They are much better than we give them credit for, but at the same time this should help in culling out the umps that aren't that good.
*****Official Texas Rangers 2025 2026 Offseason Thread*****
102,604 Views |
1091 Replies |
Last: 15 hrs ago by CowtownAg06
Would have been funny to have seen Angel Hernandez under this system.
cmiller00 said:
Would have been funny to have seen Angel Hernandez under this system.
80% overturn rate.
It's easy to see the plate pentagon projected up, but the top and bottom is the interesting part. Per the intrawebs.
So the ABS system somehow measures the players height and comes up with two vertical limits? So no more of armpits to knees or whatever? And it doesn't matter what a batter's stance is?
Quote:
Strike Zone Determination
The ABS system uses a personalized strike zone for each batter:
Width: 17 inches, matching home plate.
Height: Top is 53.5% of the batter's height, bottom is 27% of height.
Measurement: Players are measured standing straight without cleats during spring training, and MLB certifies their official height.
Rule for strikes: Any part of the ball touching any part of the strike zone is considered a strike.
So the ABS system somehow measures the players height and comes up with two vertical limits? So no more of armpits to knees or whatever? And it doesn't matter what a batter's stance is?
Jimtim1216 said:cmiller00 said:
Would have been funny to have seen Angel Hernandez under this system.
80% overturn rate.
I could just imagine him smirking every 5 minutes after one of his calls got overturned.
Jimtim1216 said:cmiller00 said:
Would have been funny to have seen Angel Hernandez under this system.
80% overturn rate.
I'll take the over.
Every player is getting official measured in ST and it will create a zone for each individual. Stance does not matter.
It's also not a 3-d pentagon. It's a 2-d plane about halfway into home plate
53.5% of a player's height is oddly specific. Something tells me that wasn't the rule in the Black Sox days.
I'm already beaten down by ball/strike reviews.
I love the discussions about the ABS system
"Oh my god - it's so hard doing what umpires do and they get the vast majority of calls right...."
"It is hard, which is why we let a computer do it...."
"Oh, but then you're removing the human element...."
"The human element being the mistakes?"
"Oh my god - it's so hard doing what umpires do and they get the vast majority of calls right...."
"It is hard, which is why we let a computer do it...."
"Oh, but then you're removing the human element...."
"The human element being the mistakes?"
CampingAg said:
I'm already beaten down by ball/strike reviews.
How many times will this happen during games? I can see this being a real turnoff for many fans.
WestTexasAg said:CampingAg said:
I'm already beaten down by ball/strike reviews.
How many times will this happen during games? I can see this being a real turnoff for many fans.
I think fans will like it because fans have come to hate umps so much lol. It becomes a game within a game of the players/fans against the umps.
I think you only get a 2 or 3 per game and the reviews happen quickly within 10 seconds. So you're talking about maybe 2 minutes added to the game in the worst case scenario. I think it will have a high Q rating.
Vessel said:WestTexasAg said:CampingAg said:
I'm already beaten down by ball/strike reviews.
How many times will this happen during games? I can see this being a real turnoff for many fans.
I think fans will like it because fans have come to hate umps so much lol. It becomes a game within a game of the players/fans against the umps.
I think you only get a 2 or 3 per game and the reviews happen quickly within 10 seconds. So you're talking about maybe 2 minutes added to the game in the worst case scenario. I think it will have a high Q rating.
https://www.mlb.com/news/abs-challenge-system-mlb-2026
Key points:
Quote:
How many challenges does each team receive?
Each team will start the game with two challenges apiece.
Do teams get an extra challenge in extra innings?
If a game goes into extra innings, any team that starts the extra inning out of challenges will get one challenge for the 10th inning. If they exhaust that challenge, they will then get another challenge for the 11th, and so on.
If a team has challenges remaining at the start of the 10th inning, they will not get an additional challenge for that inning, though they will for any subsequent inning if they are out of challenges at the start of the inning.
Who can issue a challenge?
The batter, the pitcher or the catcher can challenge an umpire's call. No one else -- no, not even the manager -- may do so.
Challenges must be made immediately after the umpire's call, without assistance from the dugout or other players.
(Some teams have already indicated that they will forbid their pitchers from challenging, preferring they defer to the catcher's vantage point.)
Are successful challenges retained?
Yes. A team only loses its challenge if the umpire's call is confirmed.
How long do players have to issue a challenge?
Immediately after the pitch (roughly within two seconds). If there is an ensuing play (such as a checked-swing appeal or a play involving a runner), the challenge may be made at the conclusion of the play.
How much time does the review add to the game?
In 288 games with the ABS Challenge System during Spring Training 2025, there were an average of 4.1 challenges per game, and those challenges took an average of 13.8 seconds.
So the average game saw about 57 seconds of added time, effectively "giving back" only a small portion of the 26 minutes that the average game time was reduced from 2022 (the last MLB season without the pitch clock) to 2025.
dvldog said:Vessel said:WestTexasAg said:CampingAg said:
I'm already beaten down by ball/strike reviews.
How many times will this happen during games? I can see this being a real turnoff for many fans.
I think fans will like it because fans have come to hate umps so much lol. It becomes a game within a game of the players/fans against the umps.
I think you only get a 2 or 3 per game and the reviews happen quickly within 10 seconds. So you're talking about maybe 2 minutes added to the game in the worst case scenario. I think it will have a high Q rating.
https://www.mlb.com/news/abs-challenge-system-mlb-2026
Key points:Quote:
How many challenges does each team receive?
Each team will start the game with two challenges apiece.
Do teams get an extra challenge in extra innings?
