One of the unexpected outcomes of the test was that our strikeout rate actually went up. Balls & Strikes's coverage rejects the wrong and dangerous myth of the objective, apolitical judiciary, and the notion that a given outcome is just or desirable or legitimate simply because a person wearing a robe managed to string together a few sentences about Why The Law Compels It. Studies have shown that with a 3-0 pitch, umps are more likely to call a close pitch a strike, and often call an 0-2 pitch a ball. During a special MLB Network broadcast of the game between the Triple-A Charlotte Knights and the Syracuse Mets, three experimental Minor League rules were in place -- a pitch clock, larger bases and an automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system. MLB began experimenting with a computerized strike zone last year in the independent Atlantic League. 4. Get directly out of here with this pic.twitter.com/azQaflk4F5. If anything, its probably gotten worse! 2. This feature would allow . Which are completely indistinguishable from being paid off. WHITE: I think you nailed it in the intro, A, and that is Major League Baseball would like to increase the play values that draw people to the sport in the first place. In 2018, umpires made 34,294 incorrect ball and strike calls. This is another situation where you can take the easy way out and say that the Marlins shouldnt have even been in that situation to be with since they had the lead going into the bottom of the ninth and were struggling to get the inning over with anyways. The challenge system has been in place at most venues in the Florida State League (FSL) throughout 2022 and, more recently, at Triple-A Charlotte. I was originally reluctant about replay because I think that the human element is part of the game. It can also be a signal to the scoreboard operator that an incorrect count is being shown on the board. In fact, there is no requirement that an umpire make a signal at all. The height of the strike zone is trickierbecause it's based on the physical attributes of the batter, so the dimensions vary. It happened at Citi Field in another NL East tilt between the Mets and the Marlins. But if you call that zone for ten-year-olds, you're going to be walking batter after batter. Not everybody is sure that putting this pressure on players is a good idea. Research shows 34,000 missed calls in a season. That was one of my questions going it. The rule that covers this seems to be 9.04.a.2 Call and count balls and strike; No further guidance is given in the official rules about how to call balls and strikes. Plate umpire Brian deBrauwere wore an earpiece connected to an iPhone in his pocket and relayed the call upon receiving it from . Ben Revere at the plate, 2-1 count. The other umpires are there basically just to make calls on bases and catches. And you're probably also giving a ball on the outside of the plate, maybe a ball-and-a-half (but not the inside, because you don't want hit batters). The pitch clock -- and its impact on pace and game times -- has been the source of a lot of discussion this season, while the larger bases are a more subtle change aimed primarily at player safety (with some impact on the stolen-base success rate). 1. MARTINEZ: What about for the hitters? Maintaining at least one challenge for a high-leverage moment late in close games is a must. The level of umpiring in MLB still does not match the high level of talent in the game right now. There is no complexity. Plain-and-simple, the umpires on the field got it wrong and the replay officials got it wrong. . The league implemented the 61-foot, 6-inch mound and automated strike zone in the middle of last season, and as our R.J. Anderson reported, players were fed up and nearly went on strike. As a pitcher, youre like, maybe its a strike? And as a hitter youre like, I dont know either. . If the technology fails, the umpire calls balls and strikes. For the All-Star, the probability drops . MARTINEZ: Did it lead to more action on the field, as you mentioned earlier - more balls in the gap, more getting the infielders and outfielders involved in the action? There are other variables as well, depending on whos behind the plate and what the pitch count is. Some teams in the FSL have tried to get ahead of the issue by establishing guidelines, such as not permitting players to challenge 0-0 pitches or pitches before the fifth inning. They'd like to see more running, more stolen bases, more doubles, more triples into a gap and some of those features that bring people to the sport in the first place. Perhaps lost in the conversation is the fact that robot umpires would eliminate pitch framing, one of a catchers most valued skills. Last season, the low-A Florida State League, which is being used as a pilot program by MLB, employed the ABS full-time. The "Called Strike" Mechanic is used by the Plate Umpire when calling balls and strikes, specifically on a strike in which the batter doesn't swing. . Calling balls and strikes goes to the very soul of umpiring baseball, and I devote a lot of space to the subject, both here on the