Major League Baseball

Cats, dinosaurs, and robots: Our new baseball overlords have arrived

Published May. 16, 2014 2:45 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Erik Malinowski

We, as a baseball-loving society, are constantly clamoring for more automation and technology-led improvement in the game we cheer. But what happens when science actually catches up to the present? I'm talking, of course, about the impending robot baseball menace. 

Engineers at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland showed off a video this week of a ball-catching robot. Yes, this robot catches things in the air when you throw them at it.

No, seriously, Manny Machado should be looking over his shoulder right about now.

But not only that! It can also be used to knock projectiles out of the way. Think, say, like a hockey goalie.

And here it is holding a tennis racket. Better watch your back, Fed.

You really think there's nothing to worry about? Here's one of the engineers behind the project ... wearing a Yankees shirt. This puppy is clearly headed for the big leagues before long.

The whole demonstration is just downright terrifying.

The Ball-Catching Robot That Will Rule Our Nightmares wasn't the only pertinent non-human development in sports in recent days. Last week, a dinosaur threw out the first pitch before a San Diego Padres game. In Arizona, a ball-pitching robot did the same thing before a Diamondbacks game. Are you not terrified?

And a minor league team in Bakersfield, California, announced that Tara, the hero cat who saved a boy from a dog mauling, will be throwing (pawing?) out the first pitch at a Bakersfield Blaze game next week. 

The cat certainly has Billy Hamilton speed, but does Tara have Clayton Kershaw command? We'€™ll soon find out.

The fact is, baseball as we know it is under attack from forces on all sides. Cats, dinosaurs, robots -- it'€™s time to welcome our new overlords.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball