MLB To Use Replay

[BBTV]

You don't change the rules during the season.

They are not exactly changing the rules, they are chaning the manner in which the game is officiated. It stinks for those teams that got screwed by bad calls earlier in the year, but I think the ultimate goal should be to get it right from here on out.

Agreed. Frankly, I think it's absurd that other calls aren't reviewable, and I hope that next season the replay system is expanded to cover all close plays (provided they could do it in a way that doesn't slow the game down even more.)

Honestly, MLB umpires are the biggest babies of any pro sports officiating team. They won't even allow replays of pitches, or close plays to be shown on the big screens during games because they're afraid of looking like fools.

Baseball is also the only major sport that requires its officials to make split-second decisions without the benefit of replay to overturn them. Anyone can be second-guessed when viewing a slow-motion replay from a different angle. But you try it and see what your percentage is on getting it right the first time. I've been working as a baseball umpire for over 15 years and it's not as easy as armchair fans think it is.

I'm not saying it's easy at all. If anything, allowing video board replays at the game will show the fans how many of these close calls that they're getting right! So they could get booed all game by fans upset that they're screwing their team, or they could allow the scoreboards to replay the plays and shut the fans up.

Hockey ref's don't ret replay when calling penalties, yet the plays are played back on the score boards. Same with basketball.

[slapshot]

You don't change the rules during the season.

They are not exactly changing the rules, they are chaning the manner in which the game is officiated. It stinks for those teams that got screwed by bad calls earlier in the year, but I think the ultimate goal should be to get it right from here on out.

Agreed. Frankly, I think it's absurd that other calls aren't reviewable, and I hope that next season the replay system is expanded to cover all close plays (provided they could do it in a way that doesn't slow the game down even more.)

Honestly, MLB umpires are the biggest babies of any pro sports officiating team. They won't even allow replays of pitches, or close plays to be shown on the big screens during games because they're afraid of looking like fools.

Baseball is also the only major sport that requires its officials to make split-second decisions without the benefit of replay to overturn them. Anyone can be second-guessed when viewing a slow-motion replay from a different angle. But you try it and see what your percentage is on getting it right the first time. I've been working as a baseball umpire for over 15 years and it's not as easy as armchair fans think it is.

I'm not saying it's easy at all. If anything, allowing video board replays at the game will show the fans how many of these close calls that they're getting right! So they could get booed all game by fans upset that they're screwing their team, or they could allow the scoreboards to replay the plays and shut the fans up.

Hockey ref's don't ret replay when calling penalties, yet the plays are played back on the score boards. Same with basketball.

But neither hockey nor basketball have situations that require a split-second decision by the officials. The closest thing in basketball is a shot before time expires, and that is reviewable. Maybe determining possession when a ball goes out-of-bounds, or if a player's foot is on the line or not. In hockey, it's whether a goal is scored or not.

Baseball is unique in that split-second decisions can be potentially made on every play without the benefit of a replay. The umpires are pretty much correct at least 95% of the time. But it's the 5% that causes all the grief.

[averyj]

You don't change the rules during the season.

They are not exactly changing the rules, they are chaning the manner in which the game is officiated. It stinks for those teams that got screwed by bad calls earlier in the year, but I think the ultimate goal should be to get it right from here on out.

Agreed. Frankly, I think it's absurd that other calls aren't reviewable, and I hope that next season the replay system is expanded to cover all close plays (provided they could do it in a way that doesn't slow the game down even more.)

Honestly, MLB umpires are the biggest babies of any pro sports officiating team. They won't even allow replays of pitches, or close plays to be shown on the big screens during games because they're afraid of looking like fools.

Baseball is also the only major sport that requires its officials to make split-second decisions without the benefit of replay to overturn them. Anyone can be second-guessed when viewing a slow-motion replay from a different angle. But you try it and see what your percentage is on getting it right the first time. I've been working as a baseball umpire for over 15 years and it's not as easy as armchair fans think it is.

I'm not saying it's easy at all. If anything, allowing video board replays at the game will show the fans how many of these close calls that they're getting right! So they could get booed all game by fans upset that they're screwing their team, or they could allow the scoreboards to replay the plays and shut the fans up.

Hockey ref's don't ret replay when calling penalties, yet the plays are played back on the score boards. Same with basketball.

But neither hockey nor basketball have situations that require a split-second decision by the officials. The closest thing in basketball is a shot before time expires, and that is reviewable. Maybe determining possession when a ball goes out-of-bounds, or if a player's foot is on the line or not. In hockey, it's whether a goal is scored or not.

Baseball is unique in that split-second decisions can be potentially made on every play without the benefit of a replay. The umpires are pretty much correct at least 95% of the time. But it's the 5% that causes all the grief.

