"ABS changes every day," Park Min-woo speaks out again: "I'm not saying don't use it, but there's no communication with the KBO at all"

*This content was translated by AI.

"We like ABS too. I'm not saying not to use it..."

Park Min-woo (33, NC Dinos) made another pointed remark. He brought up the topic of the Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS) once again.

On the 7th, Park led the NC Dinos to a 10-5 victory in a visiting game against the SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field, going 2-for-4 with one walk, one RBI, and two runs scored in four at-bats.

In 32 games this season, he is still displaying top-tier performance with a .328 batting average (119 at-bats, 39 hits), one home run, 15 stolen bases, 23 RBIs, and 24 runs scored, posting a .409 on-base percentage, .437 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.846. Especially with runners in scoring position, he boasts an overwhelming clutch ability with a .486 batting average (35 at-bats, 17 hits), ranking second in that category. As team captain, he is focusing everything on helping the team win.

After the game, Park met with reporters and said, "It was a tough game on the first day and also yesterday. It was twice as hard physically. Since we lost by a comeback yesterday, if we had lost today, the three-game series this weekend would have been very tough, but I think we can consider this a good experience. Fortunately, we bounced back, won, and can head home, which is truly a relief."

After expressing his honest thoughts and regrets about himself and his team, Park once again voiced another complaint about the ABS. Previously, he had expressed his wish for improvement, stating, "It's different at every stadium, and the strike zone changes every day. I hope it gets improved."

Before the introduction of ABS, there were many complaints and protests against the home plate umpire regarding pitch calls. This often led to game delays, which was one of the fans' complaints. Since ABS is applied fairly to both teams, eliminating unnecessary game delays and heated arguments, fan satisfaction has been very high. However, for the players actually playing the game, problems have been consistently raised, and in a way, Park Min-woo took the initiative and made a pointed remark.

Park Min-woo raised a complaint, saying, "Recently, I learned something I didn't know. I confirmed with players from other teams, and they said the KBO adds 3cm to everyone's height measurement. They say it's because of the height of the spikes, but I heard this for the first time after three years. There is absolutely no communication regarding this."

He continued, "When I step into the batter's box, I dig into the ground to stabilize my lower body. If that is raised by 3cm, what happens? Shouldn't the pitcher's mound be lowered in stadiums where it's high and raised where it's low? There's been no communication on this at all for three years. It doesn't make sense that many players are hearing this for the first time now." He expressed his frustration, saying, "At a stadium like Pohang, if you dig into the ground with your spikes, you almost reach the bottom. Then you step into the batter's box with your height reduced even more. How can you hit the ball in that situation?"

Of course, players may not fully agree with the fans' argument that "even so, it's applied fairly to both teams." This is not to say that ABS is fundamentally flawed. Park Min-woo clarified, "I am not saying not to use ABS or expressing dissatisfaction with it. It is applied equally to both teams, and it's a very good system. However, since players are the ones playing the game, when such suggestions arise, I want the KBO to listen, share them with the players, and show a willingness to improve in a better direction."

Players unanimously state that the ABS strike zone varies by stadium, but the KBO claims otherwise. There is a gap in understanding that cannot be easily bridged, and it is suggested that a more scientific approach could be attempted. The KBO utilizes ABS based on the Pitch Tracking System (PTS), which measures using fixed cameras at the stadium. In contrast, Major League Baseball uses a Hawk-Eye system, which is similar but employs high-speed cameras with superior resolution. This can be considered a more advanced technology.

Park Min-woo emphasized, "They are using cameras that are decades old. The KBO is a national sport, and we are in an era with 12 million spectators. If increased attendance leads to higher revenue, I want to see efforts to invest in such technology like in the U.S. There is no such effort; they just say 'it's the same.' From the players' perspective, this is frustrating. I am absolutely not saying not to use it. I am simply saying that the KBO should communicate with the players, listen to information about what is wrong, and share it. If they did that, who would be complaining?"

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*This content was translated by AI.