Umpires will be allowed to check video on home run calls starting Thursday after Major League Baseball, guardian of Americas most traditional sport, reversed its decades-long opposition to instant replay. Like everything else in life, there are times that you have to make an adjustment, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said following Tuesdays announcement. My opposition to unlimited instant replay is still very much in play. I really think that the game has prospered for well over a century now doing things the way we did it. The 74-year-old Selig, who described himself as old fashioned and an admirer of baseballs human element, softened his opposition following a rash of blown calls this year. For now, video will be used only on so-called boundary calls, such as determining whether fly balls went over the fence, whether potential home runs were fair or foul and whether there was fan interference on potential home runs. Any time you try to change something in baseball, its both emotional and difficult, Selig said. Theres been some concern that, well, if you start here, look what its going to lead to. Not as long as Im the commissioner. Source: NBC Sports
I'm looking forward to instant replay and its impact on the game! I'm actually more excited about this than I was when inter league play was introduced!
it was approved long ago, it was just about getting the procedure right and going through the process with the umpire union. This isn't just out of nowhere. anyway, it's about freaking time and it's only going to be used on homerun calls. Finally, baseball gets with the times.
This. It' not stupid at all to introduce it during the regular season. So you messed up some calls earlier in the year that can not be changed now, oh well. It's more important to get the calls right in the postseason than it is to be consistent. Well, to do that would not only take way too much time, but it would take away a big element of the game. Homerun calls are different, though. There is really no one in perfect position to determine whether a ball is fair or foul or hit the top of the fence or the wall behind the fence. For safe or out calls, you have an ump at each bag and the plate. Also, they're testing instant replay today in the Chicago-Pittsburgh game. Why not just start it today? And, I didn't know that Selig is 74. He doesn't look that old.
It's not being used for every call :icon_rolleyes: I was hoping the manager's would be able to "challenge" like they do in the NFL. I'm not excited it's for umpire use only. I believe I read its in full force tomorrow in all 15 games that are playing but I could be wrong.
Do you actually watch baseball games? So when a disputed homerun call occurs, the game just speeds up and moves twice as fast, right? No. The manager comes out and argues and a lot of times will stay out there until and after he gets ejected. Then if they overturn the call, you get the other manager out. All replay will add to the game is another minute or two at most. And that will only be for 1 every 10 games (which is a very generous number, it won't even be used that much). Did you hear Pinellas' comments about wanting to be able to throw a red flag? :icon_lol: I trust the umpires to use the replay at the right time. Any call that a manager is willing to challenge is probably inconclusive enough for the umpires to make a call to the war room.
I believe that it has to do with the replay people are in new york and the umps have to call in to new york to issue the replay. They want to make sure the crap works, lol
Umps agree to IR but, the stadiums still can't show controversial calls on their big screens? Makes perfect sense.
I read Pinellas' comments and I actually had this discussion about the use of flags before his comment was made with someone else on another board and I think it would avoid managers coming out & arguing plays with umps. I think down the road you'll see flags, or something similar being used. Completely agree with you on this!
I really don't see the need for flags. If a ball bounces back onto the field on what looks like a homerun ball, then you call for the replay. If a ball is hit (literally) right down the line and you're not 100% sure it is fair or foul, you call for the replay. IMO, managers having throwing flags would occur in either situations where they weren't needed because the play was going to be reviewed anyway or in a situation where looking at a replay is ridiculous and a waste of time. In football, you can punish a team for a bad challenge by taking away a timeout. There's really nothing you could do in baseball. It's goobered. Replays at the ballpark in general are goobered. At least at ours. Someone will crush an upper deck homerun in the 2nd inning that you'll want to see a replay of, but they won't show it. Then in the 4th inning, they'll show a replay of every routine ground out just so that you can know the replays are sponsored by Peanut Chews.
