The KBO recently released related tracking data in response to a complaint regarding the ABS zone decision raised by Hanwha Eagles pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin.
Ryu Hyun-jin started the game against Suwon KT WIZ on April 24 and performed poorly, allowing 7 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 7 runs (5 earned) in 5 innings.
On this day, the team’s batting lineup lacked scoring support and the team’s infield defense was shaky, so Ryu Hyun-jin failed in his attempt to reach his 100th career win.
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However, what really made Ryu Hyun-jin feel very dissatisfied was the ABS zone decision. Ryu Hyun-jin met with reporters ahead of the game on the 25th and actively expressed his dissatisfaction with the ABS zone decision.
The scene in which Ryu Hyun-jin complained was known to be a ball decision made in a confrontation with Cheon Seong-ho and Cho Yong-ho. In the top of the first inning, Ryu Hyun-jin faced off against lead hitter Cheon Seong-ho, and all 1 to 3 pitches he threw were ruled balls. Additionally, Ryu Hyun-jin threw 1-2 pitches to the outside to Cho Yong-ho in the top of the 3rd inning, and threw a low 3rd pitch, but these were also ruled balls. Both the pitcher and the batter seemed to think the fourth pitch was a strike, but it was called a strike.
Ryu Hyun-jin met with KT coach Lee Kang-cheol, who was the enemy coach, on the ground the next day and talked for a while about the ABS zone decision. Hanwha coach Choi Won-ho even said that the judgments on similar course balls thrown by Moon Dong-ju and Ryu Hyun-jin against Cheon Seong-ho looked different.
If the ABS zone judgment based on the ‘feel’ of a specific coach and specific players is different from the actual stadium every day, it is bound to be a problem that needs to be corrected. In response, on the 26th, KBO immediately released tracking graphic data related to raising questions about the ABS zone decision.
enlarge photoA KBO official said, “At the end of the 3rd inning of the game in which Ryu Hyun-jin pitched, the 3rd pitch of Jo Yong-ho’s at-bat passed the bottom of the ABS middle zone by 0.15 cm, but did not pass the bottom of the ABS end zone by 0.78 cm, so it was ruled a ball. In addition, the pitch thrown by Dong-ju Moon and the ball thrown by Hyun-jin Ryu during the at-bat against Seong-ho Chun had completely different pitch positions, so they were mechanically judged as strikes or balls. Of course, the player himself may feel that way, but I realized that changing the zone every day is technically more difficult. “There were no abnormalities at all during the system inspection process,” he explained.
KBO announced its intention to maintain the ABS zone in a more developed form with a ‘fan first’ attitude. A KBO official said, “I feel that baseball fans are very satisfied with the introduction of ABS. Regarding the question that the zones are different for each baseball stadium, he said, “We plan to disclose the results after the testing currently underway for each baseball stadium is completed.”
enlarge photoKim Geun-han, MK Sports reporter
