St. Louis, Missouri — As news spread that MLB would adopt the Automated Ball/Strike System (ABS) – also known as robot umpires – starting in the 2026 season, a shocking statement from Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt Jr. created a stir: he was neither fully in favor nor fully opposed – he was “50-50,” between hope and skepticism.
MLB has officially approved the use of ABS for the 2026 season, allowing teams to challenge ball/strike decisions made by field officials up to two times. In extra innings, if a team runs out of challenges, an extra inning will be granted.
The technology relies on the Hawk-Eye system, which uses dozens of cameras and a high-speed data network to determine whether a pitch is in the strike zone.
It has been tested in the minor leagues, in the spring, and even at the 2025 All-Star Game, where five calls were challenged and four were overturned.
Most MLB owners and executives support the system, but not everyone on the 11-member Competition Committee agrees — there are differences of opinion among players and owners.
The ABS system is expected to reduce controversy, limit ejections, and increase accuracy in “skewed angle” situations — but it has also raised concerns about losing the “human touch” of baseball.
In a closed-door meeting with Cardinals executives and media, DeWitt Jr. said:
“I see both sides: if technology corrects mistakes, it’s progress; but if it kills the soul of baseball, it’s a nightmare. I can’t say ‘all right’ or ‘all wrong’ – I’m in the middle, 50-50.”
He continued:
“If ABS can correct millions of 1-2 mm pitch errors, so that players aren’t affected by bad decisions, I’m all for it. But I worry – worry that if the system becomes absolute, we lose the moments of debate, the reaction, the ‘imperfections’ that fans love.”
DeWitt also emphasized that he wants to maintain the role of human umpires – at least to handle off-ball/strike situations, manage the game, and create an emotional connection with players and spectators.
This statement immediately caused a stir: many people saw it as a very “realistic” consideration, not extreme. But there were also critics – arguing that if the investment in technology was made, behind the “50-50” could be an evasion of responsibility when the technology failed.
Cautious support: A former tournament executive commented: “If DeWitt said 50-50, it would be a manifestation of balanced thinking – not going in blindly, knowing the weight of innovation and tradition.”
Cautious opposition: Many fans were upset on social media: “If you keep joking about 50-50 until you apply it, it will be too late to regret. What do you want – to move forward or stay the same?”
Experts also have different views: some commentators believe that ABS needs to be tested more carefully, because the biased evaluation model in the lower leagues has had problems – for example, a curve that falls out of the strike zone but is still counted as a strike by the system.
DeWitt Jr.’s “50-50” statement isn’t neutral—it’s a reference to an internal battle: between science and emotion, between absolute justice and imperfection.
If MLB moves forward with full ABS without proper preparation, fans may turn away. If it waits too long, MLB will be labeled conservative and behind technology.
The Cardinals, a team with a long history and a long history, now have an owner who is caught in the middle—he is bearing the pressure of innovation without wanting to lose his traditional values.
Will this 50-50 statement become a balancing act for MLB as a whole, or is it just a way to avoid being “stoned” later? Only the 2026 season will tell—and who knows, it might be the most intense clash of technology and history in the history of the sport.
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