Looks like instant replay is expanding

[trwi7]

Sure is fun watching the Little League World Series. On top of the great action, they are also using instant replay. The replays are not taking much time at all. It is unbelievable that they can have a seamless replay system for kids, but not for a multi-billion dollar empire like MLB.

 

The replay is great, the strikes being called at least a foot off the corner of home plate, not so much.

[olliegjw]

Too bad expanded replay is not in effect for tonight's game. If the Rays wind up losing, there will be plenty of controversy.

[trwi7]

That was like the infield fly in the Braves/Cardinals game last year, only worse.

[olliegjw]

I think the infield fly call was worse, but both are unacceptable with six umpires.

[jerichoholicninja]

What about the very first play of the game? Jennings was called out at second. Replay showed he was safe but he was called out because "the ball beat him to the bag" and the ump was in a bad position to see it. I would guess 25-30% of all tag plays are gotten wrong because the ump is in a bad spot or the ball beat the runner to the bag but he avoided the tag.

[brwrsfan]

I'm on board with replay but I already think it's going to be too much.

 

If they get it right, they get it back? Think about how many plays in baseball are bang/bang. The games are already plenty long enough, throw in challenges and replays and you could legitimately add 5-10 minutes or more to each game, depending on how long a replay challenge actually takes - and it could take awhile as in a play like tonight, not only do they have to review the call, but where the runners might have been. That's going to take time.

 

IMO, each team should get ONE challenge per game, period. Any run scoring plays or game ending plays should be subject to some sort of auto review, much like the NFL is handled. The games are just too long and this is going to make it way worse. Just my take.

[trwi7]

What about the very first play of the game? Jennings was called out at second. Replay showed he was safe but he was called out because "the ball beat him to the bag" and the ump was in a bad position to see it. I would guess 25-30% of all tag plays are gotten wrong because the ump is in a bad spot or the ball beat the runner to the bag but he avoided the tag.

 

I completely agree with the point on this but in this case, I think he was just barely out. Tag was applied just before his left hand hit the base. It's one of my pet peeves so I went back to watch it numerous times.

 

I'm on board with replay but I already think it's going to be too much.

 

If they get it right, they get it back? Think about how many plays in baseball are bang/bang. The games are already plenty long enough, throw in challenges and replays and you could legitimately add 5-10 minutes or more to each game, depending on how long a replay challenge actually takes - and it could take awhile as in a play like tonight, not only do they have to review the call, but where the runners might have been. That's going to take time.

 

IMO, each team should get ONE challenge per game, period. Any run scoring plays or game ending plays should be subject to some sort of auto review, much like the NFL is handled. The games are just too long and this is going to make it way worse. Just my take.

 

I just completely disagree with this. The right call should be made, period. So a game is 3 hours and 10 minutes instead of 3 hours? Big deal and a small price to pay for knowing the right call was made or at least looked at if there's no evidence to overturn it. The more replay, the better in my opinion.

[Baldkin]

They have to do it right, though.

 

Hire a 5th umpire who's in the booth. Or have a guy in NYC for all the games. Something. There is no reason that the on field ump needs to be the one making the final decision. I'd say the same thing about the NFL.

[brwrsfan]

What about the very first play of the game? Jennings was called out at second. Replay showed he was safe but he was called out because "the ball beat him to the bag" and the ump was in a bad position to see it. I would guess 25-30% of all tag plays are gotten wrong because the ump is in a bad spot or the ball beat the runner to the bag but he avoided the tag.

 

I completely agree with the point on this but in this case, I think he was just barely out. Tag was applied just before his left hand hit the base. It's one of my pet peeves so I went back to watch it numerous times.

 

I'm on board with replay but I already think it's going to be too much.

 

If they get it right, they get it back? Think about how many plays in baseball are bang/bang. The games are already plenty long enough, throw in challenges and replays and you could legitimately add 5-10 minutes or more to each game, depending on how long a replay challenge actually takes - and it could take awhile as in a play like tonight, not only do they have to review the call, but where the runners might have been. That's going to take time.

 

IMO, each team should get ONE challenge per game, period. Any run scoring plays or game ending plays should be subject to some sort of auto review, much like the NFL is handled. The games are just too long and this is going to make it way worse. Just my take.

 

I just completely disagree with this. The right call should be made, period. So a game is 3 hours and 10 minutes instead of 3 hours? Big deal and a small price to pay for knowing the right call was made or at least looked at if there's no evidence to overturn it. The more replay, the better in my opinion.