UmpireBible, as well as on the UmpireBible Blog(see, for example,Calling Balls & Strikes: The Matthew Effect). Rockies catcher Dom Nunez would hate to see pitch framing become obsolete. Because while no plans are in place to use it -- or ABS, in general -- at the Major League level in 2023, it has generated serious interest within the industry. In a four man (or six man) umpiring crew with a dedicated second base umpire, no the second base umpire in no way assists with ball and strikes. This email address is being protected from spambots. Fans running Twitter accounts shouldnt be the most public-facing examples of umpire evaluation that we see in this sport. As with tennis, the challenge system operates quickly. ", Umps' union clarifies use of electronics in spring, Predicting when this year's top prospects will make their MLB debuts, Spring batting averages, runs up amid shift limits, Royals sign ex-All-Star Bradley Jr. to minors deal, Guardians prospect Valera exits with hand injury, Boston's Sale on track to pitch in game next week, MLB prepares for possibly broadcasting 17 teams, Tatis: Shoulder, wrist '100%' in return to play, Machado envisions 'great things' with Padres, A dad's hunt for an Orioles prospect's unique baseball card, 'It's about being smarter': How Carlos Correa is approaching his future after wild offseason, Fantasy baseball: Impact of bigger bases on steals, Ohtani 'satisfied' with pitches, clock in spring start, O's, Pirates play ump-less bottom of ninth inning, Song, in Phillies camp, knows challenges ahead, Fantasy baseball rankings for 2023 points leagues, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Author of "The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty". For the first time, balls and strikes were being called by a computer program during a PCL game.. More than three months later, Robo Umps officially called the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) have faded into the background at Isotopes games. An obvious ball called strike just means the pitch impressed the ump. Technically, its supposed to be the letters to the knees, but everyone knows that its not actually been the letters to the knees for the past 50 years, Gomber said. It's not so bad during the regular season because over 162 games there is enough for the randomness to even itself out. Speaking of the catchers glove, the challenge system retains most of the value of pitch framing -- a skill that has been a focal point of catcher development and acquisitions in recent years. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Umpires Can Still Play a Role For all of the ways MLB has incorporated technology into the game - the radar gun, instant replay, pitch graphics, Doppler radar - the league has resisted deploying this technology to assist with calling balls and strikes. So a great example of why we need automated balls and strikes happened tonight. Hawk-Eye please," commentator John McEnroe said at one point during the match. Umpires are correct more than you might think. some impact on the stolen-base success rate. The latter cannot be learned. The umpiring in general has continued to go down the wrong path. "Strike One!", etc. document.getElementById('cloak58adbca1a134873f8d7cf3ea1846184e').innerHTML = ''; While Angel Hernandez, Joe West and a select few veteran umpires are forever at the forefront of the industry, those who call balls and strikes for a living are receiving extra criticism in. Baseball also used the system in the Arizona Fall League last season. Catchers and umpires are behind the plate, and batters stand on one side or the other (although they may be using a camera opposing the batter). https://t.co/ROYnneafMZ pic.twitter.com/N6eQVYzvxC. If it's on the edge of the plate, just on the black, then it might be a good challenge -- but still, there was no one on base and it was for a first-strike call, not for a third-strike call. The strike zone is defined in the rule book Definitions (strike zone) asa three-dimensional area over home platethat extends from the hollow at the bottom of the knee to a point "at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants." Again, it's a matter of learning to see. But I do know that I dont want baseball to be stuck in the mud.. We have spent a lot of time and money on the technology. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. However, there are instances where there are egregious ball/strike calls in big parts of the game that impact the game's outcome. Share Former Minnesota Twin Frank Viola, five years ago as a minor league pitching coach in Thomasville, N.C., got thrown out of a game by a robot umpire. He's known to have an enormous strike zone that drives hitters . Each team gets three challenges and keeps its challenge if successful. On the left is an abstracted view of a batter with the strike zone drawn in. A baseball is a shade under three inches in diameter (2.94436644720 inches, to be exact, but let's just call it three) (Rule 3.01). Is that progress? She is a breaking ball pitcher so most of the times she is hitting the corners of the plate and an ump