MLB to Exapnd Instant Replay in 2014 - UPDATE

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I like this article's take on it.

From the article:

"Schuerholz said that 89 percent of umpires’ calls — including apparently all safe/out calls — would be reviewable. The 11 percent of “unreviewable” plays includes balls and strikes and whether or not a pitch hit a batter."

Really? I wonder why that's untouchable as well? I vividly recall when Derek Jeter sold a HBP where replays clearly showed the ball hitting the knob of his bat. Why not allow a challenge for that? That's as much a potential game-changer as a missed pulled foot call at first base, which, like a HBP, may be tough to see even with replay (assuming that's the reason to not allow a challenge for that).

[UES]

Originally Posted by Manny A

From the article:

"Schuerholz said that 89 percent of umpires’ calls — including apparently all safe/out calls — would be reviewable. The 11 percent of “unreviewable” plays includes balls and strikes and whether or not a pitch hit a batter."

Really? I wonder why that's untouchable as well? I vividly recall when Derek Jeter sold a HBP where replays clearly showed the ball hitting the knob of his bat. Why not allow a challenge for that? That's as much a potential game-changer as a missed pulled foot call at first base, which, like a HBP, may be tough to see even with replay (assuming that's the reason to not allow a challenge for that).

I totally agree - why isn't HBP included? A few years back, Brandon Inge (playing on the Tigers) got grazed by a pitch with the bases loaded... it would have forced in the go-ahead run. The HP umpire did not see the ball barely nick Inge's jersey and replays showed that it should have been ruled a HBP. Tigers went on to lose the game in extra innings.