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What is a strike in baseball? Robots, rule book and umpires view it differently

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — The education of robot umpires has been complicated by an open secret in baseball for the past 150 years: The strike zone called on the field doesn’t match the one mapped out in the rule book.Before the Automated Ball-Strike System is ready for the major leagues, there has to be agreement on what a strike is.“You go in a rabbit hole where it might not be fair for some hitters,” Minnesota Twins star Carlos Correa said. “A pitcher has big curveballs that cross the zone and end up a ball, but the zone has it as a strike. I prefer the human element of things, but who knows, maybe they can perfect it at some point.”MLB started experimenting with robots calling balls and strikes in the independent Atlantic League in 2019 and used the computer at Low-A in 2021. A challenge system was tried last season at some minor league ballparks, in which a pitcher, batter or catcher had the right to appeal a human umpire’s decision to the computer. This year, ABS is being used at all Tri...

Stock market today: World shares are mostly higher ahead of an update on US inflation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mostly higher in Europe and Asia on Monday as investors waited for an update on U.S. inflation after the latest jobs data conveyed mixed signals about the state of the economy. Benchmarks rose in Paris, London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Tokyo and Sydney declined. U.S. futures and oil prices also fell. U.S. consumer prices for June are due out on Wednesday, with forecasts calling for an annual increase of just over 3% compared with 4% the month before. Germany’s DAX gained 0.3% early Monday to 15,645.48, while the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.4% to 7,138.87. Britain’s FTSE 100 inched 0.2% higher to 7,268.25. The future for the S&P 500 was down 0.2% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged less than 0.1% lower. On Friday, the S&P 500 lost 0.3% while the Dow gave up 0.6%. The Nasdaq composite edged 0.1% lower and the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks rose 1.2%. China reported Monday that producer prices fell 5.4% in June...

Syrian Kurdish fighters kill at least 5 Turkey-backed gunmen in nighttime attack, activists say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian Kurdish fighters carried out an attack early Monday in northern Syria, killing at least five members of Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces, activists said.The attack south of the northern town of Afrin, which is held by the Turkey-backed forces, took place shortly after midnight on Sunday, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.The Observatory, an opposition war monitor, said the attack was carried out by the Afrin Liberation Forces, a Kurdish faction allied with the main Kurdish militia in Syria known as the People’s Protection Units or YPG. The group has claimed scores of attacks against Turkey-backed Syrian fighters.Syria-based opposition activist Taher al-Omar said the attack took place about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Afrin. According to al-Omar, five members of the Turkey-backed faction Failaq al-Sham were killed. The Observatory said six died, but different tolls are not uncommon in the immediate aftermath of such at...

Summertime sizzle all week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Today will be our 19th triple digit day of the year... with tomorrow expected to be our 20th.. Wednesday our 21st... Thursday our 22nd... (catch our drift here?)A strong and stubborn high pressure system centered to our west will control our weather pattern for next 7+ days. High heat and humidity will be the main focus this week as afternoon highs exceed 100° and heat index values reach up to 112° daily.Heat Advisory in effect for most of Central Texas 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. MondayRain chances remain slim to none today and tomorrow as our only hope for rain comes in the form of a few stray storms drifting in our direction later this evening. Majority of the storms and showers will stay to our north and west, but a few isolated storms may hold together just long enough to reach our northern counties. Little to no impacts expected.Low chance for a stray storm in our northern counties Monday eveningOutside of a 10% rain chance today and Tuesday, mostly to partly sunny skies...

Stillwater developer wants horse farm annexed to Bayport for ‘green’ housing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

A Stillwater development company known for its energy-efficient designs wants to build 46 single-family houses on a horse farm in Baytown Township, and they want the development to have a Bayport address.Green Halo Builds is proposing to build a planned-unit development on 26 acres of land near Barker’s Alps Park in Bayport. Company officials are in the process of having the land annexed into the city in order to provide the development with city water and sewer and zoning options that are not allowed in the township.The development, called EcoHaven, would be Green Halo Builds’ biggest project to date, said John Sharkey, the company’s CEO. The company is an “eco-friendly” builder, and each of the proposed 2,600-square-foot houses would be highly energy efficient, according to Sharkey.John Sharkey. CEO of Green Halo Builds, based in Stillwater. (Courtesy of Green Halo Builds)“We’re committed to building environmentally sustainable homes achieving ‘net-zero’ energy use – or as close t...

GasBuddy: Avg. Albany prices fall 1.1 cents in last week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Average gasoline prices in Albany have fallen 1.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.69/g Monday, according to GasBuddy's survey of 546 stations in Albany. Prices in Albany are 1.7 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 105.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 1.3 cents in the last week and stands at $3.79 per gallon. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Albany was priced at $3.39/g on Sunday while the most expensive was $3.99/g, a difference of 60.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state Sunday was $2.95/g while the highest was $4.69/g, a difference of $1.74/g.The national average price of gasoline is unchanged in the last week, averaging $3.50/g Monday. The national average is down 8.4 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 116.7 cents per gallon lower...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: My Old-School Coworker Isn't Being PC-Should I Tell Him?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Maddie and it's about a coworker. Here's her email: Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I'm having an issue at work, and I hope you and your dilemma can help. I got a new job and one of my coworkers is an older gentleman who has worked for the company for like 40 years. He kind of reminds me of my grandfather and I know he doesn’t mean any harm, but he says the most inappropriate things all the time. It makes me a little uncomfortable and I know I’m not the only one. I feel like it’s only a matter of time before he gets himself fired for saying something to a coworker who doesn’t know he’s only kidding. I would love to protect him from that, but I don’t know how to approach the subject. Should I just mind my own business or try and help him see that he has to censor himself if he wants to continue working here? Thanks so much.MaddieWell, I guess I woul...

Firefighters respond to fire at Haney's Automotive in Mechanicville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

MECHANICVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Mechanicville firefighters and police responded to Haney's Automotive on S. Central Avenue for a reported structure fire around 4 p.m. on Sunday. Police say the building was unoccupied at the time. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police say crews found heavy fire in and around the structure on arrival. It is believed the fire started due to a lightning strike. Responding crews dealt with downed live wires and propane tanks engulfed in flames. Other mutual aid fire companies were called to assist, including the Saratoga County Fire Investigations team.

Tyreek Hill hosts football and speed camp

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Tyreek Hill gave back to the Capital Region community by hosting his 12th annual youth football and speed camp in Colonie Sunday. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The seven-time pro-bowl receiver and Super Bowl champion gave campers a chance to show their athletic ability, learn about the game of football, and ask Hill questions about what it takes to get to the pro level." We all were kids once, and we had our role models, but it's never been a moment in your life that you actually had your role model come out and teach you about the game of football, so it's fun for me, Hill said. "I'm enjoying this environment a lot. This is our 12th camp that we've done, and so far, so good right now, and this has probably been the best one."Hill is entering his second season with the Miami Dolphins, who will start the 2023 season against the Los Angeles Chargers.

NFL player Jonathan Owens holds training camp for kids

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- A pro-football player from St. Louis gives back to the community. He's making sure area students are training right.Safety Jonathan Owens plays for the Green Bay Packers. The CBC alum made it to the NFL despite being undrafted. He offered a free football camp Sunday at his alma mater for youngsters from fifth grade to high school seniors.Owens has one other claim to fame. In April, he married gymnastics legend Simone Biles.