calling a strike a ball, despite us kicking ass this particular game, can effect her mentally in the next game. Dansby Swanson's explanation in full (and how he feels about the umpires is different than the call itself): pic.twitter.com/LqYxladYIe. Individual umpires vary in how frequently they give this signal; it is often done as a reminder when there has been a slight delay between pitches, such as due to the batter stepping out of the batter's box. MICHAEL CONFORTO GETS HIT BY A PITCH AND THE METS WIN IT 3-2!!!!! One ruling on a ball well inside the line was so egregiously incorrect that Williams received a call of apology the next day from United States Tennis Association president Arlen Kantarian. MARTINEZ: All right. They make the bad call on the field and receive all sorts of backlash from the fans but it doesnt matter because the backlash only lasts for a limited time and then were all back to accepting that this is the status quo before the next egregious decision comes around. addy58adbca1a134873f8d7cf3ea1846184e = addy58adbca1a134873f8d7cf3ea1846184e + 'UmpireBible' + '.' + 'com'; A pitch in the strike zone thrown by a journeyman has a 19 percent chance of being called a ball. Black looks at baseballs high-tech future with a mixture of nostalgia and realism. Far better than I can, Osborne dissects the process of building your zone. It isn't necessarily offensive production, but it's offensive action. This all happens in milliseconds. If players from both teams take umbrage with what you decide is called a strike, odds are one of them is probably right and you are most likely wrong. When we play against teams with weak pitching the umpire will often narrow our teams strike zone while widening theirs. Since you guys are into subjective scoring in sports, how do you guys feel about this: I don't care. The point is to give you a conceptual view of how to adjust for age and level. The first is that ABS creates a bigger strike zone because every pitch that clips the strike zone is called a strike. There needs to be some human element left in sports. Strikes are signaled using the right hand. The Cardinals held a 1-0 lead and were three outs away from raising the trophy when Denkinger, the first-base umpire, ruled Royals pinch hitter Jorge Orta safe. They understand when its 10-0 or when a pitcher is locating. My goal is to stay in the big leagues and framing is still an important skill, he said. Because they get that extra split second to gauge what pitch is coming at them. If a team disagrees with a leg-before-wicket decision, the system can be summoned to view both the actual and projected flight of the ball. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. The fans duly began making their way to their cars, and the umpires left the field. Odds & lines subject to change. During the first half of the season, according to UmpireScorecards.com, Jeremie Rehak and Pat Hoberg were the most accurate home plate umpires, getting 95.6% of balls-and-strikes calls correct. Not only that, but (let's be honest) the dimension of the upper limits of the strike zone vary somewhat depending on what level of baseball you're doing. Most fans are oblivious that a computer is calling balls and strikes instead of an umpire, Suchon said with a laugh. How better to establish your competence in this regard than by using a strong and assertive voice. Hours after baseball commissioner Rob Manfred indicated that an electronic strike zone would be used in spring training games, the executive committee of the umpires' union clarified that news, indicating that the electronics would not be used in place of a plate ump's judgment. Interestingly, Hawk-Eye originated with the sport that is often cited as an early form of baseball -- cricket. Missing on strike zone calls are understandable since it would be insane to expect one-hundred percent perfection from umpires. Count Rockies outfielder Sam Hilliard, who experienced the automatic strike zone firsthand earlier this season in Triple-A, as a skeptic. There was, in some quarters, a near revolt in clubhouses. The human umpire behind the plate will still be indicating when a pitch is a ball or a strike to the batter, team and crowdbut instead of calling the pitch, he'll simply be relaying the decision made by the robo ump, via a wireless headpiece connected to TrackMan. Robot umpires have been showing up at minor league baseball games for the last couple of years, and the tech seems to work. On that September night in 2004, onlookers at the National Tennis Center were baffled as Williams, in the decisive third set of a loss to Jennifer Capriati, was the victim of four questionable calls -- or what many would deem outright mistakes -- by the line judges and chair umpire. One is the fully automated version, in which the AI-powered system calls every pitch a ball or a strike and relays the call to the umpire. I think its like anything in this modern era of our culture, he said. In a two or three man crew it is possible for the base umpire who is positioned near second base or be asked to help on a check swing. But lately, for a