Atlantic League returns to human referees in home draw, moves ball again for 2022
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The Atlantic League will return to having human umpires in-house and bring its hill back to 60 feet, six inches for the 2022 season. The league has introduced Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) since 2019, while the second half of last season, it was played 61 feet six inches at home plate. Through experiences made with MLB.
The Atlantic League described the ABS proving ground as “successful” in a press release Thursday, noting that MLB will continue to test the automated officiating system in a minor league next season. In 2021, MLB pioneered ABS in the Low-A League using Hawk-Eye machine vision cameras, while the Atlantic League’s ABS system for the past three seasons has used TrackMan radars.
MLB has expanded its 2020 partnership with the Atlantic League to continue using the league to test rule changes through 2023. The Atlantic League will retain other MLB testing rules, such as the 17-inch rules, extra tiebreakers, and anti-transition rules. Other MLB collaborations will be announced this spring.
“The rules and equipment for tryouts are transitional by definition: some items remain, some are modified and some remain,” Atlantic League President Rick White said in a statement. “We’re proud that many of today’s tests make it to the big tournaments of the future. We’ll continue to emphasize testing with MLB.”
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