On Sep. 23, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that it will be bringing Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) technology to all its ballparks and games beginning with the 2026 season. But what is this technology? Is it new? In this article, we’ll break down MLB’s new ABS system, explaining what it is, how it works and how we got here.

What is ABS?

ABS uses twelve cameras placed around the ballpark to triangulate the position of every pitch as it travels from the pitcher to the catcher. Once the human umpire calls the pitch a “Ball” or a “Strike,” the pitcher, batter or catcher can challenge the call. They must do so by tapping their helmet and must do so immediately (untimely challenges are rejected).

Once that happens, the stadium waits in anticipation as a computer graphic shows where the pitch was located in the strike zone. If the original call was correct, the challenging team loses one of the two challenges they get throughout the course of the game. If the original call was incorrect, the call is reversed and the team retains its challenge (similar to the challenge process in most other sports).

Since teams only get two unsuccessful challenges per game, players are incentivized to use them on obviously incorrect calls where there is a high chance the challenge will be returned. This introduces a new element of strategy to the game: it’s probably not worth it to challenge borderline pitches unless the game situation demands it.

To make ABS possible, MLB had to change the way the strike zone worked. Pre-ABS, the strike zone was the width of the plate and extended vertically from the batter’s knees to the midpoint between their shoulders and the top of their pants. (Umpires, especially at lower levels, commonly use the bottom of the letters on a team’s uniform as an approximation). Now, the zone is determined by a batter’s height. If any part of the ball crosses the plate between 27-53.5% of a batter’s height (before they settle into their batting stance), the pitch will be called a strike. 

How did we get here?

Originally, ABS was tested in the independent Atlantic League in 2019, where it encountered mixed success. Issues with the technology meant that pitches that bounced before crossing the plate registered as strikes, though human umpires would (and did) overrule the system. Then-Atlantic League president Rick White said that he was “relatively confident that [robot umpiring was] going to spread through organized baseball,” which it did several years later.

The challenge system we see today was first proposed in October 2019 by Lindsay Imber and Tim McCaffrey of Close Call Sports. In their article, Imber and McCaffrey proposed the system MLB would eventually adopt, advocating for a compromise between the traditionalist no-computers-allowed approach and the Atlantic League’s replace-humans approach. They note that “technology can assist in the ball/strike call mission,” while also acknowledging “that the very system baseball presently uses… is prone to error.”

Since their article, MLB’s HawkEye technology has improved from a two-inch margin of error to a half-inch margin of error.

This reduced margin of error has enabled ABS to find practical use in high-level baseball. In 2023, Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and Triple-A teams tested both the no-humans-allowed approach and the challenge system (though teams were permitted three challenges each instead of the present two). By the end of 2024, MiLB had determined that the challenge system was better and adopted it. In 2025, MLB adopted the technology for Spring Training games and the All-Star Game. In 2026, the technology will be adopted for the full MLB season. 

ABS and broader ball-tracking technology represents an exciting development for baseball. As an umpire, I’m excited for the future of ABS (even though there’s a chance it takes my job). While technology’s uncertainty means the human aspect of officiating is still necessary, technology can help us correct for human error on close calls. The ABS challenge system seems like a great way to do this for baseball.

Photo by Briana Tozour via Uplash.

If you’re looking for a good sports city and atmosphere, Kansas City is your place to be. It’s host to four major professional sports teams across three different sports: baseball, football and soccer. This article aims to be a survey of Kansas City sports, highlighting each team and providing a little history for each.

Chiefs Kingdom: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are the oldest professional sports team in Kansas City, although they weren’t established in Kansas City. Our beloved Chiefs were established in 1960 as the Dallas Texans by then-American Football League (AFL) founder Lamar Hunt.

A minor tangent about the AFL: The AFL was created as an alternative to the NFL by Lamar Hunt. To avoid a talent war, the AFL merged with the NFL to create one league in June 1966. The AFL became the American Football Conference (AFC), whose title still bears Mr. Hunt’s name. The first AFL-NFL championship in 1967, amusingly called the World Championship, kicked off what would become the Super Bowl era.

In 1963, the Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City and rebranded as the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, they’ve won six league titles (four Super Bowls and two AFL championships, before the AFL and the NFL merged) and are currently one of the best teams in the league. Under the leadership of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes II and head coach Andy Reid, the Chiefs have won their division for nine straight years, the AFC championship game for five of the last six years, and three Super Bowls.

On first arrival in Kansas City, they played at the Municipal Stadium on E. 22nd Street and Brooklyn Avenue. In 1972, the team moved to Arrowhead Stadium in Jackson County, where they have played for the last fifty years.

Across from Arrowhead is the second team we’ll encounter on this tour of KC sports: Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals.

The Boys Are Playing Some Ball: Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals inhabit Kauffman Stadium (in the same sports complex as Arrowhead), named after entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing M. Kauffman. (His family foundation also contributed significantly to Kauffman Gardens and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, both located in downtown KC.) Like the Chiefs, the Royals also played in Municipal Stadium until 1972.

The Kansas City Royals are currently in-season. As of the time of writing, they place third in the American League Central, trailing the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers. The Royals haven’t seen as much success as the Chiefs. They’ve only won the World Series twice, in 1985 and 2015. Since that win in 2015, the Royals have only made the playoffs once.

