpires had the power of calling balls and strikes back in their hands. But the players and pitchers also had their say, as Major League Baseball allowed them the power to challenge the umpires’ calls at select venues across the country, which then utilized the ABS system only to correct or uphold the umpire’s call.