If a game goes into extra innings, any team that starts the extra inning out of challenges will get one challenge for the 10th inning. If they exhaust that challenge, they will then get another challenge for the 11th, and so on.
If a team has challenges remaining at the start of the 10th inning, they will not get an additional challenge for that inning, though they will for any subsequent inning if they are out of challenges at the start of the inning.
Who can issue a challenge?
The batter, the pitcher or the catcher can challenge an umpire's call. No one else -- no, not even the manager -- may do so.
Challenges must be made immediately after the umpire's call, without assistance from the dugout or other players.
(Some teams have already indicated that they will forbid their pitchers from challenging, preferring they defer to the catcher's vantage point.)
Are successful challenges retained?
Yes. A team only loses its challenge if the umpire's call is confirmed.
How long do players have to issue a challenge?
Immediately after the pitch (roughly within two seconds). If there is an ensuing play (such as a checked-swing appeal or a play involving a runner), the challenge may be made at the conclusion of the play.
How much time does the review add to the game?
In 288 games with the ABS Challenge System during Spring Training 2025, there were an average of 4.1 challenges per game, and those challenges took an average of 13.8 seconds.
So the average game saw about 57 seconds of added time, effectively "giving back" only a small portion of the 26 minutes that the average game time was reduced from 2022 (the last MLB season without the pitch clock) to 2025.
good info, thanks!
I think it will be cool especially in critical moments.
Annnnnnd Josh Jung is already dinged up. lol, guy can't seem to stay on the field.
Josh Jung (adductor strain) and Justin Foscue (hamstring strain) will both be sidelined from baseball activities for about 10 days, per Skip Schumaker.
— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) February 28, 2026
Should've moved off him already.
No idea if this is true but wow.
SOURCE: The Texas Rangers have reached a pre-agreement with 12-year-old Dominican prospect Andel Pérez for a $4.0 million signing bonus.
— Wilber Sánchez (@wilberdata) February 28, 2026
It is the highest amount the organization will award in the 2030 international class.
“He’s capable of punishing 95–96 mph fastballs. From… pic.twitter.com/EXc222hCwW
not sure of the veracity of that post. I'm not finding any direct, credible sources on this. Guys has 3700 followers, this smells like a clickbait post to me.
cmiller00 said:
I think it will be cool especially in critical moments.
The other side of the coin is when you get a call in a big moment it's gonna be "oh wait let's stop everything down to see if the umpire was wrong by a millimeter". Anticlimactic.
Cam Cauley continues to hit the ball in spring training.
cmiller00 said:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48090231/braves-profar-faces-162-game-ban-2nd-ped-violation
Meanwhile, career earnings of $41 MM. Totally worth it.
Osuna just homered for Mexico against the D Backs.
Vessel said:
Cam Cauley continues to hit the ball in spring training.
Both he and Tyler Wade have been some run from the beats as a possibly to make the roster as a utility guy. That would cost one of these a job: Duran, Haggerty, Helman. I think Freeman will be on the IL to start the season.
In Philly.....
Small sample size, but Adolis has played in 5 games with 14 at bats.
Hitting .214. No homers. No walks. NO STRIKEOUTS.
Small sample size, but Adolis has played in 5 games with 14 at bats.
Hitting .214. No homers. No walks. NO STRIKEOUTS.
I've always thought he should be playing for the Marlins. Cuban guy, his big personality - I think that fanbase would really embrace him. In Philly he's JAG. Maybe the Marlins weren't interested, or he just took the biggest offer he got. No way to know really.
KT 90 said:Vessel said:
Cam Cauley continues to hit the ball in spring training.
Both he and Tyler Wade have been some run from the beats as a possibly to make the roster as a utility guy. That would cost one of these a job: Duran, Haggerty, Helman. I think Freeman will be on the IL to start the season.
The organization needs to go ahead and make the not-so-difficult decision on Duran. Oh he can play multiple positions defensively? I'm good. I don't need to be figuring out ways to get a below-replacement bat in the lineup.
In 38 games last year, Helman had a WAR above 1. That's an easy call to keep him. Haggerty is injury-prone, but he is good when he plays.
This is going to be a very interesting season. Lots of questions have to be answered this season. What's the biggest question you have going into the season?
Water Boy said:
This is going to be a very interesting season. Lots of questions have to be answered this season. What's the biggest question you have going into the season?
Tons of questions, but the biggest for me are:
1. Can Jung finally justify his draft position? When he's playing well, the Rangers do too.
2. Can Evan Carter live up to the hype he showed up with?
3. Can our home frown starting pitching step up and produce?
High level back end of the bullpen and can we be an average offense. Have hope we are going to put more guys on the bases this year. After that would be how much regression are we going to see defensively with the changes in personnel.
Andrew McCutchen?
Sources tell the Dallas Morning News: Rangers are signing former MVP Andrew McCutchen: https://t.co/DrEfDMczo2
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) March 5, 2026
Former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen still has to make the #Rangers’ roster on his minor-league deal. Assuming he does, the right-handed hitter would be a platoon outfielder/DH and a veteran off the bench.
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilsonTXR) March 5, 2026
Ummm... yay?
Featured Stories
See All
50:41
23h ago
5.6k
This Week on Take Five: Sharp, Beck, Kiel & Harrison
by Richard Zane
Keys to the Game: Texas A&M at Louisiana State
by Luke Evangelist
Every game matters as Texas A&M travels to Baton Rouge
by Olin Buchanan
@coopercuffe
I hope Miami (OH) gets boat raced in the tournament
in Billy Liucci's TexAgs Premium
57
picknroll
LIVE from Blue Bell Park: No. 22 Texas A&M vs. Oakland (Saturday)
in Billy Liucci's TexAgs Premium
16