REPLAY IS ON ITS WAY

[ajfreakz]

Replay is coming to Major League Baseball -- and supposedly sooner than previously thought.
Should MLB institute instant replay?
Yes, for all close calls
Yes, but only for home run calls
Yes, on a challenge system
No



Citing two high-ranking officials within the World Umpires Association, USA Today reported on its Web site Friday that MLB wants to equip itself with replay, for deciding disputed home run calls, by Aug. 1.

MLB presented the August date to umpires on Wednesday, for the purpose of using replay on "boundary calls" -- was a fence or wall cleared or was a ball fair or foul? -- for home runs.

The matter still must be bargained between MLB and WUA officials before replay's implementation.

"It's all premature," MLB spokesman Rich Levin told USA Today. "Nothing has been decided yet."

MLB has been making tentative plans to experiment with replay in the Arizona Fall League, a baseball official with knowledge of those discussions told ESPN.com recently. As recently as May 30, the time frame considered for launching replay at the major league level was next season.

The idea of replay has gained momentum after umpires botched several home run rulings on national TV in May.

At Yankee Stadium, umpires reversed their correct call and concluded a home run by the Mets' Carlos Delgado was foul.

The following night in Houston, umpires mistakenly ruled a ball off a center-field wall was in play, prompting a reconfiguration at Minute Maid Park the next day.

And, again at Yankee Stadium, a ball hit by Alex Rodriguez that struck a stairway beyond the outfield fence and bounced back into the outfield was ruled a double when it should have been a home run.

[$heriff Tom]

I am very anti-replay on the surface, but can sorta understand it, and certainly live with it- on the home run fair / foul thing. Its the only time I think it should even be considered.

[9]

This was inevitable with three blown home run calls within days of each other.

[ajfreakz]

it had to be done. as a credible sport things like getting the calls correct is KEY.

btw..

if it was shown that they in fact hit a homerun why doesn't the stat get changed such as an error can be changed to a hit or visa versa. why dont they do the something for plays like this..

i.e. Arod should in fact have 1 more homerun in his career total ...!!

[MSBNYY]

I don't remember the score of that game or how many runners were on base with ARod, but let's say the Yanks lost that game by 1 run, and ARod was stranded on second after that hit.

If you "fix the stat," do they have to replay that game from that point on?

What if they left the bases loaded with ARod on third that inning? Different batters bat, different situation.

So a blown call HAS to remain a blown call, at least for that purpose.

You COULD just add a HR, but given how many blown calls there were in history, it's hard to pick and choose. You could rewatch every game for as far back as there is footage and change the record books.

That said, I am very much in favor of the replay. With today's technology, it's better to get it right.

[$heriff Tom]

Will you guys stop being ridiculous. Changes like this are made for the FUTURE, not to dredge up or even fix the past. Whats done is done. Stop whining about games long gone by, every team in baseball has been through this crap. You want to go back and take away the Jeff Maier home run while we're at it?

Take a chill pill and recognize this for what it is, and move forward.