Baseball Journal: Replay

Meanwhile, the MLB is again contemplating enhanced replays because of a couple of blown calls (one of which was replayed, and the other was a rules issue). The game just doesn’t move slowly enough. The pace of the game doesn't scare off enough sports fans from trying baseball. Something must be done!

My main issue is that whatever system MLB comes up with will almost certainly be badly implemented, will slow down the game, and still won’t get calls right. How do I know this? Three letters: NFL. Look, I’d like the calls to be right all the time too, but one of the few speedy aspects of baseball is the immediacy of an umpire’s call on a play.

What needs to be set up needs to be real-time where possible. We could have an electronic strike zone right now calling balls and strikes instantly, though unfortunately this was an item specifically excluded from replay talk. I’m slightly encouraged that the line-calling system they’re thinking of using is the same one that’s used in tennis. It’s quick and accurate and could be used real-time.

Safe or out calls are probably not going to be real-time at this point (maybe in the near future), much less trapped balls. I am against some prissy, flag-throwing procedure for the manager on close plays, if for no other reason than the inevitable gamesmanship that will follow. No, all questionable plays should be reviewed just to be fair, and it needs to be quick. I’m going to completely disregard the possibility of all the calls being made correctly, just correct the obvious bad ones. I think that’s the best system we can hope for.