I never thought that I’d be in favor of expanding instant replay for baseball, especially in the sport’s most important games in the postseason. But then I never thought umpiring could get this bad.<\/p>\n
It’s time for baseball to seriously consider, and I would strongly suggest that it adopt, the use of instant replay for every postseason game.<\/p>\n
No, not on balls and strikes. But there should be an extra umpire in a TV booth who communicates with the chief ump on the field. And that extra ump should have the authority, if he deems it necessary, to review any close or controversial play.<\/p>\n
As a perfect illustration, in Game 3 of the World Series here on Saturday night, Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees hit a ball that was originally ruled a double off the top of the right field wall. For now, the only baseball plays that can have instant replay are just such “boundary calls.” The umps assembled, left the field, consulted replay and got the call correct — a two-run homer. But it took a few minutes. With a special-replay ump, the whole process might not have taken even one minute.<\/p>\n