How, if at all, should baseball integrate instant replay into the game?

Question

For some time now, there has been much debate as to the use of instant replay in baseball. Should Major League Baseball install instant replay? How should they do it; for everything or just certain things?

Give us your opinion; it counts.

Answer 1

The only reason Instant replay in baseball should EVER be allowed is for situations where no umpire is confident in their ability to make the correct call because they were blocked or otherwise distracted. This should also only apply to HR calls, Foul/Fair balls, and fan interference.

Answer 2

I'm not a big fan of instant replay in baseball. However I figure it is inevitable as it is the last major sport in the US without it. I would hope that it keep it' tradition based roots as with Soccer in Europe (which is also stubbornly refusing to put video replay in the sport). The most important rule for me would be to keep any judgement calls from the field inaccessible to review. Instant replay should be strictly objective when used.

The way the different sports use replay, as far as I understand it, varies quite a bit.

The NHL only uses it to determine if a goal was legally scored and the play is reviewed by the league office, not the officiating crew. There is some room for subjectivity though when it comes to determining if a player intentionally deflected a puck in with a skate. I think that is a mistake.

The NBA only checks replay to see if a shot was released before time ran out. I think they might also check the replay to see if a player made a shot clear of the 3 point line. Those are very objective and I have no issue with that use.

The NFL's use of replay is a mess in my opinion. It's a hodgepodge of objective and subjective calls that can be made while many objective plays cannot be reviewed. The NFL uses replay far too much in some cases and far too little in others.

Tennis uses instant replay - sort of - to see if a shot hits the line or goes over. However, all we see as the audience is a computer simulation and not the actual replay. It makes no sense to me. I can understand the desire to use replay but why doesn't tennis just use the actual replay?

When and if Major League Baseball uses replay I think a lot can be learned by the success and failures of other sports.

Baseball is already a long game so replay use needs to be minimal. Football games are about the same legnth but they only play once a week while baseball games are daily.

Also, are only a few lines in baseball that are strictly enforced (similar to the goal line in hockey) that would be objective calls: foul balls and home runs. In close calls, the umpires are generally not able to get in a good position or are too far away to always make a very accurate decision. But with plays at a particular base, the umpires are right there so even if the umpire makes the occasional bad call that should just be part of the game. In other words video replay should only be used to augment the presence of the umpires who can only cover a small percentage of a huge area and not be used to overrule them.

So if baseball is going to use replay, please limit it to just checking foul balls and home runs. And it should be reviewed automatically by a 5th umpire sitting in the press box rather than the league office. I don't want to see Lou Pinella heading out to the field to argue with an ump and then ask for a replay.

Answer 3

I go back to the the 85 world series game six when a not so close call put the go ahead run at the plate thus royals when force a game 7 and win the series at home. Being from Kansas City that was great but we are paying for it now with the worst team in baseball 3 years running. I think Americas past time should stay the way it is with a salary cap for reasons of my own lol. No there should not be instant replay in baseball the game is slow enough as it is and the times you need it are slim to none. Kepp baseball pure and get Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame

Answer 4

I'm really not a fan of instant replay for baseball. Take a look at how it affects an NFL game; the long delays to get the "right" call just seems too much. The games already take around 3 hours to play as it is now. I really think the everyday sport fan won't appreciate adding to that time. Think about weeknight games - starting at 7 or 7:30 would mean they wouldn't be over until around 11? That's not very family-oriented.

It's just my 2 cents, but I don't think the benefit outweighs the detriment.

Answer 5

I'm not in favor of IR, but I could live with it for calls at the outfield wall. It's the part of the playing field farthest from the umpires (even in the postseason with the two additional line umps), and such plays can be game-turning crucial. The technology exists and implementation would not be difficult.

I don't accept any rot about mistakes being part of the "human element" of the game. The umpires are not part of the game, they are part of the framework. When there is a vital call to be made that was 200 feet away from the closest ump, using a bit of replay to ensure the call is made correctly is a worthwhile endeavor. I'll trust them to get the call right when they're 10, 15, 20 feet away, and if replay at home shows they got it wrong, well, that's the way it is. But when the play is distant, a bit of technological assistance could be welcome.

Never, never, never for balls and strikes.

Answer 6

No way!
I love baseball with a passion, but there is too much dead time as it is. instant replays will only drag it out more.
Two things' 1. It's part of the game.
2. There are approx 225 to 250 pitches thrown in a ball game. Most calls are so obviously correct, but only a handful could becalled "close" and even with the replay the TV shows, look at how often it's "too close to tell. " All part of the game. Let it be.

Answer 7

There is only one situation that merits the need for instant replay in baseball... Home Runs.
If i read correctly in an article regarding this, owners, mangaers, and players are for this case of instant replay.
if we had instant replay for anything and everything, what's the use for the 4 guys out there actually calling a game???
human error happens...
if it goes down this line, what's next? we get virtual imaging K-Zones where there is not even the need for a plate umpire, it just shows up on the scoreboard??
Home Run Calling - YES
EVERYTHING, and i mean everything, ELSE - NO!!!

Answer 8

Baseball is already a sport that takes an extremely long time to play, if you bring instant replay you extend that time. No good for the game can be done by implementing replay.

Answer 9

NO WAY. If baseball adds instant replay it iwll become just like football with red flags being thrown and limited time outs for coaches to talk to umpires. I love seeing a coach/player get in the face of an umpire just because he wants to. Baseball is to great of a sport to add instant replay.

Answer 10

They should do it, but only for run scoring plays. In particular, for questionable HR calls, but run scoring plays in general. I think it could be used in other ways, like a coaches challenge in Football if a coach has a problem with a particular strike call, or a call on the field. But I am not sure how to regulate that. At least in football they can take away a time out if the challenge isn't upheld, but how can that be done in baseball? Add a strike to the batters count if the coaches challenge doesn't work out? That seems like an odd penalty. Maybe add an out, but that seems a little harsh. I don't think a system where there is a challenge on pitch calls would work. They have to let the ump be the ump on those calls, I think. But a coaches challenge on plays in the field could work well, and is somewhat needed.