Article about Little League and Instant Replay.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Rut how long was the delay?

and

What specifically was challeneged?

The delay was probably a couple of minutes I think. But the call was obviously correct on the umpire's part. This was a tag play at the plate where a runner was tagged out before getting the plate (tag was high).

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Also, do you see LL managers stalling to see if "someone" can assist them before making the challenge ala football? In the NFL one of the other coaches (most notably the guys in the upstairs booth) sometimes notifys the head Coach to challenge or they wait to see the play replayed on the Huge scoreboards.

Pete Booth

No this challenge was pretty cut and dry. The coach wanted to challenge the play because it would have had them take the lead in the game. And unless someone has some feed to figure this out before hand, I do not think that is possible to do. Not sure there is any allowance for video equipment to be available to the coaches or bench area. It went pretty smooth, but this as a very obvious call.

Peace

[Fittske]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Mark as I stated in another thread LL has sold their soul. IMO, MLB might be somewhat behind this idea. After all it was the LLWS that FIRST had IR before MLB adopted it.

It's actually the other way around. ESPN uses little league to put pressure on MLB to expand instant replay. MLB would rather keep instant replay out of the equation. This is another reason for the expanded coverage at the LL WS. The more games on TV, the better chance that ESPN can get that one play that puts pressure on MLB to give in.

[kylejt]

I'll bet if MLB sold it to the umpires by giving them 5 man crews, with one in the booth, it might fly. 20% of your games are in air conditioned comfort? Hmmmm.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Fittske

It's actually the other way around. ESPN uses little league to put pressure on MLB to expand instant replay. MLB would rather keep instant replay out of the equation. This is another reason for the expanded coverage at the LL WS. The more games on TV, the better chance that ESPN can get that one play that puts pressure on MLB to give in.

Wow, you've added a whole new meaning to the term, "thinking outside the box".

[Fittske]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

Wow, you've added a whole new meaning to the term, "thinking outside the box".

I wish it was thinking outside the box.... but this is true.

[jkumpire]

The LL talk is interesting, because as I looked on SportsCenter, they ran with the LL disputed call, then the next reported game was an MLB contest where Ed Hickcox double clutched a banger at 1st, out then safe. Yeah, he was too quick on the call, but he changed it and got it right.

ESPN would rather throw umpires under the bus for ratings in a kids game, just like they want to throw MLB umpires and other officials under the bus for ratings and controversy. So many years ago, when ESPN was just starting, it was such a great network; it was for sports junkies to see sports we didn't get to see, and even had programs where they taught people how to do certain things in sports.

Now it (ESPN) is a bigger circus than Barnum and Bailey, and not nearly as entertaining.