Rob Manfred Reveals Robot Umpires Will Be Used During 2020 Spring Training
By Michael Luciano
Major League Baseball appears to be trending towards instituting robot umpires in the name of "getting the call right" and removing the human error element from the game. Really? Well, we could see a preview of that in spring training.
Commissioner Rob Manfred stated the "robot umpire" system, in which a human umpire makes calls based on instructions given through an ear piece, could be used during spring training.
Rob Manfred also said on FOX Business that we’re going to see use of the so-called robot umpire system during spring training.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) January 22, 2020
The idea of using robot umpires has been tested with some success in the independent Atlantic League and the Arizona Fall League. Spring could be a good trail run for the system, as the league can test both the accuracy of the calls and how naturally it can be woven into the game.
If some major bug comes up in spring training, the league has the opportunity to go back to the drawing board.
Finally, this has to happen. I saw way too many blown calls last postseason. Human element isn't as important as the right call.
— Gabe Sultana (@GabeSultana) January 22, 2020
The Atlantic League and Arizona Fall League showed that we are still very much in the process of working out the kinks, but the spirit is there. This could be a step in the right direction that ultimately removes egregious blown calls from the game.