Major League Baseball wants to implement instant replay by Aug. 1, according to two high-ranking officials from the World Umpires Association. The MLB approached the umpires Wednesday and requested that replay be used on "boundary calls" (whether or not a home run clears an outfield wall or if a potential home run is fair or foul) MLB spokesman Rich Levin said Nothing has been decided yet. The issue must be bargained between the two sides and details such as whether replays would be originated by umpires or from a manager's request or challenge, what video feeds would be available and whether calls would be made by an umpire on site or at a central command center. General managers voted 25-5 during the winter meatings in November to ask MLB to use replay on the boundary calls. What do you guys think, replay or no replay?

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I am all for MLB adding instant replay to their games for so these "boundary calls." I just suspect that they are going to end up going to far with the instant replays, and will continue to add circumstances under which instant replay can be used. This would take away from the tradition of the game and the overall importance of the umpiring teams. As a Cubs fan, I have seen a foul ball called a home run win the game for our team earlier in the year. (I think it was at Wrigley against the Phillies and the Cubs ended up winning by one) Although any baseball fan would gladly accept this error in judgment, I can't even imagine how the Phillies fans felt after watching that one slip away in that way. A home run will just about as often as not change the dynamics of any given baseball game, and thus it is very important to have home run calls made accurately, no matter what it takes to do so. And as they say, all luck evens out eventually, so thats why I am all for the addition of instant replay.

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I heard about this somewhat, however, I think a major problem is being able to make a call quickly on instant replay. If you look at the NFL instant replay it could take up to 5 minutes to make a call, and on that note how long would you think a baseball game would last for? Most games last about 3 hours and in the last few years players have been hitting out homers left and right and so these games will last even longer if every homerun or foul ball is instant replayed. I would say limit the use of instant replay and only use it on very close calls or all baseball will need is one umpire and all he will be doing is calling balls or strikes.

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MLB Should and needed it a long time ago. but with this ruling. Home Runs Only. I have seen many a fair ball being called foul buy some blind umpire, or foul when it was fair. As for a call at the bases? That should be left to the Ump and the crew chife to decide on. Also I feel as All umpires should and need to be checked ever year making sure they are all up to date on where the strike zone really is. Some have such a small zone and yet others is as big as a house. To me that isnt fair at all.

When you have a player say he is 6'5 then the next batter up is say 5"7 That zone will have changed a mile. They should have 1 strike zone only to fit ALL players.

but back to the replay. Yes it is a great idea. As long as it is not abused in any way. Home Runs ONLY!

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In response to echo of thunder writing...
MLB Should and needed it a long time ago. but with this ruling. Home Runs Only. I have seen many a fair ball being called foul buy some blind umpire, or foul when it was fair. As for a call at the bases? That should be left to the Ump and the crew chife to decide on. Also I feel as All umpires should and need to be checked ever year making sure they are all up to date on where the strike zone really is. Some have such a small zone and yet others is as big as a house. To me that isnt fair at all.

When you have a player say he is 6'5 then the next batter up is say 5"7 That zone will have changed a mile. They should have 1 strike zone only to fit ALL players.

but back to the replay. Yes it is a great idea. As long as it is not abused in any way. Home Runs ONLY!

I think that most people agree that introducing the instant replay system for home runs is a good idea which can seemingly only do good to the game. However, i'm scared of the MLB adding more and more things to that list over the years (kind of like football has). I really think it would take away from baseball being as pure as it is if things such as calls on the bases being decided by an instant replay system and hope that day never comes.

 

 

 

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I agree that they should make sure to get the call right on whether they were out or safe and that general managers should be able to make the call. They want this to be the first step into implementing replays on whether a runner was safe or out or even to judge whether a pitch was a strike or a ball. I do not think that the strike zone should be put into question on replay but whether the ball was fair or foul, whether a runner was safe or out should probably be done. This will save a whole lot of arguing and save ejections of players. It also may be the change of a game. The All Star Game would have been 7 innings shorter had the replay shown Navarro getting under the tag for the American League making it a win in the standard 9 innings. I have seen many calls that favor another team, intentional or not. Managers certainly should not be able to argue every call because games would never end, I think a process like football with two chances and a possible third or an umpire call for replay would be good for baseball.

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Review the History of Instant replay on the wikipedia here , particularly the section on Ice Hockey (NHL). Only a Goal is reviewed to determine that it entered the net fully and was not an "illegal goal". ie: not kicked or directed in via a high stick. Similarly, in Baseball, use of the instant replay to decide whether the ball is fair or foul and did it actually cross the fence to be a Home run would be equal to the rules for instant replay used in Hockey.
Al NHL games are videos and reviewed for infractions occuring which are missed by the Referees, but only "major" penalties are acted upon. A 2 minute tripping call (or similar) can not be called.
Although it does slow the game somewhat, I think the guidelines used in Hockey are fair to both teams.

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i think in the playoffs managers should be able to challenge whether a player was safe or out because as we saw last year in the 1 game playoff between colorado and san diego, matt holliday never touched home plate but the rockies won and went all the way to the world series.

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Seems like a good idea, although teams and fans may seem to get agitated if it takes too long for the video umpires/instant replay to decide on a decision if its "too close" to call.

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I think it would be exciting to add instant replay in MLB which constitutes if it would be a HR or not. Thats the only thing it would relate to. Not throws to 1st, a ball/strike, or anything that would probably benefit from it.

If it is fan interference, it should just be given as a ground-rule double, IMO. That should be enough to bring the potential run home. Why ask for anything more?

I think offensively struggling teams, such as my dodgers , would fight as much as they can to add any runs that should be granted towards there way.

IMO though, Instant replay will delay the game EVEN MORE, and they should just leave it as it is.

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