[Highlight] Ryan O’Hearn challenges a called strike three with two outs and nobody on base in the first inning
I probably wouldn’t have clipped this, but his face before the call’s made is so funny.
I thought of this immediately and am so glad I wasn’t the only one.
He realized
Post-tap clarity kicked in and a mistake had been made
The pitcher’s reaction is pretty good too, “yeah I guess that call could have gone either way…“
lol i’m glad you did. this is very meme worthy
Some of these players have terrible challenge IQ
And all of those players play for the pirates
Let me tell you about a man named Freddie Fermin.
The Braves have former MVP who literally just celebrated finally getting one right a few days ago. So it’s definitely not just the Pirates.
This is a close one worth challenging in high leverage situations.
Exactly.
And it being a close one is the reason it’s not worth challenging here
Right. It’s within the margin of error so could go either way. Players are not going to learn where the ABS has the top and bottom of their zone without practicing challenging. So doing it on really borderline ones like this (in 3-2 counts) seems fine, especially early on the season.
It’s not about the call being correct or not. It’s situational awareness not to risk a challenge with 2 outs and no one on in the first inning. Even if he was correct it was piss poor risk management.
I get that. And eventually, I will agree. But we are not even half a season into ABS. And ABS comes with a change to the top and bottom of the zone for every hitter. Players won’t learn where that line is without challenging, and I guess I’d rather have them do that now on stuff that is borderline so they are better prepared to utilize them in those high leverage situations in the post-season.
Why wouldn’t they just note when you think to challenge but shouldn’t/ can’t, and go and look at a tablet after like everyone did before ABS?
just check it on his own time after hes back in the dugout.
ABS is awesome. Put up or shut up for so many hitters that think they know everything all these years. Umpires and catchers know the zone VERY well, is my main takeaway
I have enjoyed how they’ve implemented it. Requires a lot of strategy and doesn’t completely neutralize pitch framing. Love it.
I thought I was going to hate it. I was sure I’d hate it. I love it lol
It’s about 50⁄50 for calls getting overturned, so I’d say the real lesson is everybody fucks up sometimes… unless you’re name is C.B. Bucknor, in which case may god have mercy upon your soul.
well yeah that’s true. I guess I’m used to Salvy with KC who is well above average. It’s honestly comical and entertaining at times
Emotional challenge in a low leverage spot. Dummy.
We need a “no one but reynolds is allowed to challenge” rule on this team
Actually he took that pitch
This is the average 2026 pirates experience they are usually gone by the end of the 2nd inning
players keep showing they are far worse at close calls than the umps
Except for the fact that there have been more successful than unsuccessful challenges. By a margin of about 200.
Put some context. Batters are under 50% pitchers are under 50% CATCHERS are at around 60% as they should be with the best view of the pitch.
Consider a single batter judges 12-15 pitches per game while an umpire has to see 300.
how many of those do they call though or are even within 3 inches of the zone aka anyone with any experience can say ball or strike for.
now subtract out the obvious bad calls that missed by a bunch and what are the numbers
This isn’t the Olympics, we don’t need to throw out the high and low judges score.
You should throw out consistently bad umpires. Buckner. laz. Then what is it.
Well my original comment was specifically about close calls, not all calls as the reply referenced
Hilariously, us O’s fans are currently upset with Rutschman for not challenging a pitch in this exact same scenario. Rutschman’s take was about 5 inches below the zone however
Selfish challenge
Next year, change the challenge to 3 seconds.
Enough time to give people a moment, but not enough to get confirmation from the dugout.
Also, guys need to go up there with a plan. The same way you go through your checklist when you’re on base or in the field (where am I going if the ball comes to me, etc.), you need to do the same with challenges.
Is this a scenario that I should challenge if it’s close? Or is it not worth it, unless it’s extremely obvious.
Also one fail per half inning, max 2 fails saved at once.
It will allow for close calls early to be challenged but still have calls available later.
minor leagues the results do not matter but major league does and sometimes a 2 out rally early on is all you get.
and its not like that many extra calls will addd noticeable time, esp dead time to the game.
on top of that more time to show the sponsor of it all.
win win win.
Took me a minute to realize that wasn’t Jazz Chisholm or Bryce Harper.
Where I’m from we call that the mark vientos
Hasn’t money ball been a thing for like 10+ years now? Almost like teams need to explicitly tell their players no challenges in the first third of the game?
Sorry, I know statistics a lot better than baseball and that seems like an obviously bad bet.
Well let me introduce you to the 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates!
The pitchers kinda going “Oh well alright” was glorious
Manager should tell them no challenge in first inning if no one is on base. Probably easy and blanket enough to be safe.
Gleyber just did that too for some reason.
It has become clear that a bit of situational awareness is required when choosing whether or not to challenge a pitch.
I like this added level of complexity.
I don’t blame him. It’s close. Just terrible timing for it
I do lol you have to know which game situations call for a challenge and which dont. 1st inning, 2 outs, bases empty is never a good time to challenge a close pitch.
The only time he should be challenging there is if its a super obvious missed call. Not a borderline pitch.
I mean a close pitch is exactly when you don’t want to call it in the first inning bases empty. The timing is entirely on him, it’s not like he was forced to challenge at that time.
One simply doesn’t challenge in that spot unless it’s a foot outside the strike zone.
I would blame coaching for not disallowing these challenges, and if they have, then of course you blame the player.
hey Gleyber Torres just did this too!
you can take the man out of baltimore, but you can’t take the “challenging pitches at the worst times likes baltimore player” out of the man
High strikes are actually strikes now.
Christ just get rid of this nonsense. Im sure you all are 100% at your job. Let the unps ump.
oh, my boy…
If I were a manager we’d have a green light or something in the dugout for situations where they can challenge. Only my catcher can do it anytime. The rest can only challenge when the green light is on (late innings, last out of the inning, 3rd strike etc).
I hate the takeaway you shouldn’t challenge in low leverage situations. Adley was in exact same situation minutes ago and didn’t challenge a 3-2 strike 3 that was about 3 inches low.
Really if you’re not giving 5+ challenges, then just go to full ABS. We want correct calls, not players terrified to challenge
Wasn’t that bad of a challenge
This is like the absolute statistically worst time to challenge a pitch.
As a standalone challenge, sure. With context, it was bad.