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Originally Posted by Interested Ump
"Listen to the sounds, watch no lips".
Clearly and my opinion is that one more play under instant replay/review would have been overturned. Three critical calls that had important and significant influence on the outcome.
Mr. Booth, MLB does not want instant replay. They have chosen specific technological implementations. Those decisions were affected because MLB believed them beneficial to their profitability.
MLB does not want its MLB umpires open to the type of scrutiny that instant replay/review will expose them. MLB umpires have proven time and time again that they are not ready to have professional standards publicly applied to their performances.
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Give it a rest.
MLB umpires are already under the microscope of instant replay and have been for 40 years....and need not apologize to anyone. The calls are nearly always correct.
And MLB already has the technology to make every call on the strike zone perfectly. It is currently used as a tool to make the strike zone more consistent among all umpires.
But, in the interest of never making a mistake, let's turn the game over to technology.
Let's start with the strike zone and have every ball not hit judged by the computer. A series of lights, red for strikes and green for balls, could flash around the diamond and the stadium so the players and the fans could keep track of the count. The plate umpire, no longer burdened by a protector, shin guards, padded shoes and a mask could stand opposite the swing pattern of the batter and watch for half swings, foul tips, hit batsmen, catcher interference, dropped balls by the catcher, etc. He would be close to cover plays at the plate, make sure the plate was clean, throw in new balls and make the necessary scorecard changes.
The same would hold true on the bases. Umpires would no longer need to worry about close plays, a tv replay will make the call. They still would be needed to watch out for obstruction, interference, call the infield fly rule, time the interval between innings, look out for balks, whether the pitcher went to his mouth, and so on.
This would mean MLB no longer needs seasoned veterans who spend 20 years in the minors. Think of the money it can save on salaries for arbiters who no longer have to hustle to get into position. Sure they have to be students of the rules, but Wal-Mart greeters can do that.
Who cares if a rash of close plays slows down the game, after all we want to make sure every call is dead on,right? If tv can't tell, flip a coin. Thoese types of plays always even out, right?
Besides, the time lost on reviewing close plays will be offset by no more of those disgusting arguments between a manager and an umpire.
Just think, under this arrangement Bruce Froemming could umpire for another 30 years.