NORFOLK, Va. — Tides manager Buck Britton hasn't been ejected often, but it's happened. After all, disagreements, sometimes over balls and strikes, have always been part of baseball.
"Mainly it's just 'hey, get a better look at that' or 'hey, let's go both ways,'" Britton said. "You start arguing balls and strikes, you're in trouble."
"You always ask the questions to the umpire if you don't necessarily agree with something at the time," added Norfolk infielder Connor Norby. "See what he sees, try to get a feel for what he's calling that day and it can change."
However, it can't change anymore at Harbor Park for Tides games. Automatic balls and strikes have arrived.
"They don't have to make the call," team director of communications John Stanley pointed out. "They're just listening to the machine and that's going to enforce a very accurate strike zone."
"It's a true strike zone, which is nice," added Norby.
The ABS system makes its debut in Norfolk for this week's series against Durham and will be used for the remainder of the season. The first three games of each series will use a straight automatic balls and strikes method, with the call being relayed to the umpire via an earpiece. The back half of the six-game sets will see the umpire make the calls, with each team able to challenge. Teams may continue challenging until losing three of them.
The challenge system will happen within seconds, similar to when tennis players ask to review if a ball is in or out of bounds. The pitch location will be shown on the video board. Both ABS methods use a set of cameras set up throughout the park and Norfolk saw it for the first time last week during its series in Charlotte.
"A lot of our challenges were pitches at the top that, from the dugout, look like they were quality pitches," Britton noted. "When they run the ABS, they're well out of the zone up."
"We had a couple calls that we challenged defensive-wise that we thought were there and they were two and three balls up," added Norby.
The strike zone may be accurate, but takes some adjusting for both hitters and pitchers, especially with the high strike seeming a little bit lower than normal.
"As long as it scrapes the edge of the zone, it's a strike, even though it's mostly outside or whatever the case is," Tides pitcher Noah Denoyer said. "Either way, I think it's pretty even."
"For pitchers, it's going to take some getting used to," Britton pointed out. "For a long time, it's been if it's presented well by the catcher, you get the call."
As for the guys who usually are charged with calling the balls and strikes, they may find their nights at the ballpark are a little easier.
"There's going to be a lot less yelling at the umpires," the skipper smiled. "I know they appreciate it, right?"
"Umpires always get heckled all the time for balls and strikes, Denoyer laughed. "Just to take it out for their own sake, their well-being."
Will the system make its way to the Major Leagues? Time will tell, but the early returns from players and coaches seem to be mostly positive.
"I don't mind this at all," Norby said. "As a hitter, you're trying to take advantage of so many little things and pitchers are so good nowadays."
"It's exciting for fans when they put it up on the board," Britton said. "It's like tennis. The ball's coming in. Is it a ball? Is it a strike? Then it lets you know. I know that we had a good time with it in Charlotte for the first time."
The Tides saw positive results in their first home game with automatic balls and strikes on Tuesday, topping Durham in the series opener, 12-8. It marks Norfolk's 20th win of the season. The two teams meet again on Wednesday at 6:35 PM.