 

If it's an extra ten minutes, that's fine. But I just don't believe that will be the case. I think each challenge is going to take a minimum of 3-5 minutes. You could have as many as 6-8 or more in any one game. Granted, some games may have one or two and they may get the challenge wrong, but I think as a rule, it's going to take longer than 10 minutes per game to figure it out. Guess we'll find out. But there's a reason the NFL only allows limited challenges, even if they get them right. Length of game is important.

[trwi7]

For a call at 1st base or a call at home plate, how long does that take to see? We usually see it and can make a call on it in about a minute. The call in the play-in game last night on the trap takes less than a minute it was that obvious. The double play by Halton which he was called safe in takes less than a minute because it was that obvious.

 

I also think you're overestimating how many close plays there are in a game. I think the max would probably be around 5 and I think that may be pushing it and I really don't think the replay of all of those would be 3-5 minutes. I think it would be 1-2 minutes tops.

 

I still think they should have a 5th umpire in the press box of all the stadiums and when he looks at the replays and makes the decision the crew chief goes to the home dugout and gets a call on the phone on the decision.

[trwi7]

And again, obvious call missed and the arguments are taking longer than the replay would to get the call right.

[Mass Haas]

Here's a very interesting audio snippet from an MLB Network Radio interview with former umpire Jim McKean.

 

Specifically he talks about the phantom play at second base on double plays, and when an umpire needs to use discretion and common sense to sometimes allow a middle infielder to avoid injury.

 

Will managers make use of instant replay to force the letter of the law on that call, thus forcing the likes of young productive talents like Jean Segura and Scooter Gennett to stand tight to the bag in every situation?

 

I agree that egregious calls should be reviewed and often overturned. Those that watch a lot of baseball know when the middle infielder oversteps the realistic boundary, but we can all agree it's a judgement call.

 

If we see increased injuries at the bag due to this, especially for the Brewers, of course, that'd be a shame.

[trwi7]

I can understand discretion being used on some plays if they're really close but may come off a split second early to avoid getting their legs taken out. Sometimes though a player is way off the base and still called out, those are the ones I have a problem with.

[logan82]

I think they may have to enforce the rules to the letter of the law with how they are going to implement replay. The better way to go, in my opinion, would be to do replay like in college football. Have an extra umpire in a booth.

[jerichoholicninja]

Here's a very interesting audio snippet from an MLB Network Radio interview with former umpire Jim McKean.

 

Specifically he talks about the phantom play at second base on double plays, and when an umpire needs to use discretion and common sense to sometimes allow a middle infielder to avoid injury.

 

Will managers make use of instant replay to force the letter of the law on that call, thus forcing the likes of young productive talents like Jean Segura and Scooter Gennett to stand tight to the bag in every situation?

 

I agree that egregious calls should be reviewed and often overturned. Those that watch a lot of baseball know when the middle infielder oversteps the realistic boundary, but we can all agree it's a judgement call.

 

If we see increased injuries at the bag due to this, especially for the Brewers, of course, that'd be a shame.

 

This is where I see huge problems. Managers are only given a limited amount of reviews and staying on the bag for a double play probably only happens on maybe 75% of turns, but they get the call 99% of the time. I'm wondering if it will be a gentleman's agreement between managers not to challenge that. Of course someone will challenge the play in a very important situation and feelings will be hurt and the like. I think MLB is about to open a whole box of problems it doesn't want to deal with.

 

I can't wait to see a baserunner slide into second and get called out and immediately start making the "pulling from his pants" motion because the fielder missed the bag.

[brwrsfan]

As somewhat critical of instant replay as I've been as I think they'll use it too much, is is an absolute must on scoring plays, especially in extra innings.

 

Cardinals just got an out at the plate, the ball beat the Dodger runner just ahead of a collision, Molina's glove (with ball in it), never gets within 8-10 inches of the runner, as the runner actually hit Molina's side and his arms and the glove went opposite the runner. It really wasn't close, the ump was right there, calls him out. He was in the perfect spot, looking right at it, and still calls him out. Molina's arm is not the same as the glove.

 

Clear as day to me on replay, just like it should have been to the umpire.

[TigerUppercut]

Not to be a smart aleck, but I called it in real time on my couch. Just amplifies the need for expanded replay. This game should be over.

[RightFieldCoder]

I think the plays at second will be a gentleman's agreement to not challenge unless it is horrendous. The same reason no manager ever complains about a back foot being out of the batter's box or a coach not being in their box. Every manager knows that their team does the same thing they don't want to bring it to the umpire's attention.

[jerichoholicninja]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb--with-replay-looming--could--neighborhood-play--be-a-thing-of-the-past--220641926.html

 

The "neighborhood play" is one of those things that makes sense only in baseball's vacuum of illogic.

 

Tackles my biggest problem with replay.