Upon further review, I’ve decided that Major League Baseball’s braintrust – and I’m trusting that they don’t just share the same brain – made a wise choice by deciding to experiment with instant replay later this year. Getting the calls right is the right thing to do! 

Just don’t take all night doing it. 

Baseball doesn’t need anymore 3 ½ hour games. It doesn’t need the plate umpire halting play, walking to a monitor beside one of the dugouts and spending 20 minutes with his head underneath a cloth, deciding whether Freddie Bynum’s foot came down on the bag before Derek Jeter’s throw arrived at first base. We don’t need to nurse our second beer and shell an entire bag of peanuts while waiting to find out whether Luke Scott checked his swing with two strikes. We don’t want our nacho cheese turning into spackle while waiting for a ruling on whether Brian Roberts touched second base before making his relay throw to first and completing a double play. 

We need to draw the line somewhere.  Otherwise, games will be held up while the crew chief counts how many times the bench coach scratched himself. And whether a steam of tobacco juice landed fair or foul. 

Chicks dig the long ball! They also dig it when the umpires get the call right. So limit the replays to disputed home runs.  

Did the ball clear the fence or didn’t it? (Ask A-Rod how important this one is). Did it stay fair or hook foul? 

And THAT’S IT! 

Start with the Arizona Fall League. If it doesn’t crumble into a mess like those nacho chips the first time a play is reviewed, continue using replay at the World Baseball Classic. Give it a whirl in spring training. 

What’s the worst that can happen? A few umpires walk away with hurt feelings because their mistake stands out as if it’s covered in yellow highlighter? They’ll get over it. 

Or maybe they’d prefer having their blown call shown 30 times a day on SportsCenter?  

Would YOU? 

But please, stick to home runs and nothing else - unless somebody can overturn Jeffrey Loria’s decision to dismantle the Florida Marlins after the 1997 World Series. Or reverse Jeffrey Maier’s decision to attend Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS, and force him to stay in his bedroom and do his homework.   

Now THAT would be an experiment worth implementing! 

Posted on Friday, May 23rd, 2008 at 11:50 am.
Categories: Uncategorized.
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