Jeter: Despite Strike Call, USA ‘Deserved To Go To The Finals’

Is the Automated Ball-Strike System coming to the next World Baseball Classic? In the aftermath of the controversial strike call in Sunday night’s semifinal between the United States and the Dominican Republic that sent Team USA to the WBC final, Baseball Hall of Famer and FOX Sports analyst Derek Jeter has a strong suspicion that ABS will be implemented in the next edition of the international baseball tournament. “You can pretty much guarantee they’re going to have the challenge system in place for the next WBC, right?” Jeter said. “You hate to end a game that way, but you give credit to the U.S. They not only pitched well, they hit the two home runs; they played great defense; the U.S. deserved to go to the finals.” With a runner on third and Fernando Tatis Jr. on deck, Geraldo Perdomo was called for a strike on a pitch that was seemingly well below the strike zone to end the game. Due to there being no ABS at this year’s World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Republic was unable to challenge. “If you call a strike on a 101-102 miles per hour pitch on top of the zone, you can’t go down there and call that pitch a strike also,” Baseball Hall of Famer and Dominican icon David Ortiz said. “You’re expanding the strike zone against batters facing a really good pitcher.” The Dominican Republic was held to just one run against the U.S. after scoring 14 runs entering Sunday’s semifinal. Their 15 runs at this year’s tournament are the most by a single team in World Baseball Classic history. “You just hate to end a game this big, with these types of consequences, on a pitch that’s not a strike,” World Series champion Alex Rodriguez said. Team USA will play the winner of Italy-Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday.