Swampboy posted:
… How can you rule out the value of a trained, experienced professional umpire's subjectivity at translating that imprecision into a fair competition? Why should I believe consistency is better when it consistently ignores the shape and depth of the zone?...
Who do you think would be setting the upper and lower limits of the zone? Some bum off the street or a completely trained umpire? If it was a bum off the street I’d agree there was a problem. But if an umpire was doing it, wouldn’t he likely be more accurate setting those upper and lower limits by looking at a picture of the hitter rather than trying to do it from behind with a pitch coming in that was moving both vertically and laterally?
I can tell you unequivocally that if the computer is programmed to take into account the shape and depth of the zone, it will. I can’t remember which channel does it, but I‘ve seen the strike zone during the game represented as a heptagon. I believe it was on Fox.
The best thing about this argument is that 15 years ago 99% of those in the discussion would be vehemently against it, but as time passes that percentage is dropping quickly.