Why MLB needs instant replay

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I agree that they need instant replay. However, it needs to happen after each game and then be applied accordingly. If they were to review during the game then baseball would go from barely bearable to excruciating (in length). I also feel that bad calls during games (of all sports) should result in outstanding fines against the referee's. I guarantee a $10000 fine for every bad call (I mean really bad, not questionable) would result in very few, if any, more and they would definitely be more on their toes.
 
No way! It would ruin baseball. That would change the record books more than having to list players who used steroids. Playing with the imperfections of umpires, managers, and players has always been at the core of the game. People want something that is unattainable: perfection. It won't happen, even with IR. The replay calls in the NFL aren't even right some of the time, and the gave suffers for it.
 
What happened to Galarraga could be "Exhibit A" in the challenge to MLB to come up with rules for the implementation of instant replay in game situations (they should be strict) and a date certain to start it. This was so egregious, it boggles the mind. I don't care how bad the ump "feels." Feelings have nothing to do with it. The fact is that the runner was out.

Technology does change things, and --- Galarraga pitched a perfect game.

Margaret
 
I could point to situations like this in almost every sport. Humans are fallible. Sport was developed with that in mind. Should we have instant replay in archery? Why not? There are times when rounds are lost because of human error in calculation of score, reading the but, and so on. What about basketball? There are more rule violations and bad calls in that sport, especially at the NBA level than probably any other. Let's impost it there first if we are going to make it something that must be done every time a bad call is made.
 
I'm in favor of instant replay in sports, so long as it can have minimal impact on the length of the game. Football is getting better at keeping the delay minimal.

A lot of people argue in favor of the "human element", but why is the human element so important? I get that you need it for subjective calls. That's understandable. But the rules in sports also require an objective element. Yes, you need a human to call fouls in basketball or penalties in football. But there's no subjectivity regarding a soccer ball crossing a goal line or a baseball reaching a glove before a foot reaches a base. It either happened or it didn't.

Tennis didn't incorporate lines judges because they wanted a "human element". They did so because that was the best way to determine an accurate call. Now we have a more accurate method.
 
No amount of instant replay is going to help the Tigers catch the Twins, Margaret. :lol:
 
My husband just told me there's a rule that the commissioner cannot overrule an umpire's call between the foul lines. So that's that. It was just, well, shocking; everyone in the stadium knew immediately that the call was a dreadful error. Too bad the homeplate ump's head wasn't screwed on straight last night; he's the only one who could have reversed it.

Galarraga himself has been a perfect gentleman about it. I understand that anyone who attends the game tonight at Comerica can sign a huge card congratulating him. in my opinion, the card, when everyone has signed it, should go to Galarraga first and then, right to Cooperstown.

Margaret

Edit: It appears that Galarraga is going to take the line-up card to the offending ump at the start of the game in a few minutes, and shake his hand.

Bottom line, of course: it's always better to be a perfect gentleman than it is to have pitched a statistically perfect game.
 
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Margaret, your 'Bottom Line' is spot on. I have a soft spot for the Tigers, although I am a dyed in the wool Cardinal's fan. My uncle was one of Tom Monaghan's attorneys with Dominos. They were pretty close at the time. I was privileged to watch some Tigers' games from some pretty incredible seats. :) I still have my 'Tiger Wave' towel. :)
 
I'm not advocating a "let's review every play" policy but one more like football. Give each team x amount of challenges and allow the ump's to call for a review if they believe there should be one. This allows for mistakes to be corrected yet doesn't stop the game every 5 minutes for a play review.
 
The umpire apologized and the players showed class in their response. That's cooler to me than a couple of guys whacking inanimate objects around a field. :) As for instant replays, I think they would be worth having if they didn't unnecessarily extend the length of a game. I have difficulty lasting an entire MLB game as it is.

---------- Post added at 10:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 AM ----------

Hey check this out:

Galarraga Gets a Corvette and more!
 
Calls like this are blown almost every game. Obviously the timing magnified it all. IR has been wrong in baseball thus far - the umps cant even use it for the limited situations they have now. Why do we think they'll apply it correctly on outs? And besides, let's say we had IR but make it slightly different. Let's say there were two outs and a baserunner was on 1st trying to go to 2nd and 3rd. If the "out" call is overturned, where do you put the baserunner a step or two between 2nd and 3rd? Do you give him the advancing base? Do you send him back?

I just think IR isn't working well in baseball as it is. I hate that the kid got robbed, but I don't know of a good way to fix it. And do we really want Bud Selig umpiring games? In a way I'm glad he kept out of this.
 
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