The Lofton Out at Second

[DG]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

IMO, the aforementioned is not a good example because that type of play would be on the list of items that are not reviewable.

Not everything in PRO football is reviewable and the same would be true in baseball.

What will probably be indoctrinated into baseball as far as IR goes is on a HR vs. book rule double and whether or not the ball was fair/ Foul concerning a dinger. Also, if a fan interfered with a ball in play.

The type of play you refer to would not be reviewable.

Pete Booth

I am NOT a proponent of instant replay in baseball, but why wouldn't it be reviewable? There are numerous football judgement plays that are: were both feet in bound when the catch was made, was he juggling the ball as he went out of bounds, was his knee down when the ball came out of his hands, did the ball cross the plane, was the QB's hand going forward when the ball came out, and so on. There has to be irrefutable evidence to reverse the call on the field, and if that were applied to the call on Lofton it would very likely be reversed.

I think you are assuming that if baseball adopted an IR they would only review fair/foul and HR or not, judgement calls which are sometimes reversed after an umpire huddle. Why would safe or out be off limits?

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by DG

I am NOT a proponent of instant replay in baseball, but why wouldn't it be reviewable? There are numerous football judgement plays that are: were both feet in bound when the catch was made, was he juggling the ball as he went out of bounds, was his knee down when the ball came out of his hands, did the ball cross the plane, was the QB's hand going forward when the ball came out, and so on. There has to be irrefutable evidence to reverse the call on the field, and if that were applied to the call on Lofton it would very likely be reversed.

I think you are assuming that if baseball adopted an IR they would only review fair/foul and HR or not, judgement calls which are sometimes reversed after an umpire huddle. Why would safe or out be off limits?

Oh good, let's make sure the second baseman or shortstop has possession of the ball and contact with second base on every double play opportunity and that every slide into a tag has clear evidence that the tag, while waiting for the runner, actually touched the runner before he touched the bag.
And on any close play at first base, let's slow down the replays to make sure. And what about balls and strikes...let's go to Questech every time the manager says "Where was that pitch?"
What a wonderful six hour game we will have,.but, damn it, every call will be correct. Even the ones no one argued about.

[PeteBooth]

Why would safe or out be off limits?

[/QUOTE]

RE: Continuous action

In baseball "moves" are predicated on what the umpire calls.

Example:

Game tied bottom 9 runners at the corners.

Ground ball to F4 who attempts a tag on R1.

Let's freeze. The call by the umpire is now crucial because it will determine F4's next move.

Let's say U2 calls R1 Out on the tag and then F4 fires to F3 to complete the inning ending DP and we head for extra innings.

Now the play goes to the replay booth. There is indistibutable evidence that shows that F4 DID NOT TAG R1.

Now what?

Score the run - Game over
Put R2 on second return R3 to third - 2 outs

Suppose in the original play R3 was a slow runner and had the umpire not ruled R1 out on the tag, F4 would have fired to F2 and R3 would have been a dead duck

There are to many "what ifs" in baseball when there is continuous action.

That's why I say that baseball will most likely adopt IR but ONLY on a HR vs. Book rule double, Fair / Foul on a HR or Fan interference.

Why!

Because on those type plays the ball is Dead and can be fixable.

Pete Booth

[jimpiano]

RE: Continuous action

In baseball "moves" are predicated on what the umpire calls.

Example:

Game tied bottom 9 runners at the corners.

Ground ball to F4 who attempts a tag on R1.

Let's freeze. The call by the umpire is now crucial because it will determine F4's next move.

Let's say U2 calls R1 Out on the tag and then F4 fires to F3 to complete the inning ending DP and we head for extra innings.

Now the play goes to the replay booth. There is indistibutable evidence that shows that F4 DID NOT TAG R1.

Now what?

Score the run - Game over
Put R2 on second return R3 to third - 2 outs

Suppose in the original play R3 was a slow runner and had the umpire not ruled R1 out on the tag, F4 would have fired to F2 and R3 would have been a dead duck

There are to many "what ifs" in baseball when there is continuous action.

That's why I say that baseball will most likely adopt IR but ONLY on a HR vs. Book rule double, Fair / Foul on a HR or Fan interference.

Why!

Because on those type plays the ball is Dead and can be fixable.

Pete Booth[/QUOTE]

Excellent point.