MLB Allegory: Applying Homeland Security Technology to Baseball

Homeland Security has been testing its Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) program, which is designed to "sense" and spot people who intend to commit a terrorist act.

DHS uses five remote sensors that measure heart and respiration rates, as well as remote eye trackers that measure pupils, position and gaze of eyes. High resolution video is used to analyze facial expressions and body movement.

Flash-forward to the 2014 World Series.

It is the two-time World Champion Chicago Cubs defending their title against the Boston Red Sox. Each team has won three games.

With the Cubs leading 1-0, the Red Sox are batting in the bottom of the ninth inning. There are two outs, the bases are loaded, and Alex Rodriguez is the batter.

Carlos Marmol, who tied the 1973 Oakland A's Darold Knowles by appearing in all seven Series games, peered in to get the signal from his catcher.

Red Sox runners led away from first, second and third as the crowd collectively held its breath, ready to experience the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat.

It was at that instant that Cubs manager Joe Girardi had been waiting for.

Under rules put in place after the 2011 season, the manager of each team could employ Homeland Security's Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) program once during a game. Red Sox manager Terry Francona had used it when the Cubs scored their run.

Girardi walked over to home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman, holding up his hands to indicate to Dreckman to stop play, which he did.

The five sensors used in FAST zeroed in on A-Rod, who looked a bit confused.

Remote eye trackers had been measuring the actions of A-Rods pupils, as well as the position and gaze of his eyes, as he prepared to see Marmol's first delivery.

From his computer on the bench, Girardi had interpreted the data and knew it was time to make his move.

He told Dreckman that he was exercising his use of FAST. The home plate umpire waved the other five umpires in, and they walked to the computer near the stands behind home plate.

Joe Girardi was putting the Cubs chances of winning the World Series in the hands of Homeland Security's technology. If the data measurements showed that A-Rod was likely to get a hit, the Red Sox would be World Champions, but if the data pointed to Marmol retiring A-Rod, the Cubs would win their third consecutive championship.

Almost everyone agreed that the technology improved the game by removing human error.

They pointed to the perfect game that Armando Gallagraga didn't get in 2010 when Jason Donald, who was clearly out, was ruled safe. The cited the Don Denkinger call in the 1985 World Series that allowed the Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals.

It is human to err.

There was, of course, a small minority of fans and media-types who opposed the technology, claiming that there was too much chance of error and that the humanity of the game was being lost, but they were summarily dismissed as "conspiracy theorists."

The stands were silent, except for a low buzz created by those trying to predict what would happen. Of course, as those who have ever gambled know, it is impossible to make valid predictions.

After what seemed like an eternity, especially to Girardi and Francona, the six umpires called the two managers over. Dreckman took a microphone, moved a few feet away from the managers, and announced the conclusion that FAST had reached.

The crowd let out a cheer as if it were a single person. Based on the data collected, the technology was certain that Alex Rodriguez would strike out. 

The Cubs were declared 2014 World Champions.

As the fans cheered wildly and the celebratory music blared, one little boy, who loved computers and was attending his first baseball game, innocently asked his mother about FAST.

She told him how it measured the batter's vital factors to reach a conclusion. It was almost never never wrong and of greater importance, no manager or player had ever challenged its decision.

The boy thought for a second before asking her if it were fair that A-Rod never got a chance to see a pitch. After all, he was the all-time home run leader, but the boy could see by reading the expression on his mother's face that he had disappointed her.

He apologized. "Mommy, I'm sorry I questioned those who know better than I do. I am learning that it is wrong to question authority."


Reference:

Homeland Security Testing Precrime Technology