Sports Daily: Arguing balls and strikes

Let’s admit it. Hating on officials is a big part of enjoying a game. Somewhere in our minds, we think we could do it a little better. Not all the time, but certainly on that one call.

On the other hand, hearts have broken and entire seasons have buckled under the weight of a single bad piece of officiating. That doesn’t seem fair.

I’ll admit, I’m somewhat of a luddite, and I don’t like technology interfering with a game. But c’mon! That was WAY outside, and that umpire should be fired, and now we’ve stranded two guys in the heart of the order.

Is it finally time for robo umps? Let’s discuss.

ABS AT SPRING TRAINING

Credit: Gerald Herbert/AP

Credit: Gerald Herbert/AP

The MLB is testing out a brand new automated replay review during spring training called the automated ball-strike challenge system, or ABS. It’s like an electronic line judge in tennis, but for the strike zone. A box judge, if you will. Some basic details:

This is just a test. It won’t be a thing during the regular season — yet.
Not all spring training ballparks have them, including the Braves’ CoolToday field. In fact, by my count, the Braves won’t be playing in any ABS-equipped park this spring.
ABS is already being used in AAA, and things have gone pretty well there.
In games using ABS, teams will each get two challenges. If the challenge is successful, they keep the challenge. If it’s not, they lose it.
Only the batter, pitcher or catcher on the field can challenge a call.

All of this presents an interesting philosophical question, and it’s the reason MLB is doing the softest of launches for this new process. How much technology is actually good for the game?

⏱️ Pace of play: According to the MLB, these replay reviews should only take seconds. In the few I’ve seen in spring training games so far, they do go by quickly. (They also present another opportunity to feel superior to an ump who made a bad call.)

😒 *grumble grumble* Integrity of the game: So far, players seem to be down with the addition. Before implementing the experiment, the MLB says they did a poll of players, coaching staff and fans to see what level of robo ump they preferred in their games. Their answers were surprisingly tempered. A little robo ump, as a treat. But not a lot.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Cody Poteet was the first player in spring training to use the system. He won the challenge, and a called ball was changed to a strike for the Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy.

Poteet played in Triple-A last year, so he was already comfortable with the system.

“Using it a little last year, it felt more normal,” he said. “It’s cool to be the one to fire away.”

WHERE HAVE ALL THE 2-POINTERS GONE?

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

While we’re talking big picture stuff, let’s turn to the NBA. If trends hold through the final seven weeks of the season, this will be the first time that 2-point shots make up less than half of NBA point production.

The rise of the three: What are players shooting instead? Unsurprisingly, it’s 3s. As of today, an AP breakdown shows 36% of the league’s point production comes from 3-pointers — a record high.

What exactly does this mean for the game? And does it mean anything specific at all?

Let’s ask Steph Curry, the league’s all-time leader in 3s who’s closing in on 4,000 in his regular-seasons career (or rather, the AP asked Curry):

“I don’t have any problem with guys and teams shooting a lot of 3s,” he said. OK!

But what could stop the trend? Two words: Heftier defense.

TODAY’S NCAA PREVIEW

A few consequential games this evening:

🦴 Georgia will host No. 3 Florida, and this is the last top-10 team they’ll see this season. Thankfully. They’re looking to stop a four-game skid, but it should be smoother sailing after this. They’ll face three unranked conference teams, which will hopefully give them a boost and help their dismal 4-10 SEC record this season. More to watch for in the game.

🐝 Georgia Tech is in a four-way tie for eighth place in the ACC with only four games to go, and need to finish in the top nine to automatically advance to the second round of the ACC tournament. They face Pitt tonight. More to watch for in the game.

HOW ABOUT THOSE NORTH FORSYTH GIRLS?

Credit: Lily McGregor Photography

The North Forsyth Raiders are unbeaten and only three wins from becoming the second Forsyth County team to score a state basketball championship. The Raiders have been dominant for a while, with nine consecutive 20-plus-win seasons and eight consecutive regional titles.

They have their sights even higher, though, especially after falling just short of the title last year with a loss to Marist.

“There were several girls who were upset about losing in the state championship game, and they wanted to not have that feeling again,” Coach Brad Kudlas said. Whew, I would not mess with them.

MORE THINGS TO KNOW:

🏀 Hey, the Hawks won! They kept the Miami Heat to less than 90 points. We love some defense. It’s the only thing to save us from all of those 3-pointers, after all.

🏀 It’s the final week of league play for the four major womens’ basketball conferences. It’s been a rotating door at the top of the standings, so things should stay interesting.

📺 Confused about how to watch the Braves this season? I personally can’t help you. I don’t even touch the remote. I once tried to find a Vols game on YouTube TV and ended up stuck on a random cable show about sports betting. Anyway, here’s a look at how in-market streaming can affect your watch plans.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Tyler’s back tomorrow, which means I can reveal my secret: My first baseball allegiance will always be to the Washington Nationals. There’s no animosity here, though! All love. I’m just a weird divisional cousin.

But as a parting gift, here is the best photo of me ever taken, courtesy of Michael Wilson of the Lakeland Ledger. (Yes, I have it framed in the sports cave. Leave me alone.) After he snapped this pic of me struggling to drink a beer at Joker Marchant Stadium, we stayed in touch for a few years before he passed away in 2023. People like him make local journalism great. Oh, man. I didn’t mean to get so mushy! Anyway, go Nats.

Credit: AJ Willingham/AJC

QUOTE OF THE DAY

This is the time when you build. This is the time when you get together. It's the time where you identify things and be able to help us go out there and be the best person of ourselves.

- Falcons coach Raheem Morris

It’s NFL combine time, and the Falcons are facing big questions like “Kirk Cousins?” Morris said helping build up the defense is also top of mind. More from the combine.

Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at aj.willingham@ajc.com.

Until next time.

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