PHOENIX (AP) \u2014 San Francisco Giants rookie Bryce Eldridge was logged at 6-foot-7 \u201cand some change,\u201d he said. That was the measurement for the slugger for the major leagues\u2019 Automated Ball-Strike System.<\/p>\n
That is one expansive strike zone \u2014 but a more defined one, at least.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they told me I\u2019m the tallest guy they\u2019ve measured, position player-wise,\u201d Eldridge said during spring training. \u201cSo I got that going for me, at least. So I\u2019ve got the biggest zone, the biggest ABS.\u201d<\/p>\n
After years of testing in the minors, the robot-umpire system<\/a> for reviewing ball\/strike calls is going to be used in regular-season games in the majors this year. The abbreviation for the setup is ABS, but the most important letters when it comes to the change just might be S-I-Z-E \u2014 relating to the strike zone for some of the game\u2019s tallest players.<\/p>\n \u201cI got a lot of respect for the umpires and what they do behind the plate,\u201d New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. \u201cSo I can usually pride myself in not showing them up or putting on a show or doing anything like that because they got a tough job back there. So we\u2019ll see. I\u2019ll find the right time to use it. If they\u2019re pretty outrageous calls, I think I\u2019ll use it.\u201d<\/p>\n The 6-foot-7 Judge, who won his third AL MVP award<\/a> last year, sounded more excited about the possibilities for 6-5 teammate Giancarlo Stanton.<\/p>\n \u201cHis whole career has been kind of getting screwed over. And also now, this kind of changes everything,\u201d Judge said. \u201cHe\u2019s so routine oriented to where you get a bad call, you get a good call, whatever, it\u2019s kind of about flushing to get to the next pitch. Well, now you got 2 seconds to try to make up your mind.\u201d<\/p>\n Strike zones vary depending on a player\u2019s height \u2014 starting at 53.5% of a batter\u2019s height for the top and 27% of a batter\u2019s height for the bottom. The top and the bottom of the zone for baseball\u2019s biggest giants \u2014 a list that also includes 6-7 center fielder Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates and 6-6 left fielder James Wood of the Washington Nationals \u2014 have long been two difficult areas for umpires.<\/p>\n But the ABS system provides an opportunity for a closer look.<\/p>\n Each team has the ability to challenge two calls per game. A team retains its challenge if successful, similar to the regulations for video reviews. A team out of challenges for a game tied after nine innings would get one additional challenge in each extra inning.<\/p>\n Only a batter, pitcher or catcher may challenge a call, signaling with the tap of a helmet or cap, and assistance from the dugout is not allowed.<\/p>\n \u201cSpecifically with Aaron Judge, I think like his zone I think is higher than most, right? Because he\u2019s taller,\u201d Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly said. \u201cSo you might catch one at the knees that feels like a normal strike, but it\u2019s low on him. So I think it\u2019s another aspect of catchers is we\u2019re going to have to understand who\u2019s at the plate, what the zone is like. I mean, if it\u2019s a smaller zone, that ball that might feel like it\u2019s a strike at the top, it\u2019s probably a ball.\u201d<\/p>\n The 21-year-old Eldridge, who got to use ABS in the minors, said he thinks it\u2019s great for the game.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a situation last year where we were in the ninth and we were down by two, I want to say, and I struck out looking,\u201d Eldridge said<\/a>. \u201cI challenged it. It was a ball, and I hit a home run like the next pitch or something to tie it. The game can change just like that with this, so it\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and Janie McCauley contributed.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n