Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers: Mookie Betts Rather Keep 'Human Element' Of Game When It Comes To Umpires

Will replacing umpires with the robotic element really improve the game?

Ryan Menzie

In this story:

Among the top discussions of the league is the poor officiating dealt by the umpires. The game slows down, reviews need to be made and in the most crucial moments of the game, wrong calls are being made. 

One of the proposed changes that have been made was to completely remove human umpires and replace them with an automated strike zone. A move that most players seem to side with because it takes away from what baseball truly is. 

As fans of the game, it becomes harder to watch the game with the amount of missed calls. Technology is slowly being implemented into the game, like the new pitching technology PitchCom to get calls in faster, but Mookie Betts still stands by his claims of rather having the human element be part of the game (via OutKick).

"If I had a choice, I would definitely say keep the human element of the game. I just enjoy that and if a guy is missing inside the plate you can use it to your advantage or maybe that's the reason why you lost. Whatever it is, I just enjoy the human side of games cause sports really in general has went so technical and analytical that you just lose touch with the whole sport. It kinda sucks, but that's just where life is kind of just going towards."

Will the MLB give into the pressure of the fans wanting a change or will they stick by their players and keep the game the way it is. Of course, not all fans want to see the umpire change and still support the human element, just like Betts. 

Published
Ryan Menzie
RYAN MENZIE

Ryan Menzie | Lead Contributor Ryan is an LA Native who has grown up praising the greatest athletes LA has had to offer. A love for sports ranging between basketball, football, volleyball and golf, a future Sports Management Masters graduate, and being engulfed into organized sports since seven years old, the passion and love for sports never ends for Ryan. If the words he writes don't paint the full picture of his true fandom, he will find more ways than one to tell the story and be more than willing to open up a nice LA sports debate with you. Favorite Player: Mookie Betts Favorite Moment: 2020 World Series. The Lakers won the NBA title and the Dodgers secured the World Series only a couple of months later. During such a rough time with COVID-19 and such a bleak look at how sports has tried to overcome the circumstances, it was a relief to see the night sky lit up for many nights and a makeshift parade in LA when it seemed like we needed it the most.

Home/News