Welcome back to breaking balls.

Week one of the 2026 season is in the books.

The big story to me was ABS, the automated ball strike system, the challenges, whether

or not fans liked it, didn't like it, based on the response in the ballparks, you liked it.

I saw it a few years ago in the minor leagues.

I liked it.

I have one major gripe with the

ABS system, which I'll get to now and get it out of the way. Too many of them in one game.

I saw a game between the Reds and the Red Sox where there were eight challenges, eight, which to me is too

many. That's not what it was intended for. So let me give you a couple of statistics and you'll get the idea.

First, before this ever happened and I know everybody hates umpires, it goes with the job.

But the fact of the matter is that based on the numbers that are out there, umpires basically

get it right on 93% of balls and strikes. 93% that's give or take a 10th of percent or two, but you get the idea.

93%.

So seven out of every hundred pitches are incorrect.

Now, over the course of the game, how many of those seven of the 100 are going to be critical

pitches?

Maybe some came early in at bat.

They're really not as important.

You get the idea.

So to me, I'd like to see it limited to two challenges per team.

You get them both right.

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