Sept 10, 2025; New Phillies pitcher Walker Buehler speaks to the media. (Credit: Tim Kelly)
When you write a weekly piece that is entitled "The Old Man Column," as I do, you usually expect it to be your opinion that is the one that is going to be deemed antiquated.
Then Walker Buehler came along, and made me feel like I discovered the fountain of youth.
On Pattison's Tim Kelly got Buehler talking about the ABS system being used in the minor leagues this year to challenge a home plate umpire's call.
Tim never expected Buehler to be the gift that kept on giving.
Walker Buehler … not a fan of ABS.
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/Z2qC55nY0V
"I think it's inaccurate," Buehler said. "In most of the stadiums its not even actually on the plate. I think it shifts certain directions in certain ballparks. I think the human element is a huge part of this game. I think starting pitchers who have pitched for a long time deserve certain parts of the plate that other guys don't get. When I got to the big leagues, I didn't get parts of the zone that other guys did. That's part of our game and it should be.
"I think the punishment for challenging something that is clearly a strike is not big enough. I can go on. I think the ABS system in general is a very good idea, but I don't think we have any idea about where to put it on the plate. I don't think we have any idea about how to function it correctly in terms of the angles of ballparks. I don't think the umpire's union is going to be very happy about it. There's a lot of negative about the ABS."
And they call me a curmudgeon, hah!
There's a lot to unpack from what Buehler said, so let's break it down.
Here's where I will agree with Buehler - if there isn't consistency or accuracy with the system, then it needs to be put on hold before being brought to the Major League level. This is paramount.
If we're going to change the inherent nature of how a game is adjudicated from the basic system of umpire discretion, then it better be right. It better be more accurate than the best umpire. Because if not, then we're creating unnecessary chaos.
Of course Rob Manfred, destroyer of all things baseball, wants to push all of his changes through as soon as possible, so it's likely coming to the Bigs next year, but whatever tweaks need to be made, should be done and tested before advancing to the game's biggest stage.
This is where Buehler loses me and he crosses over from curmudgeon to old coot. No, veteran pitchers should not be afforded a different strike zone than a younger pitcher. That's nonsense.
I'm all about the tradition of the sport, but that never seemed right to me. It was especially triggering when umpires would give Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine an extra few inches off the plate for strikes.
They were Hall of Fame pitchers - they didn't need the help!
I mean do we really want playoff games like this again:
25 years ago today:
A LEGENDARY strike zone from Eric Gregg pic.twitter.com/yFwqMI3fVj
The notion that umpires should base the size of the strike zone based on perception of a pitcher's reputation is flat out biased, and when you have bias in officiating you have a problem with your sport.
It was for different reasons, but a biased agenda is what led to Tim Donaghy's downfall as a basketball official. Therefore, everything should be on the up and up. A strike zone is a strike zone. And while umps aren't going to get every ball or strike correct, (I agree with the human element there) they should at least try to do so and not be swayed by who the pitcher is throwing the ball.
I don't care that Buehler feels entitled to now get pitches that he didn't feel he got when he was in his early 20s. That's not how it works, man. It should be the same for everyone. That's fairness in competition.
Under the rules of the challenge system, as I understand it, you get three challenges in a game to start. If you challenge a call, and you are successful in your challenge, then you get to keep all three.
If you are wrong, then you lose one of the challenges. Once you run out of challenges, then you are resigned to accept the umpire's call, whether it's right or not.
That all seems fair. You can challenge as many pitches as you'd like as long as you are correct. But, once you are wrong three times, that's it.
So, be sure you get it right. Leave the borderline calls alone. The ump may have been right, or may have been wrong, but since it's too close to call, it's better to preserve a challenge than to risk losing one.
But if the call is egregiously wrong, challenge it and you'll keep the challenge, and get the call right. This all seems fair to me.
What does Buehler want, Draconian punishment for getting a challenge wrong? Automatic outs for the batter? An automatic free pass if a pitcher or catcher gets it wrong? Or do we need to go more Middle Ages on them?
I'm not sure how far he wants to take it, but the rules, as laid out. seem fair enough.
Now, there is something that I do find inconsistent and hypocritical about all of this.
Baseball wants the pitcher, catcher, or batter only to challenge balls and strikes, and their challenge has to be instantaneous. No hemming or hawing. No thinking about it. No having the video replay guy relaying what he sees upon review to the dugout for the manager to then signal to the umpire to challenge.
But if there's a play on the bases, there's time for the bench coach to run to the phone, call the video room, get a replay looked at, relay to the manager if they should challenge or not, and then the manager alerts the umpire.
Again, not fair and equitable.
Everything should be in the moment. Let the manager make the call on all of them. It is, you know, his job. And he has to make a decision within five seconds. Make it strategic. Not, "oh, let's wait and see what our replay guy says first." No. None of that. It's bogus. It's crap.
My way keeps the human element part of the game, but still allows for replay for the most egregious of misses while adding a small layer of instantaneous managing that could be measured as either successful or a failure over time.
That's the best way to do it. But nobody asked me.
I was in the middle of writing another story during the Buehler interview, so I missed it. And I probably missed Buhler saying something else.
"Get off my lawn."
