MLB will test automated Ball-Strike Challenge system in the spring training and other notes of Rob Manfred

PHOENIX – Commissioner Rob Manfred held a press conference on Tuesday as part of the Spring Training Media Day in Arizona, and he discussed various urgent topics for MLB that introduced the 2025 season. Manfred recognized the overwhelming excitement for the upcoming Tokyo series between the Dodgers and Cubs and the continuous globalization of the game before asking about 30 minutes from reporters.

Here are the largest take -away restaurants of the commissioner’s session:

The Dodgers are not the problem, but Manfred knows that some fans suffer from the current state of the game

Manfred was asked various iterations of questions about the heavenly pavement of the Dodgers and the filled selection of the superstar and or who have a negative impact on the game as a whole. Manfred was convinced that the Dodgers consistently operated within the lines and therefore do not earn contempt; Instead, he blames the limitations of the structure in which they work.

“If I will be critical about something, it will not be the deadgers,” he said. “It will be the system.”

More generally, Manfred discussed the concept of competitive balance and how that can still be maintained in a competition in which such an extreme wage differences exists. Although there are several ways to measure a level playing field, Manfred pointed out that it is not exclusively about the objective balance of success on the field in the competition; It is also about how fans about the opportunities of their own team to be competitive. He in particular mentioned a free agency as an aspect of the sport that can have a significant impact on the moral of fans.

“Perhaps as important as one of these is the perception of the fan in the market. You sign a free agent … you don’t know what you’re going to get on the field. He can make you better or not, “Manfred said. “But at least in winter it generates a certain excitement that is good for your market. It expands the impression that you are trying, and that is also important for the company. “

This seems to be an indirect recognition that not enough teams show an willingness to spend in the winter, in turn acidic fans in the ambitions of their own teams to compete. With just a handful of teams that are good for a large part of the expenditure in the most recent free agency, it might be less about teams such as the Dodgers who sign so much of the best free agents and more that so few other teams even bother To explore the market, limiting fans’ optimism during the season.

Do not expect public statements about the next SMEs soon

Whether it concerns the consternation about wage differences or the countless other issues related to the economic structure of baseball, the expiry of the current collective negotiating agreement on December 1, 2026, is the biggest challenge that remains during the term of Manfred as Commissioner (He is planning to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to steps (he plans to step (he plans to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to step (he is planning to step. Down in 2029). League and Players ‘Association are to close a deal on time to prevent the regular season missing games.

For the time being, however, the Commissioner is not interested in the public explanation of the League position, with two full seasons before the SMEs ends.

“I am not going to speculate about what we are going to propose, what we are going to try to negotiate with the MLBPA – we are away for a year,” he said. “I owe it to the owners to give them the opportunity to flow together around a negotiating approach.”

Although the competition did not miss competitions last time, it is clear that the Lockout that took place during the low season of 2021-22 and lasted more than three months was a tiring process for both those involved and the fans who observe it from outside .

As such, it is clear that Manfred would rather not jump to such a discourse before it is absolutely necessary.

“To be honest, I owe our fans not to go into this too early,” he said. “I mean, it’s bad enough if you do it and negotiate and everyone is worried about it. We are just not there yet. “

The rule changes have been received favorably

Prior to the third season with the pitch clock, rules that limit Pickoff attempts and the ban on the defensive shift, Manfred spoke about how these rules and the resulting style of baseball were received by Big-League clubs. It is clear that the changes were well received by fans – Manfred noted that the League projects to increase the presence for the third consecutive season, something that did not happen in decades – but it is just as important how seamless the transition has been seamlessly For the players and coaches who have to work under new guidelines.

“The teams have been more uniform about the control changes than I thought they would be,” said Manfred. “I think everyone started appreciating the changes in the game. It’s not just about every minutes – it’s about the action and athletics that fans were looking for.”

Still encouraging for Manfred and the League Office is the extent to which the impact of the control changes in the Majors has reflected the effects in the minors.

