The implementation of the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) challenge system has radically altered the late-inning strategy of Major League Baseball. Seattle Mariners backstop Cal Raleigh learned a tough lesson about the new technology on Thursday, expressing deep frustration with himself for failing to challenge a borderline strike three call that ultimately ended a crucial rally.
The Mental Grind of the Challenge System
With the tying run on base in the ninth inning, Raleigh took a breaking ball that appeared to clip the very bottom of the zone. Believing he had used his team’s final challenge earlier in the game, he walked back to the dugout in defeat—only to learn later that he still had one challenge remaining. “That’s entirely on me,” Raleigh admitted post-game. “You have to know the situation. I let my pitcher and my team down by not tapping my helmet and forcing the review.”
