157 replies to this topic

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Better safe than sorry

http://espn.go.com/m...b-espn-magazine

I think the general consensus is we need more replay than just home runs, just about everything but balls and strikes. Fair or foul calls are the most obvious but also trapping balls. And as the article mentions maybe even stolen bases.

To me the toughest thing as the article mentions is how do you remedy calls that have been successfully challenged? Do you have ground rules in places that leave no wiggle room or do you leave that discretion to the umpire(s) or possibly an "eye in the sky." Just take something like a ball that goes over the third base bag and ends up in the corner, largely as a result of it being called a foul ball(the left fielder stopped trying for it). Do you give player first base or second base? And of course, I am not accounting for runners being on base, how do you determine if they would've scored?

No system, I don't care how much replay you put in place is perfect. I saw during a recent sporting event, people complaining, "if you are going to have replay and it doesn't have it, what's the point." The answer to that is it's better than the alternative of NOT having replay.

[Mackus]

We already use umpires discretion for so many calls in baseball. I don't have any problem with umpires being able to use replay to review almost any call, and then use their discretion (within certain guidelines/rules) to determine where to place runners afterwards.

Fair/foul, HR/2B/fan interference, catch/no-catch, safe/out tag, and safe/out force should all be reviewable, IMO. Ball/strike (incl. check swings), balks, infield-fly, tagged/left early, and interference/obstruction all should not be reviewable. I'm sure I'm forgetting some other scenarios, but that covers a majority of the calls.

[Mackus]

As far as how to actually implement the review, I think an umpire in the booth should be able to signal down that a call will be reviewed (or the on-field umps can ask him to review), determine himself if the call on the field is correct or not, and then the umpires on the field use their judgement to place runners if needed.

[Oriole85]

We already use umpires discretion for so many calls in baseball. I don't have any problem with umpires being able to use replay to review almost any call, and then use their discretion (within certain guidelines/rules) to determine where to place runners afterwards.

Fair/foul, HR/2B/fan interference, catch/no-catch, safe/out tag, and safe/out force should all be reviewable, IMO. Ball/strike (incl. check swings), balks, infield-fly, tagged/left early, and interference/obstruction all should not be reviewable. I'm sure I'm forgetting some other scenarios, but that covers a majority of the calls.

Yeah I pretty much agree, everything here, the only exception I could see is tagged/left early since you could have that split screen. To me the more of a judgment the call is, the less reviewable it is.

[RShack]

If they're gonna have more of it, they should have a 5th ump in the booth, rather than make the 4 on-field umps disappear under the stands to watch TV... any of the 5 umps should have the ability to signal for a review if they think what happened on the field is iffy...

All of which will increase MLB's ump costs by about 20%.... pocket change.... which is why they likely won't do it...

[mweb08]

If they're gonna have more of it, they should have a 5th ump in the booth, rather than make the 4 on-field umps disappear under the stands to watch TV... any of the 5 umps should have the ability to signal for a review if they think what happened on the field is iffy...

All of which will increase MLB's ump costs by about 20%.... pocket change.... which is why they likely won't do it...

Alert the authorities...We agree on something!

[Oriole85]

ESPN: MLB considering replay expansion

http://espn.go.com/m...-review-umpires

[Oriole85]

ESPN: GMs discuss replay, roster moves

http://espn.go.com/m...hanges-meetings

GMs also discussed altering the longtime rule allowing active rosters to expand from 25 to 40 from Sept. 1 through the rest of the regular season. Some teams have been reluctant to use the larger limit late in the season. They have cited not wanting to disrupt minor league teams in their playoffs, and those decisions have led to big league games in which teams have differing numbers of available players.

I go back and forth on this one, as Torre said in the article, you play with one set of rules all year, how fair is it to change those at the most critical time? Hardly any teams actually use 40, so it should be probably be narrowed atleast.

Also noted, it would have to be approved by MLBPA, which I can't see them in favor of less roster spots at the end of the year.

MLB senior vice president Dan Halem has said protective headgear for pitchers could be in place in the minor leagues for next season.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Proposed improvements overdue

http://espn.go.com/b...vements-overdue

The idea that a contender that has 40 players at their disposal might play an also-ran ballclub leaving players in Triple-A for their postseason or unwilling to call people up because they’re pinching pennies is unfair, and that sort of mismatch shouldn’t be allowed to affect a pennant race. Making sure everyone’s playing the game with same-size rosters is one of those bits of obviousness that is long overdue, but competitive balance has had to suffer in the meantime.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Sources: Replay in '13 unlikely

http://espn.go.com/m...013-sources-say

[Oriole85]

http://espn.go.com/m...-joe-torre-says

[DJ MC]

"I've always operated under the theory that if I get hit by a beer truck tomorrow, they'd have to find somebody," he said. "Somehow, some way they'll find somebody."

 

Christ.

[Mackus]

Good, get this going as soon as possible.  Technology is too good now to not use it quickly and efficiently to get as many calls right as possible.

[Matt]

Better late than never.

[SportsGuy]

http://espn.go.com/m...ideo-challenges

 

Woohoo!!!

[Oriole85]

ESPN: MLB to expand instant replay in 2014

 

http://espn.go.com/m...ideo-challenges

 

Managers will be allowed one challenge over the first six innings of games and two after the seventh inning until the end of the game. Calls that are challenged will be reviewed by a crew in MLB headquarters in New York City, which will make the final ruling.

Sounds like a use it or lose through six, so I could some managers challenging close plays in the sixth just for the hell of it if they haven't already done it.

 

 

RT @hankschulman Want to disrupt a pitcher's rhythm? Challenge a play. Want extra time to warm up a pitcher? Challenge a play. Leyland wants a smoke? Yup.

While I think replay is a positive step, I think Hank Schulman has some good points. How do you an prevent abuse of the system?

 

 

One other thing, it sounds like managers are going to have to use their challenges on "obvious" calls they didn't have to this year and past years, when they could just ask the umps to review it and they did.

[bnickle]

it was inevitable. I assume this means out and safe calls at all the bags. Balls and strikes will never be reviewable which is understandable.

[Mackus]

A crew in NYC will review the calls.  Absolutely the right way to do it.  I'm very impressed that they are doing this.  There isn't any word on what will be reviewable and what will not at this point, though.  Hopefully it's pretty comprehensive.

[mweb08]

I don't like the distinction between the first 6 innings and the last 3 because a blown call can be just as important early in a game.

Other than that, I really like this.

As for the point about abusing this, well managers can come out to argue for the same effect and can take more time doing so.

[Oriole85]

I don't like the distinction between the first 6 innings and the last 3 because a blown call can be just as important early in a game.

Other than that, I really like this.

As for the point about abusing this, well managers can come out to argue for the same effect and can take more time doing so.

They can also get thrown out and possibly suspended and fined for their conduct. If managers abused the system here for going after routine plays, could they lose their challenges in futre games?