Umpires discuss a video replay during a game between the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on April 2, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) On-field umps this year will have 12.9-inch iPad Pro tablets brought out to them by a technician.
They will be connected to the Zoom contact center and the replay operations center so they can see what replay is being viewed. The replay umpire still gets the final call."You’ll be able to see who’s in the chair, who might be with that person, what plays they’re looking at, and be able to pair a visual interaction with the traditional audio interaction that they have discussing the call in the field," MLB Chief Operations and Strategy Officer Chris Marinak said.A limited number of broadcasts will have access to the Zoom videos being seen by the umps: Apple TV+ and MLB Network Showcase telecasts.
Marinak said the new technology could become available for postseason telecasts, and ballpark videoboards will have access to the Zoom views on the telecasts — which will have the company's branding.RELATED: Heartbroken over NCAA March Madness loss? Win a DiGiorno ‘Cry Pie’ to ease your painZoom also will be used by MLB during the first day of the amateur draft in Seattle on July 9. It’s too early to determine whether Zoom can be incorporated into robot plate umpires, the automated ball-strike system being tested throughout Triple-A this season."That whole ecosystem is open for innovation and experimentation," Marinak said.
"We’re absolutely going to try things out and see what sticks. For ABS, I think it’s too early to say that we’re settled on one particular process and technology in the long-run.
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