That said, the Royals are looking to turn things around this year and build on their AL playoff appearance last season. Stars like Bobby Witt Jr. (#7) have garnered significant attention; Witt Jr. was selected as a starting shortstop on the US national baseball team. Last year, KC Royals ace Cole Ragans (#55) was named to an All-Star team, and the Royals hope he can continue to deliver.

The Other Midwestern Football: Sporting KC

Sporting KC came to Kansas City in 1996 as the Kansas City Wiz, creating electric football from the second they landed in Kansas City. A decade and a half of KC Wiz brought an MLS Cup (2000), a US Open Cup (2004), and a dramatic victory against Manchester United in 2010 at Arrowhead Stadium; Man Utd. would go on to win the English Premier League that year.

In late 2010, the Wizards rebranded as Sporting KC and opened their own stadium, Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, although they’ve kept elements of the Wiz heritage ever since. Six years of MLS playoff appearances through 2017 have been followed by what the Sporting website politely calls a “dip in form.” Although the team is third last in Major League Soccer, they’ve won two of their last three matches against St. Louis and San José.

Making a Splash: KC Current

The Kansas City Current are KC’s newest addition to professional sports, playing in the NWSL – the National Women’s Soccer League. In Dec. 2020, the NWSL awarded an expansion franchise to Kansas City, and the city was up for the challenge. KC Current owners constructed CPKC Stadium for the club, the first stadium in the world specifically created for a women’s professional sports team.

While some may be tempted to write off the Current due to a rocky start in 2021-23 (where they had two seasons placing in the bottom three), the Current have made waves in the league ever since. They qualified for the 2024 playoffs as the #4 seed and made it to the semifinals, losing to top-seed and eventual NWSL champions Orlando Pride.

The Current have substantial talent on their side, including 2024 Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga (#6), whose 20 goals last year set an all-time NWSL record. This year, the Current have only allowed one goal this season and won their first five regular season matches, the only team in the league to do so. Their only loss came to the North Carolina Courage on Apr. 26, 3-2.

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Whether you prefer watching boys in blue or exploring #TealTown, Kansas City knows how to bring the energy to its local sports teams. At home, away, and at the stadium, there is always a KC sports team for you to discover.

As the 2023 Major League Baseball season approaches, Kansas City Royals fans are eager to see what their team has in store. Following their World Championship in 2015, the Royals have had seven consecutive losing seasons. Despite some major changes in the team, it doesn’t seem that there is much reason to believe this season will be a dramatic shift from that narrative, but time will tell.

One of the most significant changes for the Royals was the firing of Mike Matheny and hiring of Matt Quataro as the new team manager. Quataro brings a wealth of experience to the team, having managed the minor league Tampa Bay Rays operation. He was highly desired in the current MLB hiring pool. The Royals are lucky to have him.

The player, Bobby Witt Jr., seeks to continue building his career since being drafted second overall in 2019. After hitting 20 home runs last year, it’s likely his goal will be to perform with even higher results. SBNation lists him as the team’s biggest strength going into the season, despite only being 22 years old.

The Royals are led by veteran Salvador Perez, who is still holding it down as catcher. Perez is surrounded by a strong core of younger players. Quataro was interviewed by the Kansas City star about expectations for the veteran catcher. “We want him in the lineup as many days as possible and we’re going to do our best to pick our spots to figure out how we make that work,” he said.

The Royals will face stiff competition in the American League Central, which includes perennial playoff contenders like the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians. However, with their new additions, talented young players, and skilled returners, the Royals have the potential to surprise their audience and go for a championship season.

Overall, Royals fans have reason to be excited and hopeful for the upcoming season. With a new manager, talented roster, and renewed sense of purpose, the team is in a position to make some noise and compete at a high level. It could be a prosperous year for Kansas City baseball fans.

Fall has officially begun with its beautiful colors and perfect temperatures. What better way to enjoy the outdoors than fun, friendly and competitive sports? 

There are a lot of great opportunities on the William Jewell College campus and in the surrounding community for people to watch and play games. Football, volleyball, cross-country, soccer and golf are in full swing competing for Jewell’s Cardinals.

While most sports will be on the road this weekend, women’s soccer will be at home Friday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Oct. 3. Additionally, softball and baseball will have scrimmages throughout the fall season to watch, providing another opportunity for the community to support and enjoy Jewell’s athletics. 

Students and the community can play all types of games outside on the Jewell campus as well. By the baseball field, there is a nine-hole frisbee golf course, which is completely free to play and has some nice scenery too. 

Additionally, the Mabee Center is open on the weekends for students to play pickup basketball. Another fun activity is playing Ultimate Frisbee on the open practice fields by the fraternities. You’ll need at least 8 people to play, so get your friends together and enjoy the brisk weather! 

For those looking to find the thrill of competition and don’t play an organized sport on campus, keep an eye out for intramural games that have been brought back in full swing thanks to seniors Issac Stormes and Mitchell Elsnes. So far, Volleyball, Kickball, and Tug of War competitions have happened, with plenty more throughout the semester sure to come. 

Missouri weather is sure to show itself in extremes, but staying active in our community will create a sense of warmth that will last through the winter.