GMs recommended using Instant Replay for boundary calls today...?

Question

Vote was 25-5. Thoughts?

Answer 1

I'm a big proponent of replay, as long as it's used on a limited basis. I think fair/foul calls are often difficult, especially on those low line drives where an ump often has to turn and be on the move as the ball gets out. Same goes for those borderline calls of fans reaching into the playing field.

The only limiter I'd like to see on these calls is that the umps have only a certain amount of time to review a play. Baseball games are long enough without this turning into the NFL's take-forever review policy. Overall, though, I'm completely behind this idea.

Answer 2

I wrote an article about this a while back. Here's a few lines from it regarding this issue.

"Bear in mind that the player’s association and Bud Selig (the Commissioner of MLB) have to approve this measure for it to become a reality......

"He (Selig) will obviously vote against it since he has been quoted as saying that he didn’t want the human element removed from the game. But what do you do when that human element has become so questionable that it becomes necessary to introduce technology such as QuesTec?.....

"Credibility and integrity is supposed to be the foundation on which umpiring is based. But is this the case any more? "

The only sport of the four majors that Instant Replay is used in is the NFL. The NHL only uses it to define if a goal has truly been scored or not. The NBA hasn't adopted it yet, but they are pushing for it there.

And quoting Ron Blum, AP Sports Writer, this appeared under the MLB tab at Yahoo Sports this morning (11/7),
"General managers recommended for the first time Tuesday that instant replay be used to help umpires on boundary calls -- whether potential home runs are fair or foul, whether balls go over fences or hit the tops and bounce back, and whether fans interfere with possible homers.

"The proposal was approved by a 25-5 vote. There was no specific time frame on when such a system might be put in place."

Hopefully this answers the question.




http://yahoo.com/sports

Answer 3

It's quite interesting that the Major League Baseball association wants to switch to instant replay. I don't like the idea, because it destroys the purpose of making mistakes. I know it sounds weird, but mistakes happen and it's what makes sports great.

Example: Bill Bucker, ground ball through the legs.

I also think this, because fans will realize that one play changed almost everything in the World Series.

Answer 4

I think that's not a bad idea, because it's not an every play thing so it won't really extend the game that much, but it will make it more accurate.