Instant Replay coming to MLB?

[JTrea81]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3441886

Looks like we could see it in August for HR calls only. It's about time...

[KingCrim]

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus... Huzzah!

[MNAFETSC]

I'm not to thrilled about this, even though I am for replays for HR. I just feel the rules and regulations that applied on opening day should be followed throughout the season, and any changes should be made in the off season.

[Mark Carver]

I'm not to thrilled about this, even though I am for replays for HR. I just feel the rules and regulations that applied on opening day should be followed throughout the season, and any changes should be made in the off season.

I agree...

[Gurgi]

I'm not to thrilled about this, even though I am for replays for HR. I just feel the rules and regulations that applied on opening day should be followed throughout the season, and any changes should be made in the off season.

Must be they finally dont want any more Jeffery Maier moments. Oh the horror. I support instant replay for many reasons.

[orayole]

I don't understand how people can be for allowing ridiculous mistakes to be a part of the game that doesn't need to be.

[ElToro75]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3441886

Looks like we could see it in August for HR calls only. It's about time...

Ironic that there were a few games today with questionable calls on home runs and a trap/catch play too.

[ElToro75]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3441886

Looks like we could see it in August for HR calls only. It's about time...

Looks like it's getting closer now (Link)

Two baseball officials told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney that as of Thursday morning, instant replay was a done deal, with all of the issues with the union being settled, and replay will happen "soon."

Replays would be used only to determine whether a ball leaving the field is fair or foul, or whether it actually went over the fence. It would not be used on close plays on the bases, or to determine balls and strikes.

Would that mean that only fair/foul calls will be reviewed if it's a homerun and not balls hit down the line? Reminds me of the play from a week or so ago where Mora questioned the umpires call of a fair ball that looked like it actually hit in foul territory, but it didn't "leave the field". Would that type of play be reviewable?

Other tidbits from the story on:

Maple bats

Selig again voiced his concern about maple bats, which appear to shatter more often and more dangerously than ash bats. He said baseball has hired researchers at two universities to study the bats, but no action will be taken this season.

All-Star Rosters

Selig said All-Star rosters might be expanded by two pitchers to ensure that position players won't have to pitch if the game goes deep into extra innings. Both teams nearly ran out of pitchers during the American League's 15-inning win at Yankee Stadium in July.

Selig ruled out altering the rules to make an extra-inning All-Star Game end faster. At the Beijing Olympics, each team's at-bat in the 11th inning and beyond begins with runners on first and second.

[DrungoHazewood]

Looks like it's getting closer now (Link)

Would that mean that only fair/foul calls will be reviewed if it's a homerun and not balls hit down the line? Reminds me of the play from a week or so ago where Mora questioned the umpires call of a fair ball that looked like it actually hit in foul territory, but it didn't "leave the field". Would that type of play be reviewable?

Other tidbits from the story on:

Maple bats

All-Star Rosters

Great on the instant replay.

Hope they expand on the bat stuff and make some clear rules for minimum bat weight and diameter.

Really don't get the thinking with the All Star Game. This was supposed to be a way for the stars of the two leagues to get together and have some fun. Now it's a monstrosity with 40-man rosters, about seven different ways to get selected to the team, crazy manipulations by the managers to get 33 people in the game in nine innings, and it decides home field advantage in the playoffs. If I ruled the game for a day I'd decree that the teams be 25-man rosters, completely selected by the fans, it doesn't mean anything, and all ties after nine are settled by a Home Run Derby.

[66-70-83-??]

I don't understand how people can be for allowing ridiculous mistakes to be a part of the game that doesn't need to be.

Wow.

So the fix, IR on HR's, will fix one ridiculous call every 5 years or so.

This is only an issue because there were 2 missed calls this year.

Nevermind the fact that baseball from the word "play ball" is imperfect with each human umpire interpreting the strike zone slightly different.

But, by God, we will fix the once in a blue moon bad HR call. We can't have that kind of human mistake. But, we can live with bad judgement on fair/foul balls, whether or not a fielder trapped a ball, bad strike call, misinterpreting a rule by an ump, etc...... And those plays can impact a game every bit as much as a HR.

We have been through this argument before- be careful what you ask for.

There is no guarantee that this (IR on HR) will fix anything. You still have the matter of human judgement reviewing the IR and how/when/or if it will be used in the first place.

IR is unnecessary in MLB. Unless it is going to be used on EVERY play. Either get every play "right" or don't bother.

