Baseball continues to modernize the game, and like it or not, the automatic ball-strike (ABS) challenge system is coming to the majors next season. The traditionalists are already busy with handwringing, but Cincinnati Reds fans may have reason to hope. ABS could actually make catcher Tyler Stephenson even more valuable to the team.
Stephenson is one of the worst pitch framers in the league. He hasn’t yet developed the skill of shifting a borderline pitch into the zone in order to draw a strike call, and his lack of ability in that area has cost the Reds eight defensive runs so far this season.