Atlantic League Coach Ejected For Arguing Over Automated Strike Zone

Well, this whole automated strike zone thing is off to a great start.

We’re kidding, obviously.

The Atlantic League recently began testing the new “Trackman” system designed to call balls and strikes to try to avoid human error when judging the strike zone. But the robot umpires already have stirred up trouble in the Atlantic League, starting on the very first night they were put in place.

High Point Rockers pitching coach and former Minnesota Twins pitcher Frank Viola Jr. quickly took issue with placing the robots in charge, calling for umpire Tim Detweiler to overrule a few of the calls in the first inning of their July 12 game against the York Revolution. Detweiler refused despite having the authority to do so, and Viola wasn’t happy about it whatsoever, getting himself ejected in the first inning of the game.

( To see it all happen, click here.)

Afterward, Viola took to Twitter to explain why he got so heated.

“… was it a trackman, or was it human strike zone?” he asked. “Who or what was in charge?? Major problem. Let each team know at all times what’s going on…”

Seems like this little experiment should go swimmingly.