[ElToro75]

Wow.

So the fix, IR on HR's, will fix one ridiculous call every 5 years or so.

This is only an issue because there were 2 missed calls this year.

Nevermind the fact that baseball from the word "play ball" is imperfect with each human umpire interpreting the strike zone slightly different.

But, by God, we will fix the once in a blue moon bad HR call. We can't have that kind of human mistake. But, we can live with bad judgement on fair/foul balls, whether or not a fielder trapped a ball, bad strike call, misinterpreting a rule by an ump, etc...... And those plays can impact a game every bit as much as a HR.

We have been through this argument before- be careful what you ask for.

There is no guarantee that this (IR on HR) will fix anything. You still have the matter of human judgement reviewing the IR and how/when/or if it will be used in the first place.

IR is unnecessary in MLB. Unless it is going to be used on EVERY play. Either get every play "right" or don't bother.

Quite a bit of an exaggeration there don't you think? It's not like there is an official stat on botched homerun calls but I would have to guess that it's more like 2-5 per year maybe a few more. Not "one ridiculous call every 5 years or so" or "once in a blue moon".

True there is no guarantee, but I'd be willing to bet that the reviewed call (or RC since we abbreviating ) will be the right call a high percentage of the time with the IR. Remember, in IR they are looking at it in slow motion and probably still frames too...something that the umpires can't do currently. So yes there is "human judgment" reviewing the IR, but it's a judgement made while reviewing those images. Currently it's just several umpires huddling together asking each other what they saw, some of them from 300 feet away.

Even with all the technology that is available for IR, some calls will always be missed. Look at the NFL, NHL, and NBA (NCAA BB too I think) football, and hockey, basketball. They all use IR and sometimes calls get missed. Should they "not bother" because all the calls aren't "right"?

[66-70-83-??]

Quite a bit of an exaggeration there don't you think? It's not like there is an official stat on botched homerun calls but I would have to guess that it's more like 2-5 per year maybe a few more. Not "one ridiculous call every 5 years or so" or "once in a blue moon".

True there is no guarantee, but I'd be willing to bet that the reviewed call (or RC since we abbreviating ) will be the right call a high percentage of the time with the IR. Remember, in IR they are looking at it in slow motion and probably still frames too...something that the umpires can't do currently. So yes there is "human judgment" reviewing the IR, but it's a judgement made while reviewing those images. Currently it's just several umpires huddling together asking each other what they saw, some of them from 300 feet away.

Even with all the technology that is available for IR, some calls will always be missed. Look at the NFL, NHL, and NBA (NCAA BB too I think) football, and hockey, basketball. They all use IR and sometimes calls get missed. Should they "not bother" because all the calls aren't "right"?

An exaggeration? I don't know.

Other than 2 this year, I can only think of a few others.... that I can remember since I started watching baseball in the 60's. I am sure there are more than that, though. But, in the grand scheme of things- still a miniscule amount. And right now the HR calls are the only calls that it will be used on.

While I can argue this strongly all day- if MLB institutes it I won't lose any sleep over it. I just think it has the potential to create more problems than it solves. It depends on the details.

How is instant replay going to be used? Will it be only if the ump thinks he needs another look? Will a manager be able to request that the ump review it?

Instant replay, even with still frames, may not definitively give the ump the evidence he needs. It won't help with HR's hit high over foul poles.

My argument (and I know I am in the minority on this issue) is that both teams work under the same rules.

Those in favor of instant replay always say the goal is to "bet it right"- well then use it for every play, every call. Get them ALL right. And while we are at it use technology to establish a consistent strike zone for all hitters/pitchers.

I think the quality of officiating has steadily gone down hill in the NFL since instant replay. I heard one referee blaming it on instant replay. It took the edge off the referees. They subconsciously knew that they didn't have to get it right- the instant replay system would save them, if the coach was smart enough to use it. And they still don't get it "right" because the NFL made the use of instant replay a coaches strategic decision. If a coach is out of challenges (or if it is an unreviewable call, or under 2 minutes, or the whistle blew,etc ) a coach can conceivably watch bad call after bad call and not have the benefit of instant replay to help get it right. So, how has that changed the game for the better? There are still blown calls despite the technology to overturn them.

[ElToro75]

An exaggeration? I don't know.

Other than 2 this year, I can only think of a few others.... that I can remember since I started watching baseball in the 60's. I am sure there are more than that, though. But, in the grand scheme of things- still a miniscule amount. And right now the HR calls are the only calls that it will be used on.

