Baseball is clumsily seeking to add to its rulebook.
Is the world ready for robot umpires?
Holly and James look at two different umpiring crises, one averted; while Meg learns that Randy Johnson’s home theater has a name.
One rule, but so many questions.
Imagining what becomes of a home plate umpire in an automated strike zone world.
We know umpires don’t call the same strike zone for every count. What we didn’t know before now is that the inconsistency produces more correct calls.
Five years ago, economists found evidence of umpire discrimination based on race. Two new academic papers investigate further.
A look at challenge rates, success rates, and delays so far.
Is the solution to baseball’s pace problem a rule that’s already on the books?
Ben and Sam banter about the Dodgers and run differential and then discuss a surprising trend in managerial ejections thus far.
Despite replay, ejections aren’t down (or aren’t down by much) this year.
Searching for evidence of the existence of the make-up call.
What were all of those manager-ump arguments ABOUT? (Warning: strong language.)
What do expanded replay’s early returns tell us about how well the expanded replay system will work this season?
Ben and Sam talk to Dan Brooks about why the expanded replay review system should motivate managers to challenge early and often.