[MLB] Understanding ABS as the MLB season kicks off
March 25, 2026
[MLB] Understanding ABS as the MLB season kicks off
29 comments
Wow great video! Pitchers/Catchers win 60% of calls where Batters win 46%. I like the system so far, especially since it only takes 14 seconds per challenge compared to approximately 14 hours in the NFL
What about the 3D box of the plate? Do the cameras just check one vertical plane of the zone, or front-to-back as well? Because pitches can move in and out of the zone over the depth of the plate too.
This video wasn’t made by MLB, but by an account called SportsBall:
TikTok: @__sportsball
Instagram: @_sportsball
YouTube: @SportsBall_Visual
Website: chameleonvisualcompany.com (where they sell prints of these)
This was extremely satisfying, one question I have though: if they are just doing a % of height for the zone, are batters who squat more technically at a disadvantage? For instance, a batter who stands up pretty straight will have a fairly accurate strike zone, as the 53.5% number will be pretty close to how they are actually standing. But will a batter who naturally squats lower to the ground feel as though some pitches that are thrown high are actually not strikes when they’re being called as such?
Not sure if that makes any sense.
This account is cool as hell…watched a video earlier today on how Tennis prize money is broken down.
Good shit.
After the final strike of the WBC tournament, it is hard to argue with this. My question is if anyone would have had a challenge left by the 9th inning, especially if players can call it.
In the NBA, players spin their fingers in the air everytime they get called for a foul, wanting a challenge, even when it is obvious they committed one.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
I’m more of a traditionalist. I hated the pitch clock change (I understand why it was necessary), and I’m still against the 2 throw overs to a base (again I understand that it could and would be abused). That said I think normalizing the strike zone to a players size is more in line with the spirit of the strike zone than other iterations. I hate to admit it as an older guy, but I think this may be a beneficial change to the game and keep the game about the players and not the umpires
On top of this, ABS continues to evolve the strike zone.
“The official strike zone is the area over home plate from the midpoint between a batter’s shoulders and the top of the uniform pants — when the batter is in his stance and prepared to swing at a pitched ball — and a point just below the kneecap”
ABS only enforces the strike zone as a 2D box, effectively changing the rules
After what happened at the WBC, thank GOD this is finally rolling out to the MLB
Vocal fryyyyy
I really enjoyed watching this!
This is a very cool video
Honestly, I’ve been impressed by how fast the ABS results have been called. 14 secs is lightning quick in terms of reviewing live action. Anybody that watches the NBA or NFL can tell you that many challenges over there can take FOREVER waiting.
And honestly, the challenge system adds a level of suspense to the game, as we wait for that graphic to unveil, sbowing the result. Overall, I like it.
Can’t wait until it’s truly automated and challenges aren’t part of the equation. Fans are going to hate losing both challenges early on and then get screwed over by a terrible call in the 9th.
Midpoint of the shoulders and the pants?
The belt is out of the zone these days.
Sportsball is honestly the best account across all social media.
Excellent information, and the presentation is incredibly satisfying. Love the drawing style.
I love this type of breakdown
This is a baseball version of 12tone and I’m all here for it
I find this video very aesthetically pleasing
This is a great explanation
This is so fucking good
Great video,
This makes scence now on why I keep seeing all the posts of players “shrinking”. Lose an inch or 2 and you have a smaller zone all year. I didn’t realize they were all measured ahead of time. I thought it was just on the fly that it adjusted, but this way makes much more scence.
I still don’t understand but I love you for this
I think if this guy had any less life in his voice he would be dead
My boy Altuve being called out like that, right next to Andre the giant…
I’m excited to see how it plays out and this is a good first step, but I’m personally not going to be satisfied until every ball or strike call is automated.
I know the players think they don’t like it, but they’d get used to it and the game would be better and more fair overall.
I’m interested in how/if the 94% accuracy of the human umpires might factor into the decision to challenge. Although I guess by the time anyone figures that out, we’ll be using ABS full-time so it probably won’t matter.
