Here’s an even more radical thought: how about just doing away with appeals altogether, and have Umpires make the calls when they see the violations? I’m not sure where this process came from in baseball and softball, but I believe they are the only two team sports where officials see violations, but can’t do a damn thing about them until the defense appeals? Why? And why only baserunning gaffes? Why don’t we allow for appeals by the offense when a fielder fails to tag a base or catch a sinking line drive?
There are no appeals in football when a player is guilty of being offsides or moving before the snap. There are no appeals in basketball when a player travels or steps on the line while touching the ball. A hockey or soccer player who is offsides gets penalized immediately, and not when a coach requests an appeal. If a runner can’t run the bases properly, why give him/her the free pass if the defense doesn’t catch it? Let us make the call right away. It would certainly speed up the game.
