[greymule]

Does Piazza argue when he's catching and an ump calls an outside pitch a strike?

On another thread, I commented that years ago MLB experimented with an electronic strike zone (might have been in spring training), and everybody hated it. My guess is it was too narrow and too tall and too rectangular--just as the book defines it. Apparently the strike zone is really the "ump" zone, and NOBODY calls it by the book.

Why not have every single pitch adjudicated by a panel of judges in the booth? They could slow down the tape, look at the pitch from various angles, and announce the call over the PA system. "Fans, we'll have the ball-strike call right after this word from. . . ." Or have the ump call the obvious ones, but on close pitches, he could put his hand on his head or something and then the committee would rule. You have to think outside the lines!