Play it Again, Ump

Jason Michael Barker

It's time for video instant replay in Major League Baseball.

Lest you think this is a knee-jerk reaction to Wednesday's ALCS game between the Red Sox and Yankees, let me assure you it's not. So why bring the subject up now? Because after Wednesday's Game One debacle the issue is fresh in the minds of baseball fans, and because what happened in the Bronx is perfect example of why replay is needed.

In case you missed it (although I don't see how you possibly could have), the Red Sox had Jose Offerman on first with no outs in the top of the tenth. John Valentin hit a grounder to third that was fielded by Scott Brosius, who threw down to Chuck Knoblauch at second.

Knoblauch dropped the ball, but umpire Rick Reed ruled that he actually made the catch, then lost the ball on the transfer to his throwing hand. Offerman was called out, and instead of having runners on first and second with no outs (and the heart of the order due up), the Red Sox were left with a runner on first with one out, and failed to score in the inning.

I saw the replay at least half a dozen times on TV, and not once did it appear Knoblauch ever had possession of the ball, not in slo-mo, not in real time. After the game, even Reed himself admitted he had made the wrong call. He said he felt bad about it, but I'm sure that's no consolation to the Red Sox or their fans.

Everybody knows it was the wrong call -- the fans, the teams, the umpires, Rick Reed, Bud Selig, baseball -- but nothing will ever come of it.

If Reed had been allowed to look at even one replay, he could have made the correct call. Would the Red Sox have scored a run? Possibly, but it's no guarantee. Would they have won the game? We can't say that either, but at least they would have had a fair shot at it instead of being robbed of an out and a runner.

Now, I'm not saying there should be replay all the time. It wouldn't be horrible if it was, but at first it should be used in the post-season. Playoff games feature an additional umpire down each foul line. Why? Because the games are more important, and MLB wants to make sure the correct calls are made. By the same token, adding video replay would make absolutely certain the correct calls are made.

Further, replay should only govern certain aspects of the game: home runs (remember young Jeffrey Mayer in New York a few years ago?), fair/foul calls, close plays at the plate or bases, and ball possession issues such as last night's incident and the classic case of outfielders "trapping" the ball instead of catching it. Less common disputes such as whether or not a runner touched second base on his way to third, or whether the runner left third base early on a tag-up would be included as well, but aren't nearly as important.

What's missing from that list? That's right -- balls and strikes. I do think you have to draw the line somewhere, and for me it's at balls and strikes. Over the course of the game and the season (and their careers), players become accustomed to the strikezone of particular umpires. To suddenly change that in the post-season seems wrong somehow, even though I'm sure there are those of you who would argue that umpires should be removed completely, leaving cameras and computers to decide all.

For all of you out there yelling, "But what about TRADITION?!" first lower your voice, then hear me out.

Tradition only takes you so far. There was a time when they only played day games. There was a time when the player didn't wear gloves, or batting helmets, or uniforms with numbers on them. Playing fields are a great deal better than they used to be. The American League has a designated hitter. Each league has three divisions, and a "Wild Card" team makes the playoffs without having won anything. Players are allowed to become free agents, and sign with whichever club they wish.

Point being? Traditions change, and yet through it all baseball has survived.

One concern about replay is that it would make the games longer and disrupt the flow of the game. It's not as if replay would be used every inning thereby adding a ton of time to the game, but if MLB is really concerned about the length of games (as they often pretend to be), I have a few ideas.

First, shorten the length of time between innings. Second, restrict the amount of time a reliever has to warm up when he first comes into the game -- he has been warming up in the bullpen, after all. Pitching changes do a great deal to disrupt the flow of a baseball game, and could be quickened fairly easily.

Getting back to replay, the time is right. The technology and the necessity are there, and I think more and more fans want it, too. Major League Baseball has a responsibility to its fans to present the best product possible, and when important calls are blown on prime-time stage, they aren't living up to that responsibility. Make it so, Mr. Selig.

about the author

If you're wondering how Jason Michael Barker would feel if MLB decided to install instant replay cameras in his bathroom, why don't you ask him at jmb@strikethree.com?