Major League Baseball reversed its long-standing opposition to instant replay and will allow umpires to check video on home run calls in series that start Thursday.
The start date comes nearly 10 months after general managers voted 25-5 to use the technology, and following MLB agreements with the unions for umpires and for players.
“I believe that the extraordinary technology that we now have merits the use of instant replay on a very limited basis,” commissioner Bud Selig said. “The system we have in place will ensure that the proper call is made on home run balls and will not cause a significant delay to the game.”
Three series are scheduled to start Thursday, with Philadelphia at the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota at Oakland and Texas at the Los Angeles Angels. For other games, replays will be available to umpires starting Friday.
I am concerned it may unduly extend the games–but let us see how it works in practice. Read it all.
On the other hand, it will give extra time to go get another beer without missing much.
I would far prefer they eliminated the DH.
Selig can try whatever gimmick he thinks of, but he isn’t going to get back the market that was lost to racing and football or the generation lost with night games.
You mean the games are not long enough already?
Is nothing sacred? Do this and we won’t be able to yell “kill the umpire”…..there will be no reason to do it in a perfectly called game. Sigh……
Yeah, I really don’t like the precedent that this is setting. Is this not how complete replay of everything begins?
“Just for close calls on the foul poll/goal line” turns into “We have to get every call right for the integrity of the game.”
I don’t like replay at all, it makes the refs/umps sloppy.