The robot strike zone will get slightly bigger at Triple-A starting Tuesday in an attempt to make it better reflect individual batters rather than averages.
The pitch clock will be changed as well.
The robots this season were programmed to call a two-dimensional zone based on where the ball crosses the midpoint of the plate, 8 1/2 inches from the front and the back.
Major League Baseball reduced the top of the zone to 51% of a batter\'s height from 56%. The system averaged batter heights, rather than accounting for body shapes and stances.
Starting Tuesday, data for each player from the Hawk-Eye pose-tracking system of cameras installed at each ballpark will be used to set the bottom of the strike zone at an individual\'s back knee for the automated ball-strike system. The top will be 5 1/2 inches above the midpoint of the measurements of a player\'s left and right hips.
The pitch clock will be set at 17 seconds at all times, instead of 14 seconds with the bases empty and 19 seconds with runners on base.
Via Associated Press