The KBO League went through numerous changes from 1982 to last year, the first year of its existence. Nor was there any factor that affected its performance. In line with the flow of strong pitching and pitching, the team made various efforts, including expanding the strike zone and introducing video reading to minimize situations in which players suffer losses due to wrong decisions.
Players are facing another change ahead of the 2024 season. They are introducing the ABS (Automatic Ball-Strike System), which is called the “robot referee,” and the pitch clock system. The KBO held its fourth board meeting on Nov. 18 last year and decided to introduce ABS and pitch clock as the 2024 season. The final conclusion will be made at the next KBO board meeting scheduled for Nov. 11, and players are busy adapting themselves to the situation from the inactive period as it is a factor that can directly affect their performance.헤라카지노주소
ABS and pitch clock are different from past expansion of S-zone. KBO has declared expansion of S-zone ahead of the 2010 season, 2017 season and 2022 season, but referees have been discouraged due to frequent judgment disputes based on consistency. The intention of introducing ABS is to maintain consistency and block judgment disputes. In particular, many say that ABS can be effective in terms of fairness, which players are most sensitive to. NC Dinos catcher Kim Hyung-joon said, “(ABS) should be fair to everyone, so as long as it adjusts, it will be okay.”
So far, pitchers have assessed the propensity of umpires and targeted the S-zone accordingly. However, once the ABS is introduced, pitchers have to adapt to the S-zone, which is different from before. Watchers say pitchers with more outcount by targeting a certain course perfectly could be at a disadvantage. “Pitchers are going to have a hard time. I feel like pitchers are getting at a disadvantage more and more,” said closer Lee Yong-chan (35) of NC, who posted 187 saves in 500 games overall.
Peach clock is a system that limits preparation time for pitching and batting. Major League Baseball (MLB) has been in effect since the 2023 season. Pitchers had to pitch within 20 seconds for runners and 15 seconds for runners without runners, and batters had to bat within 8 seconds. In case of violation, a pitcher has a ball and a batter has an S.
There are concerns that players with clear routines can have a hard time. “Players with long preparation routines feel anxious when they reduce their movements,” said Son Ah-seop (NC), who won the batting champion last year. “There will be pressure for pitchers to throw faster than the existing tempo and within the time limit. I think it will be difficult for batters if they have many routines,” Kim Hyung-joon said.
However, once the new system is introduced, it is up to the players to accept and adapt. Players who have survived for a long time have good reasons. “All 10 players play baseball under the same conditions. Eventually, teams that adapt quickly and prepare will be less affected,” Son said.