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'Robot umpire' used by all-stars

YORK — “Robot umpires” have arrived.

The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional baseball league to let a computer call balls and strikes Wednesday night at its All-Star Game. Plate umpire Brian deBrauwere wore an earpiece connected to an iPhone in his pocket and relayed the call upon receiving it from a TrackMan computer system that uses Doppler radar.

He crouched in his normal position and signaled balls and strikes. He had no delay receiving the calls in the first inning.

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