Expanding Instant Replay for Umpire Calls

Rejoice! Some people love the human elements (read: mistakes) of baseball calls. But I'm in favor of getting it right. Especially in a game that's already slow. Constantly stopping basketball takes something from the game. Constantly stopping baseball would feel normal. Congrats, MLB. You're getting it right.

I agree! I was watching a first base play in a Royals game last week. There is no way the umpire could see the ball and the first basemen's foot at the same time. The runner was called out but the replay showed the first baseman pulled his foot to catch the ball.

We were talking about replay for a play like that one.

The umpire at first base usually makes the close calls by listening to the first baseman catch the ball and the runner's spikes hitting the bag. Probably wasn't watching the first baseman's foot.

I used to umpire and I would try to get a full view of the play. In this case, the umpire was not in position to see the whole play because they use 3 umpires in the field and he was positioned behind first base.

The best view of that play would have been between the pitcher and first base. That is where the umpire would have been if there was just one umpire in the field.

Maybe MLB should just use one umpire.

I some cases it has advantages. But you have to be ready to move and the home plate umpire has to work.

B.S. Replay will be no more about "getting it right" in MLB than it is in NFL. It is about commercial air time.

Getting it right

More Getting it Right

Blahblahblah stupid replacement refs call. Yes, they still get it wrong sometimes WITH replay. And yes, it is better for advertising, etc. But if you don't believe instant replay helps officials get calls right, then you aren't paying attention.

The umps in Cleveland were not replacement anything. Regulars. I think it helps them get it right SOME of the time. You know when the rules allow it. Like if it is beyond a certain point on the clock and the coach is not out of challenges (because if a coach is out of challenges a wrong call stands....more getting it right...right) and the official blew his whistle before the play was dead and not after. Or when the ball hit the top of the wall but not if it hits a speaker on the ceiling in play and so forth.

Like I said it is not about getting it right. It is about getting it right some of the time but at other times the human element is "part of the game" but only part of the time mind you. Like I said it has nothing to do with "getting it right" Blah blah blah indeed.


More regular Refs and tell me again about replay getting it right....

I just don't really care about the few anecdotal instances you can pull out. Of course there are plenty of mistakes that happen, replay or not. But I believe that in a sport like baseball, more replay is good replay. It's about getting it right as often as possible. And there just is no argument against the accuracy that is provided by replay.