KBO pitch tracking data released in response to Ryu Hyun-jin’s complaints about “different ABS zones for each game”

The third pitch that Ryu Hyun-jin threw to Cho Yong-ho in the third inning on the 24th failed to pass the zone by 0.78 cm.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) released pitch tracking data in response to concerns raised about Ryu Hyun-jin’s (Hanwha Eagles) Automatic Pitching System (ABS).

On the 26th, the KBO released pitch tracking decision data from ABS operator Sports2I, as controversy arose over some pitch decisions by Hanwha Ryu Hyun-jin and Moon Dong-ju.

Ryu Hyun-jin started against Suwon KT Wiz on the 24th and recorded 7 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, 7 runs, and 5 earned runs in 5 innings. He is a pitcher who rarely changes his expression on the mound, but this day he could not hide his uncomfortable feelings.

On the 25th, the day after his pitch, he complained about ABS to reporters. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the ball decision and claimed, “ABS is different for each game.” Previously, after watching the pitch of Hanwha’s Moon Dong-ju, who pitched against KT on the 23rd, he checked the ABS zone at Suwon Stadium, which catches left-handed hitters’ outside balls as strikes, and made a game plan, but he also said that the zone was different on the day he pitched.

When people complained that ABS, which was introduced for consistency, applied a different strike zone to each game, the KBO also immediately released data on the 26th and provided an explanation.

KBO raised the issue, saying, “The third pitch of KT Cho Yong-ho’s at-bat at the end of the third inning in which Ryu Hyun-jin pitched passed the bottom of the ABS middle zone by 0.15 cm, but did not pass the bottom of the ABS zone by 0.78 cm, so it was ruled a ball.” The decision was explained.

The top and bottom of the ABS strike zone are applied based on the height of each player. The upper part is 56.35% of the player’s height, and the lower part is 27.64% of the player’s height. A strike is judged based on whether it meets and passes the left, right, and top and bottom criteria, regardless of the catcher’s catch position or method.

On the 23rd, the KBO also revealed the trajectory of the 4th pitch (strike) that Moon Dong-ju threw at the plate of KT Cheon Seong-ho in the bottom of the 4th inning, and the 3rd pitch (ball) that Ryu Hyun-jin threw in the bottom of the 1st inning on the 24th. The KBO also refuted the claim that the ABS zone is different for each game, saying, “As can be seen in the graphic, the location of the pitch is different.”

[서울=뉴시스]