I understand that Venable wants to be a players’ manager and have them know that he has faith in them and that they’re allowed to make mistakes, but (and this is a big but), he has to put in some rules about who can use the ABS challenge and absolutely when they can use it. The two challenges the Sox batters wasted yesterday were just so stupid with the Sox trying to hold a lead going into the last innings, just completely stupid to waste them at that time.

1. One rule I would do is pitchers and batters can never try an ABS challenge, never unless late in a game and the game is tied or Sox are behind.

   Only catchers can use an ABS challenge early in the game.

2. If Rule 2 is too restrictive, then incorporate yesterday’s situation somehow. A batter can’t use a challenge in the mid-innings if the Sox have a lead of 3 or less that they’re trying to protect late. (This one needs fixing.) but something like this.

Also, they go quickly. I think teams should have 4 challenges instead of 2. Why should teams have to horde them?

33 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

I understand that Venable wants to be a players’ manager and have them know that he has faith in them and that they’re allowed to make mistakes, but (and this is a big but), he has to put in some rules about who can use the ABS challenge and absolutely when they can use it. The two challenges the Sox batters wasted yesterday were just so stupid with the Sox trying to hold a lead going into the last innings, just completely stupid to waste them at that time.

1. One rule I would do is pitchers and batters can never try an ABS challenge, never unless late in a game and the game is tied or Sox are behind.

   Only catchers can use an ABS challenge early in the game.

2. If Rule 2 is too restrictive, then incorporate yesterday’s situation somehow. A batter can’t use a challenge in the mid-innings if the Sox have a lead of 3 or less that they’re trying to protect late. (This one needs fixing.) but something like this.

Also, they go quickly. I think teams should have 4 challenges instead of 2. Why should teams have to horde them?

Our catchers are the worst offenders.

50 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

I understand that Venable wants to be a players’ manager and have them know that he has faith in them and that they’re allowed to make mistakes, but (and this is a big but), he has to put in some rules about who can use the ABS challenge and absolutely when they can use it. The two challenges the Sox batters wasted yesterday were just so stupid with the Sox trying to hold a lead going into the last innings, just completely stupid to waste them at that time.

1. One rule I would do is pitchers and batters can never try an ABS challenge, never unless late in a game and the game is tied or Sox are behind.

   Only catchers can use an ABS challenge early in the game.

2. If Rule 2 is too restrictive, then incorporate yesterday’s situation somehow. A batter can’t use a challenge in the mid-innings if the Sox have a lead of 3 or less that they’re trying to protect late. (This one needs fixing.) but something like this.

Also, they go quickly. I think teams should have 4 challenges instead of 2. Why should teams have to horde them?

I agree that the Sox have been terrible at wasting their ABS challenges. I'd agree with going up to 4 challenges. I'm guessing they only have 2 right now because this is the first year the system is being used and this is somewhat of a test run to see how well it works. I wouldn't be surprised to see it expanded in the future.

I would actually be interested in seeing how failing challenges have affected the outcomes of games. Say whatever you want about the use of challenges, but I don't recall off the top of my head where not having one severely altered the outcome of any game. I think at times, the use of the ABS has become an overblown talking point.

They had two bad challenges yesterday by Romo and Peters, yet it had no outcome or bearing on the game.

Edited 17 hours ago17 hr by CBJ03

12 minutes ago, CBJ03 said:

I would actually be interested in seeing how failing challenges have affected the outcomes of games. Say whatever you want about the use of challenges, but I don't recall off the top of my head where not having one severely altered the outcome of any game. I think at times, the use of the ABS has become an overblown talking point.

They had two bad challenges yesterday by Romo and Peters, yet it had no outcome or bearing on the game.

It’s tough to refute the way you phrased your point, but I think there are several times this year where having an ABS challenge available has altered a gsme.

I can’t think of a specific example/ game, but it seems to me that, at least, at least, twice this year (one relatively recently) the Sox have won an ABS challenge for the 3rd strike and 3rd out in the 9th inning for a Sox win.

I think having them in the 8th and 9th inning are really important.

Just put some easy rules in for the batters. Catchers should use their discretion but for batters you can only challenge with runners on in a potential K situation before the 5th inning. After the 5th you can challenge whenever.

Like we can't have Mune challenging relatively meaningless counts in the first inning, same with the rest of the guys, but he's really prone to it.

I just think we see that some people are way better at judging the zone than others. It’s tough to put a limit on all of it because sometimes something becomes important and we don’t understand at the time that it is important. Aren’t the twins just challenging way more than everyone else and they are also very successful at it? I think that was the case earlier this season not sure if it has changed, but you get the point, it’s hard to say which way is better(challenge everything or be judicious with challenges)

2 hours ago, vilehoopster said:

I understand that Venable wants to be a players’ manager and have them know that he has faith in them and that they’re allowed to make mistakes, but (and this is a big but), he has to put in some rules about who can use the ABS challenge and absolutely when they can use it. The two challenges the Sox batters wasted yesterday were just so stupid with the Sox trying to hold a lead going into the last innings, just completely stupid to waste them at that time.

1. One rule I would do is pitchers and batters can never try an ABS challenge, never unless late in a game and the game is tied or Sox are behind.

   Only catchers can use an ABS challenge early in the game.

2. If Rule 2 is too restrictive, then incorporate yesterday’s situation somehow. A batter can’t use a challenge in the mid-innings if the Sox have a lead of 3 or less that they’re trying to protect late. (This one needs fixing.) but something like this.

Also, they go quickly. I think teams should have 4 challenges instead of 2. Why should teams have to horde them?

I wouldn't be surprised if teams like the Rays and Guardians have some sort of guideline for their ABS challenges, Sox seem to be doing it by the seat of their pants, just winging it by feel

I hope MLB goes to full-time ABS; the home plate ump gets an instant ball or strike notice and makes the call.

Being English I am also a big fan of cricket which also has challenges like abs, and some players are just bad at making the challenges, one captain got 10 in a row wrong.

5 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

I just think we see that some people are way better at judging the zone than others. It’s tough to put a limit on all of it because sometimes something becomes important and we don’t understand at the time that it is important. Aren’t the twins just challenging way more than everyone else and they are also very successful at it? I think that was the case earlier this season not sure if it has changed, but you get the point, it’s hard to say which way is better(challenge everything or be judicious with challenges)

So, if 2 goes to 4 why to 6 or 8? Why not every pitch then? Gotta get them right, no? Just go to all robotic system? Also, who is to say the image we see on the screen is right? Who confirms the image isn't off a millimeter or two. This system will just have to evolve and correct as time goes by. We are just observers. Personally, I think its ok the way it is.