Written by: Andrew Wittry
It seems that on almost a daily basis there are blown calls in Major League
Baseball that leave fans wondering why there isn’t a system in place to
correct the missed or blown calls. The NFL has implemented instant replay,
coach’s challenges, and booth reviews. In the NBA, the officials can watch
game film over when assessing foul calls in order to make the right
decision. Clearly the technology is readily available but the league has
not put it into effect. It is certainly understandable that MLB officials
are skeptical of the impact instant replay would have on the game because
they do not want to make umpires obsolete. With modern technology, it would
be possible for technology to decide balls and strikes but this would be
detrimental to America’s game.
On Monday in the Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox game, one of these
game-changing blown calls occurred in the second inning with the score tied
at one. Tigers pitcher Doug Fister threw a pitch past the swinging bat of
Mike Aviles. Aviles claimed that it was a foul tip even though the home
plate umpire called it strike three. The home umpire asked the first base
umpire for his opinion and the call was changed to a foul tip. Aviles went
on to get an RBI single, followed by two more Boston Red Sox runs. Aviles’
strikeout would have ended the inning but instead propelled the BoSox to a
7-4 victory. Tigers manager Jim Leyland ended up getting tossed for arguing
the call later the game and he had a right to be mad. Aviles’ at-bat should
have ended and the third inning would have started with a 1-1 tie, not a
4-1 deficit for Detroit. This is just one of the numerous examples of blown
calls that drastically changed the flow of the game. The home plate umpire
made the correct call and the first base umpire overruled him and made the
wrong call. If an instant replay system were installed into the MLB, easy
calls such as this one would be ruled correctly and teams would not be
cheated of runs and outs by umpires.
Another recent blown call of note was even more egregious. First basemen
have a long history of pulling their foot off the bag to catch a ball
thrown by one of the infielders in order to get the call at first. Colorado
Rockies first baseman Todd Helton was at least two feet off the bag, yet
the umpire, Tim Welke, still called Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Jerry
Hairston out. And just think, if instant replay would have been implemented
in Major League Baseball two years ago, Armando Galarraga would not have
been robbed of his perfect game. Of course there would have to be limits to
how much instant replay would be used in professional baseball but there is
no reason why the MLB should not expand it beyond its current role of
judging whether potential homeruns made it over the outfield wall or not. A
good place to start for its first year would be for safe/out calls on the
basepaths, whether balls were caught on the fly or trapped by fielders,
check swings, and strike three calls. Over time, depending on how the
initial use of instant replay went, the MLB could expand the power of
replay. Similar to the NFL, managers could have one or two opportunities
each game to challenge certain rulings on the field. Major League Baseball
could add an additional umpire for each game to watch via television in one
of the clubhouses or the league could create new positions so that there
are people who watch every game at MLB headquarters, make their rulings,
and communicate them to the stadium to the umpires by phone call or
Internet. I’ll end with some food for thought from the BusinessInsider.com sports page, written by Cork Gaines:
"During a spot on the 'Mike and Mike in the Morning' radio show, Jayson
Stark of ESPN.com discussed how Major League Baseball plans to expand
instant replay.
And the level of expansion just might surprise you. Stark revealed that
expanded instant replay is coming when he was asked about the horrible call
that may have cost the Detroit Tigers a chance to beat the Boston Red Sox
yesterday."
Here are the details of what MLB is planning according to Stark (via ESPN
Radio):
A group of umpires will watch games from a central location. On plays that
are “clearly wrong” the group would then signal the umpires at the game and
let them know there is an obvious call that needs to be changed MLB hopes
to implement an introductory version of the system in 2013. The initial
system would only review home runs, whether a ball is fair or foul, and
whether or not a player caught a ball The system would then be expanded
“after a year or so” once the system is optimized. At that point, the
system would be expanded “to all sorts of calls.” However, Stark says
exactly what would be included would have to be negotiated.
There are two important points here. First is the use of umpires at the
central location. This is clearly a move to placate the umpires’ union, who
would likely be against expanding replay. By using umpires, MLB will be
increasing the number of umpiring jobs, something the union would have a
hard time turning down.
Also, the use of a central location will keep the game from being slowed
down too much. One person watching a monitor in New York will work much
faster than four umpires going into the clubhouse to review a play on a
monitor.
But the most important point is when Stark concluded by saying this system
“is being discussed, and is going to happen.”
Clearly the MLB is taking steps in the right direction but they still need
to work out many of the specific details for next season. Hopefully by this
time next year, the league has worked out the kinks in the new instant
replay system and fans won’t have to watch any more horrendous calls that
make them want to send their remote into the TV.
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