![[MLB] Understanding ABS as the MLB season kicks off](https://www.rawchili.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/b3dhYmFzbzA2OHJnMa4HaVhKSag0hBqWgCs5lDwLKQVZpjxJlLTGC8laS5P_-720x1024.png)
29 comments
Wow great video! Pitchers/Catchers win 60% of calls where Batters win 46%. I like the system so far, especially since it only takes 14 seconds per challenge compared to approximately 14 hours in the NFL
What about the 3D box of the plate? Do the cameras just check one vertical plane of the zone, or front-to-back as well? Because pitches can move in and out of the zone over the depth of the plate too.
This video wasn’t made by MLB, but by an account called SportsBall:
TikTok: @__sportsball
Instagram: @_sportsball
YouTube: @SportsBall_Visual
Website: chameleonvisualcompany.com (where they sell prints of these)
This was extremely satisfying, one question I have though: if they are just doing a % of height for the zone, are batters who squat more technically at a disadvantage? For instance, a batter who stands up pretty straight will have a fairly accurate strike zone, as the 53.5% number will be pretty close to how they are actually standing. But will a batter who naturally squats lower to the ground feel as though some pitches that are thrown high are actually not strikes when they’re being called as such?
Not sure if that makes any sense.
This account is cool as hell…watched a video earlier today on how Tennis prize money is broken down.
Good shit.
After the final strike of the WBC tournament, it is hard to argue with this. My question is if anyone would have had a challenge left by the 9th inning, especially if players can call it.
In the NBA, players spin their fingers in the air everytime they get called for a foul, wanting a challenge, even when it is obvious they committed one.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
I’m more of a traditionalist. I hated the pitch clock change (I understand why it was necessary), and I’m still against the 2 throw overs to a base (again I understand that it could and would be abused). That said I think normalizing the strike zone to a players size is more in line with the spirit of the strike zone than other iterations. I hate to admit it as an older guy, but I think this may be a beneficial change to the game and keep the game about the players and not the umpires
On top of this, ABS continues to evolve the strike zone.
The definition of a strike is a 3 dimensional zone
[3D Strike Zone](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Strike_zone_en.JPG)
“The official strike zone is the area over home plate from the midpoint between a batter’s shoulders and the top of the uniform pants — when the batter is in his stance and prepared to swing at a pitched ball — and a point just below the kneecap”
ABS only enforces the strike zone as a 2D box, effectively changing the rules
After what happened at the WBC, thank GOD this is finally rolling out to the MLB
Vocal fryyyyy
I really enjoyed watching this!
This is a very cool video
Honestly, I’ve been impressed by how fast the ABS results have been called. 14 secs is lightning quick in terms of reviewing live action. Anybody that watches the NBA or NFL can tell you that many challenges over there can take FOREVER waiting.
And honestly, the challenge system adds a level of suspense to the game, as we wait for that graphic to unveil, sbowing the result. Overall, I like it.
Can’t wait until it’s truly automated and challenges aren’t part of the equation. Fans are going to hate losing both challenges early on and then get screwed over by a terrible call in the 9th.
Midpoint of the shoulders and the pants?
The belt is out of the zone these days.
Sportsball is honestly the best account across all social media.
Excellent information, and the presentation is incredibly satisfying. Love the drawing style.
I love this type of breakdown
This is a baseball version of 12tone and I’m all here for it
I find this video very aesthetically pleasing
This is a great explanation
This is so fucking good
Great video,
This makes scence now on why I keep seeing all the posts of players “shrinking”. Lose an inch or 2 and you have a smaller zone all year. I didn’t realize they were all measured ahead of time. I thought it was just on the fly that it adjusted, but this way makes much more scence.
I still don’t understand but I love you for this
I think if this guy had any less life in his voice he would be dead
My boy Altuve being called out like that, right next to Andre the giant…
I’m excited to see how it plays out and this is a good first step, but I’m personally not going to be satisfied until every ball or strike call is automated.
I know the players think they don’t like it, but they’d get used to it and the game would be better and more fair overall.
I’m interested in how/if the 94% accuracy of the human umpires might factor into the decision to challenge. Although I guess by the time anyone figures that out, we’ll be using ABS full-time so it probably won’t matter.