Three consecutive games of LG-KIA in Jamsil on April 16-18, during which there were controversies over misjudgment of check swing, became an issue for Oh Ji-hwan of LG Electronics on April 16 and Byun Woo-hyuk of KIA on April 17. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who has consistently called for expanded video replay, made remarks again on Monday, the last day of the three consecutive games. “The bat swung both Oh Ji-hwan and Byun Woo-hyuk. Anyone can see that it is a swing,” Yeom said. “The game is often decided by just one check swing.” He added, “Will check swing start from next year. KBO will also consider it.” KIA manager Lee Bum-ho also expressed his support for the video replay of the check swing at the time.먹튀검증
It is not easy to accurately determine whether or not to swing a check at the instant. The difficulty level increased as the batters’ power became stronger and their batting skills improved.
Strong Park Byung-ho, short swing Jung Soo-bin…an increasingly difficult decision
Samsung’s Park Byung-ho is considered the most difficult batter to distinguish between check swings in the KBO league. He sticks out his bat like he’s hitting it, but when he thinks it’s not, he raises his head with his strength. The process is so fast because the power is so good. It is difficult to tell how far the head has come out. Doosan’s Jung Soo-bin is at the opposite extreme. Contrary to Park, the swing is short and fast. It is also difficult to judge. “In case of Jung Soo-bin, it is too difficult to catch him on the spot if he picks up the bat even when it comes out,” a baseball official said.
Video reading should be introduced even more if it is difficult to judge, but it is not as easy as it sounds. Video reading requires clear regulations first, and equipment capable of reading according to regulations must be equipped. Currently, neither exists.
There is also no regulation on check swing. In the official baseball rule, the word “swing” appears 12 times, but in reality, there is no regulation on what a swing is defined as. Nor is there a regulation on check swing. The same applies to U.S. and Japanese professional baseball. U.S. college baseball leagues have a regulation that states that if the center of the bat’s head passes through the batter’s front pelvis, a half swing (check swing) is judged as a strike.
As there are no regulations in place, it is hard to set a standard. They also check whether the swing is in front of the batter’s body, cross the home plate or the extension of the foul line, and see if the batter actually intended to swing. “At the scene, we usually check to see if the head is in front of the batter’s body. It is normal to check if the swing is over 90 degrees. It is not easy to check whether the batter crossed the home plate or the foul line,” Oh Seok-hwan, chairman of the KBO’s referee committee, said in a telephone interview.
In order to accurately determine whether the swing exceeds 90 degrees through video review, the camera must be installed above the home plate. Depending on the angle, a typical broadcaster replay screen taken from the side can cause an optical illusion.
There are no regulations, and it’s difficult to install equipment…It’s not as easy as it sounds
Gocheok Dome with a roof would be okay, but it is difficult to install aerial cameras except for Jamsil due to the structure of the rest of the stadium. Additional facilities are needed. Again, it is not a simple matter. Safety issues and viewing environment should be considered. A KBO official said, “If you want to install a structure, you must first obtain permission from local governments regarding safety regulations. The structure can cause obstruction of vision on both sides of the first and third bases.”
The KBO has started reviewing for now. It is planning to conduct an on-site inspection of Jamsil Stadium. The team plans to install cameras on the first and third bases to see if the results will actually help the video review. When the investigation is completed, the committee will convene to discuss the enactment of regulations. It is not known when specific discussions will begin. There is only a general principle of “starting the discussion as soon as possible.”
There are many things to consider because it is a new regulation that is not in the U.S. or Japanese professional baseball. The key is how the equipment needed for reading can be installed. If the installation of equipment is done at a limited level, the regulations cannot be out of the range. During the All-Star break, all 10 team managers agreed to review the check swing video, but in reality, it seems difficult to apply it right away next season.
There was a similar controversy in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB). Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon and others argued that the video of the check swing should be checked. Some suggested using Hawkeye equipment installed at various stadiums in the MLB to decide whether to check swing or attach sensors to the head of the bat. However, until now, such discussions have not been made in detail as they were just ideas.