Well the time has finally come for replay technology to enter the major leagues. The voting is over and the contract agreements have been made. MLB’s general managers last year voted convincingly in favor of implementing the use of instant replay this year by a vote of 25 to 5. It was not long after that both the players union and umpires unions also agreed to start using intant replay this year with the stipulation that the unions retain the power to stop use of instant replay after this year if they so choose.
So MLB will have instant replay but only for certain types of disputed plays. Instant replay with a catch if you will. Commissioner Bud Selig has been very adimant about using instant replay on a very limited basis. The only plays that happen on the field that can be replayed are to determine disputed home run calls — fair or foul, in or out of the ballparkand fan interference that is it. No balls or strikes or safe or out calls those will be left to the human element of the umpires call stands.
As long as MLB can stick to these limited rules of when intstant replay can be used then this really will not effect the times of the games as they will always be too long anyway. You figure the time spent on the umpires huddling up to discuss a contreversial homerun could actually be less with instant replay in effect as long as there is a clear camera shot of course.
I think the MLB and the unions have crafted an intant replay rule that is fair and will hopefully eliminate those missed homerun calls or fan interfernce calls that have in recent history changed the end results of some games. I also read that in just this season alone there have already been 18 calls that would have qualified for an instant replay. Two such plays were home runs in eary may one by Carlos Delgado which was ruled a 3 run home run that should not have been in favor of the Mets and the other a home run by Alex Rodriguez which was a home run but ruled a double. Now these are just 2 examples for sure but if those plays were called correctly they would have changed the outcome of those games.
With that said as long as MLB keeps the replay rules set up the way they are now I as a hardcore old school fan would be willing to accept the use of instant replay in our beloved past time. Now let’s finish up the season and bring on the playoffs!
