The Automated Ball-Strike system made an immediate impact on Major League Baseball. The system provides players with recourse against missed calls when they previously had none. Arguing about balls and strikes often led to ejection, and the new system allows players to ask for correction.

Unlike challenges in most sports, the review has to be initiated by the players and has to be done nearly immediately. They can’t look to the dugout for help, meaning they have to trust their own eyes. They also have to know when to challenge, taking on more risk in higher leverage situations. 

Because the system is so new, teams are still figuring out the best way to deploy it. Pittsburgh Pirates star shortstop Konnor Griffin isn’t very experienced with the system, given that he only played five games at Triple-A Indianapolis before being called up to the majors. Still, he understands how valuable those challenges are.

“There’s a strategy to it,” Griffin said on Mostly Sporty with Mark Titus & Brandon Walker. “Try not to use it early in the game unless it’s obvious the pitch was nowhere near a strike. Try to save them for later in the game, big situations.”

In his short major league career, Griffin is 1-1 on challenge attempts. In Triple-A, he was 0-1. That missed challenge might have come with consequences. 

“When I was in Indianapolis for five games, the rule was, if you challenge a pitch and it’s a full ball in the zone and it’s a strike, you gotta buy the whole team donuts,” Griffin said. 

Griffin made the challenge on March 28. According to the graphic provided by Baseball Savant, the ball was clearly a strike, landing entirely over the plate. Fortunately for Griffin, he signed a sizeable contract not long after his failed challenge attempt, so the donuts shouldn’t have hurt too much. 

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