Orioles call for more technology after Pete Alonso’s near-homer is ruled foul vs. Yankees

Major League Baseball has embraced technology to confirm or overturn balls and strikes. This annual service, priced at $205.00 + GST for a year, is set to automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks. The Baltimore Orioles expressed dissatisfaction with a recent call during a game against the New York Yankees. Pete Alonso’s seventh-inning fly ball to left field was initially deemed foul, but the decision was upheld upon review.

The Orioles manager, Craig Albernaz, echoed Alonso’s concerns, arguing that a simpler solution akin to the football pylon camera could resolve such disputes. He suggested employing a camera system that shoots straight up to determine the ball’s fairness. Albernaz noted that the team’s dugout iPads display ball-tracking data, making it challenging to have that visual in the dugout when a call is overturned.

Chris Bassitt, the team’s starting pitcher, attributed the lack of such technology to financial constraints. "Because it would cost money," he stated, highlighting the apparent reluctance to invest in advanced equipment to resolve such contentious calls.