Replay is coming! Replay is coming!
 

Per Supervisor Rich Rieker in a chat online:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3418530

...and here people said Balkin' Bob wasn't good for nuttin'. ;)

It is a dark day indeed. Baseball will no longer be the same once they go down this slippery slope. There goes 140 years of tradition down the dumper.

And another thing while I'm good and pis$ed...what is wrong with a good argument, anyway? Arguments between manager and umpire are some of the most entertaining parts of any baseball game. Without the chance of occasional rhubarbs, what's so fun about watching a ballgame anyhow? I think any introduction of replay to baseball really sucks. It's not like the other sports, it is played differently and officiated differently. The MLB is kowtowing to the demands of a few, and replay will only serve to undermine the authority of the umpire.

MLB has no choice but to use replays to decide disputed home runs since it stood idly by and let architects fashion Rube Goldberg inspired outfields and stands.

This is clearly a case where the fences and stands are so full of bends, nooks, crannies, and yellow lines that no human can be faulted for missing something now and then.

Frankly, I think a better solution would be to add two umpires to the existing crews which would give more guys a shot at the majors. But I guess that would be too expensive.

Fox wants to show a rerun of American Idol at 5:00, so that 2:30 game better run without any hitches.

You're one of those guys that goes to a ballgame with a book to read, aren't you.:rolleyes:

No, but I am one of those guys that loves to watch the umpires "work" more than the players (who merely "play"). And I also enjoy a good argument followed soon thereafter by a big ejection(s).

Hey Blue, you're missing a good game, even if you were/weren't assigned to this one.

No, wait. You can watch all the bangers/nut cutters on instant replay at home.

This is bad. Just bad.
 

Some traditions are worth keeping. This one (IR) is not worth the time I just took to write about it.

Crystal ball sees a work slow-down looming.

One could only hope.

Its the 21st century folks.
It seems pretty silly for a major league sport (baseball is the last major sport not to use replay) to continue allowing plays/calls to stand that are shown to be 100% incorrect by readily available technology. This is a multi billion dollar business we are talking about, not juniors little league game.
Every poll I've seen on the subject has players, coaches, fans, team officials and yes even major league umpires overwhelmingly for the instant replay of home run and fan interference calls..

What, and give up the tradition of being wrong? :rolleyes:

Seriously, though, nothing wrong with using IR for dead ball calls. My worry is mission creep: having invested the technology, baseball will feel called upon to use it, and then use it some more...

I agree with both of those points. And, baseball is last because the real impetus for change comes from gambling, and less is wagered on any individual baseball game than on football or basketball.

I agree with that totally. Yesterday in UNO and USM game in Baton Rouge regional had disputed call and U3 called foul but PU thought it hit pole etc.,

Ended up calling it fair. I don't know what is going on with U3 that they can't seem to get the angle to make the calls. I know its tough, but I"m thinking they are surprised by the hit and so many calls are easy that they just aren't really focused until its too late and then they haven't gotten into position to make the call.

Thanks
David

What 140 years of tradition

That Statement went "out the window" with the following:

1. Advent of DH
2. Lowering of pitching mound
3. Divisonal Playoff Format (BTW baseball is talking about adding another wild card team)
4. Inter-League Play
5. 6 / 7 innings being a Quality Start
6. Smaller Ball-parks

Forget about the so called Tradition of baseball

There will still be plenty of arguments

Pete Booth

You forgot about lights, artificial turf & domes/retractable roofs. Baseball was just fine without them. Maybe the uber-purists would like to see baseball go back to only day games.

As a mentor of mine once remarked, a tradition is partly constituted by disputes about what constitutes the tradition.

Okay, but it's still horsesh!t. Any more arguments?

I was speaking of the 140 years of tradition of NOT having replay in baseball, BTW.

The camera equipment back then was quite crappy...... :p

Yeah, those TV cameras in 1888 weren't HD!

That might be because there are so many MLB games on a daily basis than in any of the other sports, Bob.

As far as IR goes, I'm one of the staunchest traditionalists around, but I'm also a realist. Seeing something like 8 or more of these screwed up home run/foul/ground rule double calls in a 7-day span alone last month, I've come to accept, possible even advocate, the use of IR on a very limited basis, that being for these types of calls only.

"When I started, the game was played by nine tough competitors on grass, in graceful ball parks. But while I was trying to answer the daily Quiz-O-Gram on the exploding scoreboard, a revolution was taking place around me. By the time I finished, there were ten men on each side, the game was played indoors on plastic, and I had to spend half my time watching out for a man dressed in a chicken suit who kept trying to kiss me."

--Ron Luciano, MLB umpire 1968-1980

Hmmm....spend a bazillion dollars for instant replay cameras and equipment AND add one replay official at each site, or put another umpire under each foul pole. I'm for the working man - use 6-man crews!

JJ

That didn't seem to help Richie Garcia during the 1996 post-season when he blew the home run/spectator interference call in Yankee Stadium, John. ;)

I dispute that definition.

We could always go WAY back and put the umpire in a high chair in the stands!

Actually, we could put him in the high chair about 20 feet to the side as in the old days. Top hat and tails, beer in hand and a cigar to complete the ensemble!

Beer and cigar are old days? Oops, I better clean out my ball bag!

Maybe sooner than later
 

Just noted on ESPN.com that they are looking at replay for home runs for this postseason instead of waiting for next year.

Interesting poll where 23 percent say they want a challenge system ... ::(
Of course there is no way to implement something like that to baseball, but with today's society, who knows ...

Thansk
David