Aaron Boone on Robo Umps: Hoping for best after past reservations

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.There might not have been a more vocal opponent of the automated ball-strike system than Aaron Boone, who nonetheless knew this was a battle he would not win.Major League Baseball announced it would adopt the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system for next season — a system that Boone critiqued during spring training for several reasons, including its potential for continuous use throughout a game.

Teams will begin with two challenges, and all successful challenges will be retained.“It was inevitable that this was coming,” Boone said before clinching a postseason spot with a 3-2 win over the White Sox in The Bronx on Tuesday.“Hopefully it’s something that is a good thing for Major League Baseball.

Obviously throughout the year I’ve been a little not totally on board with it or exactly how it’s going to be implemented.“But it’s going to be here, and hopefully that’s a good thing.”It is possible that it will not be a good thing for the Yankees.Since the data began being tracked in 2018, Yankees catchers have been the best in the sport at converting borderline pitches into strikes.

They entered play with 82 Catcher Framing Runs, the most in the majors.Their ability to teach and develop catchers who are proficient in framing has resulted not just in effective receivers in The Bronx but a reputation that has turned many Yankees minor league catchers into trade bait.Being able to challenge balls and strikes will not make the technique irrelevant — only a fully automated, robot-ump system would do so.

But it might partially devalue a Yankees strength.“[The skill is] definitely not irrelevant.Does it change it a little? Maybe,” Boone said.

“I still think [with quality framing] you’re netting yourself a lot of things throughout the game.”Only the pitcher, catcher or batter will be able to ch...