SAN DIEGO -- Matt Waldron’s knuckleball is probably the Majors’ hardest pitch to catch. It also might be the hardest pitch for umpires to call.
And it’s a pretty darn good example of what ABS is for in the first place.
In the second inning of Waldron’s start against the Cubs on Wednesday, a 5-4 Padres loss, he threw a beautiful 0-1 knuckleball to Chicago's Miguel Amaya. The pitch danced and fluttered before crossing the plate just above the knees.
Amaya took the pitch. Padres catcher Luis Campusano couldn’t squeeze the pitch. Plate ump Mark Ripperger -- somewhat understandably -- called the pitch a ball.
Campusano seemed to know it was a strike instantly. But, with a runner on third base, he had to leap from his crouch to grab the baseball. It made for quite a visual. As he hopped to his feet, he also tapped the top of his helmet to signal for a challenge.
Sure enough: It was strike two. ABS showed the entire baseball was within the strike zone. But it’s also understandable why Ripperger made that call in the first place. The pitch was moving all over the place -- and ended up in the dirt.
“He’s got a tough job back there, for sure,” Waldron said.
Waldron is among the pitchers in the Padres' clubhouse most pleased with ABS. In no uncertain terms, he needs the bottom of the strike zone with his knuckleball. But when he throws it there, he doesn’t always get the call, because of the way the pitch moves and where it lands.
“[I need] the bottom third, fourth of the zone,” Waldron said. “Last thing I want to do is throw it high. [I’m] clipping the bottom of the zone. I didn’t know it was that far in the zone, but Campy was all over it.”
Long live the knuckleball! (And ABS is here to make sure the pitch gets its due.)