Ball or strike? Let the 'robot ump' decide

"Well, it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the ol' ball game."

Maybe. Maybe not. Let's see what the ABS system says first before we send that batter back to the dugout.

Welcome to the 21st century. The computer age has become totally involved in our lives, so why not baseball, too?

Starting this season, Major League Baseball – after extensive testing in the minor leagues and spring training games – has officially adopted the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System. Each team gets two challenges per game against perceived bad calls by the umpire and if they're successful, they get another one. Two botched challenges, however, and the team cannot challenge again.