HPU umpiring

[Shorething (Bruce Fraser)]

speaker, robot umpire and one of those automatic vacuum cleaners (for dusting the plate)

[NeilT (Neil Thomas)]

@Shorething

speaker, robot umpire and one of those automatic vacuum cleaners (for dusting the plate)

A tiny home plate Roombah!

[Waldo]

@HudsonHawk

As long as the speaker was close/loud enough for the catcher and hitter to hear, it would be no different than a human yelling it. It would have to be either very loud or extremely close to the plate.

I was thinking that if it’s something the catcher and/or umpire wear, it should be small/light enough that it’s not very noticeable and won’t impede the catcher’s movement. Small speakers like that have limited volume and can be prone to distortion when turned up high. I’m just thinking back to when a postseason MMP crowd prevented an opposing runner from hearing his third base coach.

Giving the catcher and umpire an IEM just removes a lot of environmental variables, and if it’s a properly fitted IEM then they’ll put it in and within 30 seconds they’ll forget they’re wearing it. (Side note: this also opens up the possibility of the dugout and/or pitcher communicating signs to the catcher. If MLB really cares about sign stealing…)

Doesn’t really matter though. None of this will ever happen.

[Texifornia]

@AAndy

@AstrosFanInBigD

a mechanized statue of Zeus

This is now my formal position on the topic.

With an eagle in one hand calling balls and a lightning bolt in the other calling strikes…who, in their right mind would object? Athena could pop out of Zeus’ head for a rule book consultation.