Jomboy on Robot Umps, Viral Breakdowns, and Baseball’s Future

“Baseball” has never been synonymous with “change.” But in recent years, Major League Baseball has transformed radically, and this season it has embraced technology via the ABS pitch-tracking system (also known as “robot umpires”). Has the experiment worked? Can baseball evolve in the 21st century without losing a piece of itself? Does the tech make the game less human? On this week’s “Galaxy Brain,” Charlie Warzel brings on Jimmy O’Brien, founder of Jomboy Media, to talk about baseball’s overhaul, how to become a lip-reading legend on YouTube, and why Americans love slow sports. This episode of "Galaxy Brain" was produced by Renee Klahr and engineered by Miguel Carrascal. Our theme is by Rob Smierciak. Claudine Ebeid is the executive producer of Atlantic audio, and Andrea Valdez is our managing editor. Audience survey: http://theatlantic.com/survey Subscribe to the “Galaxy Brain” newsletter: https://www.theatlantic.com/newslette... Subscribe to the “Galaxy Brain” podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Subscribe to the “Galaxy Brain” podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/542WHgd... Follow The Atlantic on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theatlantic... Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at https://accounts.theatlantic.com/prod... 00:00 Intro 03:02 Interview with Jomboy 05:32 Why MLB Implemented ABS 09:28 How ABS is Changing the Game 12:00 Umpires in the New Era 15:32 Do We Still Need Umps? 17:43 Did Baseball Get Boring? 20:34 Jomboy's Role in Modernizing Baseball 23:40 Breaking Down the Breakdowns 27:46 How Jomboy Picks Clips 29:29 Is Baseball In Danger of Losing Itself? 31:31 Mount Rushmore of Jomboy Videos 32:55 Closing Thoughts and Credits