“I think the most surprising and pleasant such and pleasant, I think that is important for the long term, because of the process that took place in the small competitions, the results we received at the level of Big League were really closed For what the people predicted in our baseball operation group, “he said. “And I think that is important for the future, because it gives people the confidence that you can make a change, can predict what will happen and get the outcome you are looking for. And like every institution, we must continue to change in the future. “

The ABS -Preliminary System will be tested in the spring training

With the success of the recent new rules, MLB continues to investigate ways to improve the product on the field for both players and fans. One of the more prominent items that have been considered in recent years has been an automated battle zone. This would mean that removal – or at least decreases – the responsibility to call balls and strikes of referees and to rely on the following technology to determine one of the core principles of the sport.

After various experiment rounds at various Minor League levels, MLB has decided to continue with further tests with the ABS challenge system (Automated Ball Strike). Based on feedback from fans and clubs that have experienced ABS in the minors, it was established that there is less interest in having all balls and strikes automatically and a preference to use the technology as a vehicle to correct a select number – Or to confirm – or to confirm calls in the course of a game, according to the players on the field.

At the end of Tuesday’s media day in Phoenix, Morgan Sword, the executive vice-president of baseball activities for MLB, gave a presentation about how the ABS challenge system is currently functioning and the plans of the competition to test it during the spring training competitions of the Competition this year.

According to this system, teams get two challenges per game, although they retain them if their challenges are successful. Only the batter, pitcher and catcher are allowed to challenge ball/battle calls, and they must do this immediately after a pitch has been received. Challenges of the dugout or elsewhere are forbidden, and if a player takes too long to indicate a challenge, the referee can refuse the request.

When a player signals for a challenge, the referee is initially initiated and the result of the pitch on the electronic stroke zone is displayed on the video cooker in the stadium and on the broadcast, if applicable. Hawkeye -Tracking technology makes it possible to check balls and strike calls exceptionally quickly. Challenges in Triple-A last year took an average of 17 seconds, from the moment of the field to the call that was confirmed or destroyed, and MLB believes that time can be further shortened as the technology improves. The exact dimensions of the percussion zone are determined by the size of the batter and adapted from AT-Bat to Eacht turn; The top of the zone is set at 53.5% of the height of the batter and the bottom at 27%. MLB is currently obtaining official measurements for all position players in Big League Camp, something that this system can be used reasonably and accurately.

Regarding where we will see ABS in action this spring, it is a bit distributed because not every spring training Ballpark is equipped with the right tracking technology. Nevertheless, each team will experience the system to a certain extent in the course of spring.

These are the ballparks that Games will organize with the challenge system this spring:

Cactus League:

• Surprise Stadium (Rangers/Royals)

• Peoria Sports Complex (Mariners/Padres)

• Camelback Ranch (Dodgers/White Sox)

• Goodyear Ballpark (Reds/Guardians)

• Salt River Fields (D-Backs/Rockies)

Grapefruit League:

• Baycare Ballpark (Phillies)

• George M. Steinbrenner Field (Yankees)

• Clover Park (Mets)

• Hammond Stadium (twins)

• Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium (Marlins/Cardinals)

• TD Ballpark (Blue Jays)

• Lecom Park (Pirates)

• Publix Field (Tigers)

The result is that some teams play more than 25 games with ABS (the diamondbacks will play the most, at 29), and a handful of playing less than 15 (the Cubs will only play seven). In general, more than 60% of the 2025 spring training games will have the ABS challenge system.

So if everything swims this spring, and everyone loves what the challenge system brings for the game, can we see it this coming regular season? No, not in 2025, Sword said. The 2026 season is the earliest that we can see the ABS challenge system implemented at the level of the Major League, but even that is far from a guarantee at this stage.

However, the challenge system will be entirely at the Triple-A level in 2025, that the competition should give more insight into the advantages and disadvantages of trusting this technology and how this will affect the product on the field. At the very least, spring training will serve this year as a valuable test run for a range of fans and players to get an idea of ​​what a different monumental change could be for the sport – and perhaps another successful.