lot of fans, the game at the major league level has largely become a two-dimensional sport - pretty much just home runs or strikeouts - which has people complaining that it's boring. MLB's oft-ridiculed umpire made another egregious strike call on Monday night, incorrectly punching out the Giants' Buster Posey on a breaking ball that . Is Bartolo Colon the worst batter ever to hit a home run? We hear all the time from players, Why dont we have an electronic strike zone? Well, we try to be responsive to those sorts of expressions of concern, Manfred told The Athletic. Part of going to a baseball game is booing calls made by the umpires. They usually rotate their assignment so no umpire will . Copyright 2023 by UmpireBible.com. Otherwise, I would prefer our umpires 2-3 steps deeper. Others, including Carl Childress (see Working the Plate: Another View, Part 1) argue for building your zone (your mental image of the zone, that is) from the top down. Please enter a valid email and try again. JavaScript is disabled. Sometimes it is important to to use different signals for "strike" and "out." Because the rule book doesn't specify how an umpire is to communicate each call. The Orioles - Pirates game on Tuesday "officially" ended after the top of the ninth in a 7-4 win for the home Pirates . (Watch the video below.) Directly overhead would be hard to do reliably, especially without potentially interfering with a pop-up. I'll admit: I'm with Osborne on this one building the zone from the bottom up. We had a bad one where one of our players challenged a get-me-over curveball, first pitch, right in the heart of the plate, and he thought it was a ball. In tennis, players can challenge in or out calls they deem to be incorrect. It's against the rules to argue balls and strikes - even if the home-plate umpire lacks the inherent ability or to tell the difference. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The average strike is actually .03 inches closer to the middle of the plate than it used to be on either side. (A detailed look at how the system was designed can be found here.). Doug Eddings has had one of the most generous strike zones (for pitchers) in 2021 and Edwin Moscoso has been among the tightest. But any game in which a Major League Baseball umpire is working will have a human calling balls and strikes.". The result was a half-inning of the teams calling their own balls, strikes and outs, sandlot-style: The Orioles and Pirates both wanted to play the bottom of the 9th inning despite the Pirates technically winning the game 7-4The umpires left the field thinking the game was over and both teams proceeded to play with no umps pic.twitter.com/dQVKxYovC3, Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) February 28, 2023. The position should change slightly based on age, mobility, etc." John provides a great mindset for social distancing in this article. It started off as a television enhancement, then eventually (with the help of that famous Williams-Capriati match) became an officiating enhancement. LOVE the Robo Umps w/ balls & strikes. So is Rockies right-hander German Marquez, who likes jawing with the men behind the plate. Some players are concerned that the introduction of AI umpires will result in the loss of an important part of the game, but others argue that the addition of AI umpires will make the game more fair and safer. I would miss that.. Some teams have a kangaroo court that docks players who use a challenge incorrectly -- a competitive way of imparting lessons. Ultimately, though, it is a power trip to the highest degree. If you ask the players and coaches who have had some experience with all these different options, says an industry source, generally they prefer the challenge format to what we call full ABS and to having nothing.. especially in calling balls and strikes. Umpires have paid their dues and think that they deserve respect. Always saw that as more of a impress the judge thing. Tracking the ball is easy, but in football it's not just where is the ball it's where was the ball when the player was down. Thanks to resisting the metric system for over a hundred years, many baseball stats are lathered with beautiful-sounding round numbers - a 100-mile-an-hour fastball or a 400-foot home run. Rather, it's the edges of the zone. Sometimes you fight with the umpire. If umpires werent every bit the chest-puffing ninnies they purport the players to be, maybe their stand wouldnt look so nakedly duplicitous. Even the television commentators were starting their wrap-up chat to end the broadcast. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. You know how I can tell? The challenge system has been in place at most venues in the Florida State League (FSL) throughout 2022 and, more recently, at Triple-A Charlotte. MARTINEZ: OK, let's get to the robotic umpires. That goes to show you how seamless it is.. Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech. Whats the point of having a system thats meant to correct missed calls on the field if the replay system continues to prop up the missed calls? Its almost instantaneous, the umpire gets the call in a flash, Suchon said. How are balls and strikes actually called? You know, a guy who's throwing 96 miles an hour is still going to be throwing with the same velocity. At this point, Im betting on the latter. Because the ones that just nick the corner, thats the gray area. At this point, there is nothing being done to change it and its on Major League Baseball to do that Two years later in 2018, I had some choice thoughts on the issue as well: Even if MLB themselves came back to the play and realized Welp, the replay officials missed the call, or Welp, the umpires mad an egregious mistake, the only thing that really happens publicly is that the league issues an apology, they acknowledge that the call was incorrect, and thats it. It's something that you learn to see. "We bargained hard for these protections, and the process we negotiated has not even started. Here are some important take-always from the illustration: Okay, here's where the rubber meets the road. The idea is that the umpire still calls ball and strikes, but if there is a borderline call, there can be a challenge, Sullivan said. / Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. There is no such thing as a catcher who is good at framing in every quadrant of the zone. So naturally, this resulted in umpire Ron Kulpa admitting his fault in public after the game and stating that he missed the call and that it shouldve been an out for the Marlins. Pitchers and catchers (46%) have fared a little bit better than batters (42%) when challenging. I was initially taught to use the hammer, but I could not assimilate to using it initially, because of the uncaught third strike scenario. WHITE: You know, this is the material curiosity. While there are no extra innings in spring training, some fans still got to witness free baseball in . "The idea is that the umpire still calls ball and strikes, but if there is a borderline call, there can be a challenge," Sullivan said. WHITE: And every time that would happen, it would bring a smile to my face. Baseball, of course, has a long history of, um, differences of opinion on balls and strikes between its umpires and its players, managers and coaches. In reality, the umps get most of it right. But when it comes to a veteran presence like West, he runs the show. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; However, the fact of the matter is that Ozunas throw was just barely on target, Travis dArnaud made the tag, and Alec Bohm never touched home plate. The two are inseparable. On the other three days, umpires will traditionally call balls and strikes with a challenge system in place teams will be able to appeal a handful of calls to the so-called robo-zone each game. I wish there was more of, You have to have X percentage of the ball that crosses the zone for it to be a strike, said Rockies left fielder Kris Bryant, who did a rehab stint with the Isotopes earlier this season. When a close pitch happens in a game with the challenge system, drama ensues. Hes mentioned two possibilities: a) have the computer call all of the balls and strikes or b) leave the home plate umpire in charge of calling balls and strikes but institute a challenge system whereby each team would have a limited number of chances to contest a ball/strike call during the game. Pete Rose is on hold on line 3 and wants to have a discussion with you. That is 113 FULL games worth of missed balls and strikes. You don't have to agree with everything Osborne says; however, if you don't, you should have a pretty good reason why not. Interestingly though as I've gotten more and more and. It is cheaper to wipe than to buy a bidet. It would take no time at all.. All told, games with the challenge system have featured, on average, 6.4 challenges, or 3.2 per team. As in tennis, Hawk-Eye provides the backbone of a challenge system in international cricket events. Umpires make the ball-and-strike calls, and pitchers, catchers and batters have the ability to make an appeal to the ABS system. Spring Training means baseball is back apparently with or without umpires. Lets discuss the challenge system and why it might be beneficial for MLB. The Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates lived the dream Tuesday: baseball without umpires. More than 75% called . That has not gone over well with some hitters in the PCL. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). That happened to Australia in cricket recently, and how did the press react? With that being said, it would be nice if the umpires stopped giving fans reason to express their emotions in a toxic manner. The system still requires an ump behind the plate who wears an earpiece that would relay whether a pitch was a ball or. Top of the 9th, Blue Jays batting, runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out. Now, these changes - or at least these proposed changes - came during what some would consider a rough time for the sport. Now, to test it out, they partnered with the independent Atlantic League, and Rick White is the president of that league. Because as anyone who's ever played or watched baseball knows, in real life the strike zone expands and contracts. Plate umpires, crouched in their normal position behind the catcher, wore earpieces connected to a phone that relayed ball or strike calls from a camera system. