MLB prevents batters from seeing their strike zone on iPads to protect umpires

It’s no secret that Major League Baseball has an umpiring problem.

Thanks to the introduction of the strike zone box on television broadcasts and the rapid proliferation of social media accounts with umpire scorecards, fans, coaches and players have been able to make almost instantaneous judgments about an umpire’s decisions. And while this is immensely valuable to viewers, it has made the lives of umpires significantly more difficult. In the case of now-retired umpire Angel Hernandez, it effectively forced him out of the league.

READ: MLB fans breathe a sigh of relief as most hated umpire Angel Hernandez officially retires

Especially because after a controversial call, players would return to the dugout, check their MLB-provided iPads, and see that the umpire had made the call incorrectly. Of course, they would let the umpires know about it on their next at-bat. Well, they used to let the umpires know about it before the league intervened at the umpires’ request.

According to a new report from The Athletic, the league issued memos announcing it would disable the automatic strike zones displayed on players’ iPads after umpires complained about the treatment they received.

“This was done in direct response to a perceived increase in instances of players and other field personnel using the dugout tablets – particularly the strike zone graphic feed – to argue about balls and strikes and, in some cases, to berate, bully and embarrass major league umpires,” a memo sent to teams said, according to The Athletic.

Have the umpires thought about better naming balls and strikes?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 06: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez officiates a game between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium on August 6, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Astros defeated the Yankees 9-7. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

MLB and referees must give in after player complaints

After MLB and the umpires union sent out their joint memo announcing the removal of the strike zone, the players union countered, arguing that the decision to remove the overlay violated the collective bargaining agreement.

“MLB did not communicate the umpires’ request or its plans to remove the strike zone box from the tablets to the MLBPA. We learned of the box’s removal based on reports from players,” an MLBPA memo said, according to The Athletic. “MLB’s unilateral removal of the strike zone box violated an agreement we negotiated during the 2021-22 CBA negotiations. That agreement requires MLB to ‘continue to provide access to video of every pitch from a center field angle of the broadcast feed’ for the duration of the current CBA (i.e., through the end of the 2026 season).”

Strike zones are now back, but players can be fined small amounts for excessive fighting.

The entire incident shows how broken the umpires in the MLB have become. They are not doing a good job, everyone can see that, including the players, and instead of working to get better, they want the league to protect them from criticism. No wonder there will soon be robot umpire challenges.