Baseball is a game played by human beings and officiated by human beings. It's a game of errors and imperfection. Of rough edges and managing expectations. Pitching, at once one of the most solitary endeavors in all of sports, also requires fostering a working relationship with the person calling balls and strikes. The job of establishing the canvas upon which to paint is sometimes messy, and never without some push and pull. Perhaps when the machines usurp yet more control and all decisions are outsourced to cold artificial intelligence, a uniform strike zone will change the sport for the better. But even if that concession is made — and it's a big one considering the lack of evidence to this point and the undeniable damage of eliminating the artistry and importance of the catcher —we will lose that fabric. And maybe it's not important to you. It is to me, and so many others who don't need a flawless and disconnected ecosystem in which to enjoy the game.

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