And also, 60% of the time, it works every time.

[Seadragon76]

The first thing I thought of when I heard this was...

'OMG! Freaking Selig is actually doing something right for a change!'

Let's see what happens when the first disputed call happens, then the fans can either say it's good or bad for the game.

[njmeadowlanders]

Frankly, I think it's absurd that other calls aren't reviewable, and I hope that next season the replay system is expanded to cover all close plays (provided they could do it in a way that doesn't slow the game down even more.)

Give managers one challenge, and cap the maximum amount of time spent on the replay at 90 seconds. (It would also help to ENFORCE it, like the NFL is "supposed to"). A manager could spend 90 seconds out there arguing and whatnot anyway, so it's not that big a deal.

...and I'd make anything fair game except balls and strikes. This could include traps, missing a base, safe/out on a force, missed tag, out of the baseline, balks, whatever...

--------OR---------

Like the NHL used to have off-ice officials (by the way, I noticed at Madison Square Garden they no longer even have the goal judge booths), have an off-field official who could buzz down to the umpire any time they deem it necessary (again, no balls/strikes). This signals to the crew chief that it's time for a review.

[BBTV]

You don't change the rules during the season.

They are not exactly changing the rules, they are chaning the manner in which the game is officiated. It stinks for those teams that got screwed by bad calls earlier in the year, but I think the ultimate goal should be to get it right from here on out.

Agreed. Frankly, I think it's absurd that other calls aren't reviewable, and I hope that next season the replay system is expanded to cover all close plays (provided they could do it in a way that doesn't slow the game down even more.)

Honestly, MLB umpires are the biggest babies of any pro sports officiating team. They won't even allow replays of pitches, or close plays to be shown on the big screens during games because they're afraid of looking like fools.

Baseball is also the only major sport that requires its officials to make split-second decisions without the benefit of replay to overturn them. Anyone can be second-guessed when viewing a slow-motion replay from a different angle. But you try it and see what your percentage is on getting it right the first time. I've been working as a baseball umpire for over 15 years and it's not as easy as armchair fans think it is.

I'm not saying it's easy at all. If anything, allowing video board replays at the game will show the fans how many of these close calls that they're getting right! So they could get booed all game by fans upset that they're screwing their team, or they could allow the scoreboards to replay the plays and shut the fans up.

Hockey ref's don't ret replay when calling penalties, yet the plays are played back on the score boards. Same with basketball.

But neither hockey nor basketball have situations that require a split-second decision by the officials. The closest thing in basketball is a shot before time expires, and that is reviewable. Maybe determining possession when a ball goes out-of-bounds, or if a player's foot is on the line or not. In hockey, it's whether a goal is scored or not.

Baseball is unique in that split-second decisions can be potentially made on every play without the benefit of a replay. The umpires are pretty much correct at least 95% of the time. But it's the 5% that causes all the grief.

You're probably right about the umps 95% rate, but I'd bet that the average dope fan probably thinks it's much lower (and of course after a close call that doesn't go your way, you usually think that it's 0%.) I think that if they showed the close plays, fans would see that the umps really aren't as bad as they think. Their desire to suppress the video just makes them look like they have something to hide.

[infrared41]

You're probably right about the umps 95% rate, but I'd bet that the average dope fan probably thinks it's much lower (and of course after a close call that doesn't go your way, you usually think that it's 0%.) I think that if they showed the close plays, fans would see that the umps really aren't as bad as they think. Their desire to suppress the video just makes them look like they have something to hide.

I read somewhere earlier this season that umps are actually about 98% correct. Not bad.

[Burning River]

I like this and I'm glad it's before the Past Season. YES... It should have been for the entire season, but... I'll take it.

I think the intent is to stick with th HR call. The ball parks have so many quirky fence heights and ground rules, it is necessary to see if something is a HR. Plus when a ball is hit high and wraps a foul/fair pole... It can be viewed incorrectly. I do not want it for the other calls of the game. I do not expect baseball to now go overboard with replay. This was the most glaring weakness of missed calls. No one is at fault. That's why I think it's OK to determine a HR call. I do wonder if replay will be used on line drive balls that LAND in the outfiled near the foul line. Are those going to be reviewable?

The NFL uses it for certain instances. Was it a catch? Was it a fumble?, and now... is it a FG? They do not use replay to determine if someone was holding or for pass interference. The refs still are part of the game.

The NBA uses it simply to determine if the shot was releases before the buzzer. They do not use replay to determine if it was a charge or a block. They don't replay to see if someone was traveling. The referees are still part of the game. Ahem.. maybe TOO MUCH so!!

The NHL uses it to ONLY determine if it is a goal or not. The refs still manage the game as played.

I don't see this as a bad thing as long as they stick to only the HR calls.