While I can argue this strongly all day- if MLB institutes it I won't lose any sleep over it. I just think it has the potential to create more problems than it solves. It depends on the details.

How is instant replay going to be used? Will it be only if the ump thinks he needs another look? Will a manager be able to request that the ump review it?

Instant replay, even with still frames, may not definitively give the ump the evidence he needs. It won't help with HR's hit high over foul poles.

My argument (and I know I am in the minority on this issue) is that both teams work under the same rules.

Those in favor of instant replay always say the goal is to "bet it right"- well then use it for every play, every call. Get them ALL right. And while we are at it use technology to establish a consistent strike zone for all hitters/pitchers.

I think the quality of officiating has steadily gone down hill in the NFL since instant replay. I heard one referee blaming it on instant replay. It took the edge off the referees. They subconsciously knew that they didn't have to get it right- the instant replay system would save them, if the coach was smart enough to use it. And they still don't get it "right" because the NFL made the use of instant replay a coaches strategic decision. If a coach is out of challenges (or if it is an unreviewable call, or under 2 minutes, or the whistle blew,etc ) a coach can conceivably watch bad call after bad call and not have the benefit of instant replay to help get it right. So, how has that changed the game for the better? There are still blown calls despite the technology to overturn them.

There have certainly been more than "a few" since the 60's. I came up with more than a few just doing a google search for a few minutes, and only went back to '96. I'm sure that there are plenty of them since the 60's but many games weren't televised so who knows what the actual number is.

There have been at least four this year:

CLEVELAND -- Umpires botched another home run call Friday when Damien Beal missed a ball hit by Cleveland's Ben Francisco that cleared the fence in the sixth inning.

Earlier this week, umpires missed three other home runs.

On Sunday night, umpires at Yankee Stadium reversed a correct call and concluded an apparent home run by the Mets' Carlos Delgado was foul. On Monday night, umps in Houston mistakenly ruled a ball off a center-field wall was in play. And on Wednesday night, the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez lost a home run when umpires decided the ball hit the fence -- replays showed it glanced off a yellow staircase behind the fence.

Tony Walker, '03 ALCS

Remember Jeffrey Maier?

Rockies v Phillies '07 (also references 2 other botched HR calls from '07)

I would imagine that any disputed HR call (when a manager comes out to argue whether it was a HR or not) would be reviewed. And in this case, only home runs would be reviewed, at least that's what I got out of the latest article.

If your argument is that both teams play under the same rules, and always have, then why have any rules been changed? Both teams will still operate under the same rules, it's not like MLB is saying this is a rule for the home team only or something like that.

[YardBirds13]

How any Oriole fan can be against this is absurd to me.

If they had Instant Replay in 1996, we'd have come back to Baltimore up 2-0. Who knows what would have happened.

Let's get the calls right. Why people can accept imperfection on something that is incredibly easy to fix and doesn't disrupt the flow of the game is crazy to me.

[DrungoHazewood]

Wow.

So the fix, IR on HR's, will fix one ridiculous call every 5 years or so.

This is only an issue because there were 2 missed calls this year.

Nevermind the fact that baseball from the word "play ball" is imperfect with each human umpire interpreting the strike zone slightly different.

But, by God, we will fix the once in a blue moon bad HR call. We can't have that kind of human mistake. But, we can live with bad judgement on fair/foul balls, whether or not a fielder trapped a ball, bad strike call, misinterpreting a rule by an ump, etc...... And those plays can impact a game every bit as much as a HR.

We have been through this argument before- be careful what you ask for.

There is no guarantee that this (IR on HR) will fix anything. You still have the matter of human judgement reviewing the IR and how/when/or if it will be used in the first place.

IR is unnecessary in MLB. Unless it is going to be used on EVERY play. Either get every play "right" or don't bother.

Nice use of the "if you can't achieve perfection you might as well give up" defense, with a healthy dose of "human error is what makes baseball so great" thrown in for good measure.

I think baseball should go back to one umpire. Sure, that's a lot less accurate, and a lot of calls will be blown. But so what? That's part of the inherent beauty of the game, and it's what the game was intended to be by the pioneers of the sport anyway. Four or more umpires don't get every call right, so the league shouldn't bother with more than one.

This implementation of instant replay fixes obvious mistakes without unduly impacting the flow of the game. How anyone can be against that is beyond me.