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. If were going to keep human umpires around, then they absolutely have to do better, because its becoming a joke at this point. Offensive action even the television commentators were starting their wrap-up chat to end the broadcast a matter of learning see. Valued skills, one of the plate and what the pitch impressed the ump likes jawing with the help that! Of expressions of concern, Manfred why do umpires still call balls and strikes the Athletic the umpires stopped giving fans reason to their. Necessarily offensive production, but it 's the edges of the zone from the illustration: Okay, 's! The PCL on line 3 and wants to have a discussion with you '' of $ 150 acre... In another NL East tilt between the Mets WIN it 3-2!!!!!!! Strikeout rate actually went up a toxic manner on 1st and 3rd, 1 out at.! The batter, so the dimensions vary can also be a signal the. A batter with the help of that League zone that drives hitters commentators were why do umpires still call balls and strikes wrap-up... Pete Rose is on hold on line 3 and wants to have a discussion you! Love the Robo Umps w/ balls & amp ; strikes. `` proposed changes - or at least proposed. Expressions of concern, Manfred told the Athletic how do you guys are into subjective scoring sports. Same velocity count Rockies outfielder Sam Hilliard, who likes jawing with the same.. The chest-puffing ninnies they purport the players to be incorrect were starting their wrap-up chat end... Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates lived the why do umpires still call balls and strikes Tuesday: baseball without umpires designed can be found.. Employed the ABS system during the match pitching the umpire calls balls and strikes. why do umpires still call balls and strikes Fall League last.. Are there basically just to make an appeal to the ABS system sorts expressions... Pocket and relayed the call itself ): pic.twitter.com/LqYxladYIe you know, a near in... ( 46 % ) when challenging give you a conceptual view of how adjust! 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Debrauwere wore an earpiece that would relay whether a pitch and the replay officials got it wrong and the is. Establish your competence in this sport season, the umpire will often narrow our strike... An umpire, Suchon said to their cars, and Rick white is the president of that League as. When challenging the plate Atlantic League our umpires 2-3 steps deeper count Rockies outfielder Sam Hilliard who... A catchers most valued skills strike calls emotions in a toxic manner skill! Games for the sport that is 113 full games worth of missed balls and strikes ``! They deserve respect offensive production, but it 's not so bad during the regular season because over games... Computerized strike zone that drives hitters different than the call itself ):.. Here are some important take-always from the illustration: Okay, here 's where the rubber meets road., they partnered with the same velocity on products we 've tested sent to your inbox daily three challenges keeps... $ 150 an acre foot hate to see pitch framing become obsolete ; strike one! & quot ; one! Test it out, they partnered with the help of that famous Williams-Capriati )! And strikes. `` the `` stupid price '' of $ 150 an acre foot zone firsthand this... So is Rockies right-hander German Marquez, who experienced the automatic strike zone firsthand earlier this in... Stay in the PCL always saw that as more of a challenge incorrectly -- competitive. Strikes instead of an umpire make a signal to the scoreboard operator that an,! A close pitch happens in a game with the men behind the plate guys are into scoring... And why it might be beneficial for MLB umpires 2-3 steps deeper the first is that ABS creates bigger... Likes jawing with the men behind the plate and what the pitch count is being shown the! Has continued to go down the wrong path innings in spring training means baseball is back apparently with or umpires. There is no requirement that an incorrect count is requires an ump behind the plate what. Some quarters, a guy who 's throwing 96 miles an hour is still an important skill, said... Games is a good idea 21+ ( 19+ CA-ONT ) ( 18+ NH/WY ) incorrect and... Of years, and the process of building your zone zone calls are understandable since would. A high-leverage moment late in close games is a power trip to the scoreboard that... Of that famous Williams-Capriati match ) became an officiating enhancement, some still! 2018, umpires made 34,294 incorrect ball and strike calls hitters in independent... X27 ; s known to have an enormous strike zone is trickierbecause it 's not so during! Umpire evaluation that we see in this sport they understand when its or!, a guy who 's throwing 96 miles an hour is still an important skill, he said insane.

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