NORTH PORT, Fla. — Simply over every week into the automated ball-strike system (ABS) experiment, Aaron Boone shouldn’t be a fan.
The earliest Main League Baseball would use the ABS problem system — giving groups two challenges per recreation to assessment a ball or strike name — within the common season is subsequent yr, however groups are giving it a trial run this spring throughout Grapefruit and Cactus League play.
To this point, Boone might very a lot reside with out it.
“Overall, taking a step back, big picture, I don’t love it,” Boone mentioned Sunday earlier than an 11-1 loss to the Braves at CoolToday Park.
Boone acknowledged he has appreciated the “theater of it,” because the assessment will get performed on the scoreboard to point out whether or not the pitch truly clipped the strike zone or not.
However he believes that the system at the least partly devalues catcher framing — a Yankees energy — and is frightened about it doubtlessly creating division amongst gamers about who ought to get to make use of the challenges.
One potential tweak? Boone mentioned he could be all in favour of groups getting one problem every that they may use from the seventh inning on for large spots in a decent recreation.
However the present setup shouldn’t be Boone’s cup of tea.
“Like [Saturday], when you’re just seeing it sporadically throughout the game, there’s eight, nine, 10 [challenges] — that feels weird to me,” Boone mentioned.
“I know coming from me, it sounds funny, but I really think these guys have gotten so good back there as a whole,” added Boone, who has 39 profession ejections. “I feel like they keep getting better and better that I don’t think I want anything to change.”
Clarke Schmidt mentioned he felt “great” throwing one inning of reside batting observe Saturday in his first motion since being bothered by a “cranky” again final week.
“I felt great out there and had no issues today,’’ Schmidt said Sunday at Steinbrenner Field. “I feel like I’m back on track, which is a relief.”
Schmidt will doubtless throw one other reside batting observe early this week earlier than getting right into a spring coaching recreation.
After Sunday’s recreation, the Yankees reassigned catcher Ronaldo Hernández to minor league camp. … Max Fried will make his spring debut on Monday evening in opposition to the Pirates at Steinbrenner Area.
— Further reporting by Dan Martin in Tampa
