ESPN - The Future of Officiating

[D-Man]

I certainly don't fear replay but, especially in baseball, instant replay can make human umpires obsolete. If the technology exists to evaluate a strike zone, how far away are we from getting humans out of harm's way and calling pitches from the booth. Just about every catch/no catch, timing play, throw out (force or not), fair/foul, ball leving the park call, etc., can be more accurately be made with multiple cameras, split screens, zoom lenses, etc. Everything that makes umpiring so difficult (see Rosa Parks threads, et.al.) is exactly what can make it passe for the human umpire, on the field, at least. No more heart attacks on the field. No more broken wrists. No more contract negotiations.

Big Brother says it's a better way.

D