MLB fans react to news that all AAA stadiums will shift to robot umpires in 2023: "Buh bye Angel Hernandez" "They don't need robotic umpires"

MLB introduced electronic strike zones to be used in all 30 Major League Baseball parks beginning in 2023, in the latest use of technology to make the sport more sound. Half of the AAA games will be played with totally automated strikezone calls, whereas the other half will be played with a challenge system.

Fans expressed various emotions at this announcement, as umpire calls have been a major talking point in important games involving their fans. With the use of technology, that might seem to be fixed.

The Automatic Balls and Strike system, referred to as the ABS system, will be fully automated in half matches with no umpires at all. In another set of matches, the ABS will have a challenge system quite similar to tennis, where umpires will make strike calls, but players and coaches from both teams will have the right to challenge the decision.

Each team is expected to receive three challenges per game and will retain its challenge if successful. Depending on the feedback from both sets of games, the MLB will be motivated to take future calls. The administration doesn't have any plans to introduce it in the big leagues, but might be interested to see if everything works out well.

Fans went on to Twitter to voice their opinion on MLB's decision. One fan directly waved goodbye via a GIF to umpire Angel Hernandez, who has been accused of making controversial calls in the past.

Another fan suggested that the utter shock the umpires will have when their decision gets overturned will be worth watching.

However, some fans questioned the technicalities of the system:

But fans also argued that this move isn't exactly the right decision for the MLB as it will take away the human element from the game.

Although most of the retweets to Buster Olney, analysts at ESPN, were mostly trolls and funny GIFs.

Feedback for MLB's ABS system from minor leagues have been positive

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend in the number of minor leagues that have used the Automatic Balls and Strikes system. The ABS system was used by the independent Atlantic League in 2019, and the Class A Southeast League recently used it in 2021.

The results from the Class A Southeast League were mostly positive, as officials noted that this gave a more strategic balance to the game where players have to be more diligent in using up their challenges. Moreover, certain club officials noted that defensive play needs to be more responsible, as the ABS system will scrutinize everything that a base umpire might have evaded in the past.