Major League Baseball Finally Begins Experimenting With Robot Umpires

'Baseball's potential future will be showcased in the independent Atlantic League this year, and it includes robot umpires...' reports ESPN, calling it part of 'a wide variety of experiments that the Atlantic League will run this season as part of its new partnership with Major League Baseball.'
While MLB has long tested potential rule changes in the minor leagues, its three-year partnership with the Atlantic League -- an eight-team league that features former major leaguers trying to return to affiliated ball -- offers the ability to try more radical rules. MLB has chafed at using technology to replace ball-and-strike-calling duties for umpires, fearful that it's not yet consistent enough to warrant implementation... [W]ith the TrackMan system installed at Atlantic League stadiums, MLB will have a trove of data to analyze and see the effect of doing so.
Other changes aim to speed up the game, including bans on visits to the pitcher's mound and shortening the amount of time between innings.

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