KBO to implement pitch clock, adjust strike zone

[Anchor]

Professional baseball, which gained great popularity this year, will undergo another transformation starting next year.

The automatic ball judgment system, the ABS strike zone, which was introduced for the first time this year, will be adjusted slightly lower, and the 'pitch clock' system will also be implemented next year for faster and more exciting games.

Reporter Lee Mu-hyung has the details.

[Report]

The automatic strike and ball judgment system, known as the 'ABS system,' was officially introduced in professional baseball for the first time in the world this year and received positive feedback from fans.

Next year, the ABS zone will be lowered further.

The KBO announced that through the executive committee, which consists of the general managers of the 10 teams, they decided to lower the ABS zone, which is set in proportion to the height of the batter, by 0.6% from the original setting.

For a batter who is 180 cm tall, the entire strike zone will be lowered by about 1 cm.

Since the introduction of the ABS, there have been ongoing opinions in the field that targeting high pitches is too difficult.

To address this, there were considerations to narrow the upper side of the strike zone, but ultimately, the KBO and the 10 teams agreed to lower the zone itself.

[Lee Kyung-ho/KBO Public Relations Team Leader: "We continuously listened to the opinions of the players through surveys and held meetings with a special expert team (TF team) to adjust the height ratio by 0.6% for the upper and lower limits, and we will apply the new strike zone in the next season."]

A pitch clock aimed at shortening game times will be introduced to the first league as planned next year.

Pitchers will be required to throw the ball within 20 seconds when there are no runners on base and within 25 seconds when there are runners. Unlike Major League Baseball, however, there will be no limit on pickoff attempts. This relaxed rule aims to minimize confusion stemming from sudden rule changes.

Meanwhile, the controversial check swing rulings, which sparked debate multiple times this year, will be clarified with new regulations. Additionally, video review systems will be trialed at select Futures League stadiums.

This is KBS News, Lee Mu-hyung.